Factors that contributed to recent eutrophication of two Slovenian mountain lakes

Increased eutrophication was recently observed in the 5th (5J) and 6th (6J) Triglav Lakes, two remote Slovenian mountain lakes. Sediment phosphorus (P) pools were analysed and potential external P sources affecting the lakes (atmospheric deposition, terrestrial export and nearby hut) evaluated, to assess the effects of internal and external changes on the lakes. A sequential extraction procedure was used to quantify five P fractions from the sediments: adsorbed (NH₄Cl–P), redox-sensitive (BD–P), aluminium- (NaOH–P) and calcium- (HCl–P) bound, and refractory organic (Res–P) P. Total phosphorus (TP) contents in surface sediment of 5J and 6J were 1430 and 641 µg P g^?1 dry weight sediment (dw), respectively. TP varied with depth in 5J sediments, but displayed no discernible pattern, whereas it decreased steadily downcore in 6J. Contents of all P forms were distinctly higher in 5J than 6J, but their rank order and relative abundances were similar in the two lakes. Res–P was the most abundant P fraction, followed by HCl–P. Together, the two P forms accounted for nearly 80 and 90% of TP in 5J and 6J sediments, respectively. BD–P and NaOH–P were less abundant, with each fraction accounting for 3 to 9% of TP, whereas NH₄Cl–P was least abundant. Atmospheric deposition and terrestrial export were substantial sources of P for the lakes. Delivery of the former was estimated to be at least 7.5 mg P m^?2 yr^?1 and the latter around 20 mg P m^?2 yr^?1. We concluded that P was not retained in the catchment effectively, likely because of only slightly acidic soil pH (5.9), relatively low aluminium content and high organic matter content (53%) in soils, resulting in higher vulnerability of the studied lakes to eutrophication. The mountain hut could also be a significant source of P for the lakes. Each year, it could potentially contribute ~12 kg of soluble P to the environment, but the true impact of the hut on lake trophic status remains unclear.     

Palaeoclimate inferred from δ18O and palaeobotanical indicators in freshwater tufa of Lake Äntu Sinijärv,Estonia

We investigated a 3.75-m-long lacustrine sediment record from Lake Äntu Sinijärv, northern Estonia, which has a modeled basal age >12,800 cal yr BP. Our multi-proxy approach focused on the stable oxygen isotope composition (δ¹⁸O) of freshwater tufa. Our new palaeoclimate information for the Eastern Baltic region, based on high-resolution δ¹⁸O data (219 samples), is supported by pollen and plