Distinct climate change synchronous with Heinrich event one, recorded by stable oxygen and carbon isotopic compositions in stalagmites from China

Uranium-series dating of oxygen and carbon isotope records for stalagmite SJ3 collected in Songjia Cave, central China, shows significant variation in past climate and environment during the period 20-10 ka. Stalagmite SJ3 is located more than 1000 km inland of the coastal Hulu Cave in East China and more than 700 km north of the Dongge Cave in Southwest China and, despite minor differences, displays a clear first-order similarity with the Hulu and Dongge records. The coldest climatic phase since the Last Glacial Maximum, which is associated with the Heinrich Event 1 in the North Atlantic region, was clearly recorded in SJ3 between 17.6 and 14.5 ka, in good agreement in timing, duration and extent with the records from Hulu and Dongge caves and the Greenland ice core. The results indicate that there have been synchronous and significant climatic changes across monsoonal China and strong teleconnections between the North Atlantic and East Asia regions during the period 20-10 ka. This is much different from the Holocene Optimum which shows a time shift of more than several thousands years from southeast coastal to inland China. It is likely that temperature change at northern high latitudes during glacial periods exerts stronger influence on the Asian summer monsoon relative to insolation and appears to be capable of perturbing large-scale atmospheric/oceanic circulation patterns in the Northern Hemisphere and thus monsoonal rainfall and paleovegetation in East Asia. Climatic signals in the North Atlantic region propagate rapidly to East Asia during glacial periods by influencing the winter land-sea temperature contrast in the East Asian monsoon region.     

Diet and habitat of toxodont megaherbivores (Mammalia, Notoungulata) from the late Quaternary of South and Central America

The toxodont megaherbivores Toxodon and Mixotoxodon were endemic to South and Central America during the late Quaternary. Isotopic signatures of 47 toxodont teeth were analyzed to reconstruct diet and ancient habitat. Tooth enamel carbon isotope data from six regions of South and Central America indicate significant differences in toxodont diet and local vegetation during the late Quaternary. Toxodonts ranged ecologically from C₃ forest browsers in the Amazon (mean δ¹³C = −13.4‰), to mixed C₃ grazers and/or browsers living either in C₃ grasslands, or mixed C₃ forested and grassland habitats in Honduras (mean δ¹³C = −9.3‰), Buenos Aires province, Argentina (δ¹³C = −8.7‰), and Bahia, Brazil (mean δ¹³C = −8.6‰), to predominantly C₄ grazers in northern Argentina (δ¹³C = −4.4‰), to specialized C₄ grazers in the Chaco of Bolivia (δ¹³C = −0.1‰). Although these toxodonts had very high-crowned teeth classically interpreted for grazing, the isotopic data indicate that these megaherbivores had the evolutionary capacity to feed on a variety of dominant local vegetation. In the ancient Amazon region, carbon isotope data for the toxodonts indicate a C₃-based tropical rainforest habitat with no evidence for grasslands as would be predicted from the Neotropical forest refugia hypothesis.     

青藏高原西部阿汝冰芯记录的近100 a气温变化研究

以2017年9月钻取自青藏高原西部阿汝冰崩区长度55.29 m的阿汝冰芯为研究对象,通过冰芯δ¹⁸O记录与Nye模型重建了冰芯上部17.87 m的时间序列是1917—2016年。结合冰芯邻近的改则、狮泉河气象站1973—2016年夏季平均气温数据,通过相关性分析及线性回归法、Mann-Kendall（M-K）检验分析,发现冰芯与气象站记录的过去44年气温显著升高;根据M-K突变检验得出,20世纪80年代是气温变化由高—低—高的转折时期,且阿汝冰芯记录的突变年份1981年前后气温上升约1.97 ℃。同样地,采用线性回归法、M-K检验分析阿汝冰芯与邻近的古里雅冰芯共同记录的1917—1991年气温变化情况,发现两支冰芯记录的75年间气温变化总体呈上升趋势;根据M-K突变检验得出,升温始于20世纪30年代中后期并于50年代达到显著升温的趋势,且阿汝冰芯记录的突变年份1949年前后气温上升了约1.1 ℃。阿汝冰芯与气象站和古里雅冰芯记录的气温变化具有一致的升温趋势,但阿汝冰芯记录的增温幅度比气象站记录高,同时比古里雅冰芯记录的增温幅度小。     

中国西北C-3植物的碳同位素组成与年降雨量关系初探

 本文对不同年降雨量环境下生长的藜、独行菜、魁蓟和平车前这4种常见C-3植物的δ¹³C进行了分析,发现这4种C-3植物的δ¹³C组成都表现出随年降雨量减少而变重的趋势,其中藜和独行菜的碳同位素组成对降水变化的响应相对要较其它2种植物强烈得多。藜、独行菜和魁蓟的δ¹³C组成与年降雨量有显著的线性关系,平车前碳同位素组成与年降雨量没有显著的相关性,表明藜、独行菜和魁蓟的δ¹³C组成可作为年降雨量的替代性指标,平车前的δ¹³C组成不能作为年降水的替代性指标。     

The oxygen isotope composition of water masses within the North Sea

Based on measurements of the ¹⁸O isotope composition of 247 samples collected over a 3-year period we have assessed the oxygen isotope composition of water masses in the North Sea. This is the first δ¹⁸O data set that covers the entire North Sea basin. The waters lie on a mixing line: δ¹⁸O (‰_VSMOW) = −9.300 + 0.274(S) with North Atlantic sub-polar mode water (SPMW) and surface waters, and Baltic Sea water representing the saline and freshwater end members respectively. Patterns exhibited in surface and bottom water δ¹⁸O distributions are representative of the general circulation of the North Sea. Oxygen-18 enriched waters from the North Atlantic enter the North Sea between Scotland and Norway and to a lesser extent through the English Channel. In contrast, oxygen-18 depleted waters mainly inflow from the Baltic Sea, the rivers Rhine and Elbe, and to a lesser degree, the Norwegian Fjords and other river sources. Locally the δ¹⁸O–salinity relationship will be controlled by the isotopic composition of the freshwater inputs. However, the range of local freshwater compositions around the North Sea basin is too narrow to characterise the relative contributions of individual sources to the overall seawater composition. This dataset provides important information for a number of related disciplines including biogeochemical research and oceanographic studies.     

Isotopic,trace element and nutrient characterization of coastal waters from Ubatuba inner shelf area,south-eastern Brazil

Stable isotopes, tritium, radium isotopes, radon, trace elements and nutrients data were collected during two sampling campaigns in the Ubatuba coastal area (south-eastern Brazil) with the aim of investigating submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in the region. The isotopic composition (δD, δ¹⁸O, ³H) of submarine waters was characterised by significant variability and heavy isotope enrichment. The stable isotopes and tritium data showed good separation of groundwater and seawater groups. The contribution of groundwater in submarine waters varied from a few % to 17%. Spatial distribution of ²²²Rn activity concentration in surface seawater revealed changes between 50 and 200 Bq m⁻³ which were in opposite relationship with observed salinities. Time series measurements of ²²²Rn activity concentration in Flamengo Bay (from 1 to 5 kBq m⁻³), obtained by in situ underwater gamma-spectrometry showed a negative correlation between the ²²²Rn activity concentration and tide/salinity. This may be caused by sea level changes as tide effects induce variations of hydraulic gradients, which increase ²²²Rn concentration during lower sea level, and opposite, during high tides where the ²²²Rn activity concentration is smaller. The estimated SGD fluxes varied during 22–26 November between 8 and 40 cm d⁻¹, with an average value of 21 cm d⁻¹ (the unit is cm³/cm² per day). The radium isotopes and nutrient data showed scattered distributions with offshore distance and salinity, which implies that in a complex coast with many small bays and islands, the area has been influenced by local currents and groundwater–seawater mixing. SGD in the Ubatuba area is fed by coastal contaminated groundwater and re-circulated seawater (with small admixtures of groundwater), which claims for potential environmental concern with implications on the management of freshwater resources in the region.     

碳酸盐岩碳同位素地层学研究中数据的有效性

碳酸盐岩碳稳定同位素组成数据能否有效地反应原始大洋的同位素组成是稳定同位素地层学研究成败的关键,因此,如何准确地判断碳同位素比值的有效性成为该稳定同位素地层学研究中的焦点问题之一。碳同位素值有效性受成岩作用、地层缺失、样品处理过程等多方面因素影响,但成岩作用是诸多因素中最普遍、最主要的,因而正确判别碳同位素值可靠性通常也就是对样品及其同位素组成经受成岩改造程度的评定。确保碳同位素测试结果可靠应主要把握前期严格选样和后期数据分析两个重要环节。前期选样包括野外和室内两步,是在宏观尺度上对数据可靠性的把握;后期数据分析则主要是在严格选样的基础上,利用碳(及附带的氧)同位素自身数据特征以及借助Mn、Fe、Sr等微量元素特征从元素级别的微观角度对同位素值有效性做出进一步判别。     

硫酸侵蚀碳酸盐岩对长江河水DIC循环的影响

对长江及其主要支流河水水化学和溶解无机碳（DIC）同位素组成（δ13GDIC）进行了研究。河水阳离子组成以Ca^2＋、Mg^2＋为主,阴离子以HCO3-、SO4^2-为主,水化学组成主要受流域碳酸盐岩矿物的化学侵蚀控制。DIC含量为0．3～2．5mmol／L,从上游到河口逐渐降低。δ13CDIC值为-12．0‰-3．4‰,与DIC含量具有相似的变化趋势。H2CO3溶解碳酸盐岩是控制河水DIC来源及其占δGDIC组成的主要机制。H2SO4溶解碳酸盐岩加剧了流域碳酸盐岩的化学侵蚀,一方面导致了河水的DIC含量增加,另一方面也使河水的δ13GDIC值升高。     

利用氮氧同位素研究桂林寨底地下河硝酸盐来源

工农业生产的迅速发展使地下水硝酸盐氮(NO3-—N)污染成为世界性的环境问题。地下水中硝酸盐的来源研究在水文地质结构特殊的西南岩溶地区就显得尤为重要。稳定氮同位素和氧同位素在地下水硝酸盐的来源示踪研究中有着广泛的应用。本研究选取岩溶地区典型地下河——广西桂林寨底地下河为研究对象,通过氮氧同位素数据,判断寨底地下河硝酸盐来源是以动物粪便为主的农家肥,为该区地下水的保护和利用提供科学依据。     

Stable isotope ratios in Cape gannets around the southern coasts of Africa reveal penetration of biogeographic patterns in oceanic signatures

The southern coasts of Africa are influenced by two major oceanic currents, leading to biogeographic patterns in inshore and offshore species assemblages, and in the stable isotope signatures of suspended particulate matter and filter-feeding mussels. We used the stable isotope ratios of carbon (¹³C/¹²C) and nitrogen (¹⁵N/¹⁴N) from the blood and feathers of adult and chick Cape gannets (Morus capensis) to investigate whether the geographic differences observed at the lower levels in the marine communities are deep penetrating effects that reach top predators. Additionally, we evaluated whether trophic segregation occurs between adult and reared chick gannets, and whether a shift to wintering habitat occurs in adults. The study was conducted during the 2006 breeding season on Bird Island in the Agulhas system, and on Malgas and Ichaboe Islands, in the south and north Benguela respectively. Our results showed significant differences in the isotope ratios of members of different colonies, but no intra-colony differences between tissues or age groups. These results indicate that there is neither age-related nor temporal segregation in the diet of members of the same colony. Feather isotopic values suggest that adults remain all year round in the same habitats, and do not undertake long migration after reproduction. Since all gannets tend to target similar prey, we attributed among-colony differences in isotope signatures mostly to the oceanic conditions experienced by the main prey of birds rather than substantial differences in diet composition. Overall, isotopic signatures segregate the two current systems, with depleted carbon values in the Agulhas and enriched nitrogen values in the upwelled waters of the Benguela. Within the Benguela birds from Ichaboe in the north had higher δ¹⁵N values than those from Malgas in the south, which we attributed to differences in the functioning of the upwelling cells in the vicinity of the two colonies. Finally, slight variation in the proportion of main prey and discards from fisheries may contribute to the variation in the stable-isotope signatures between colonies in the Benguela.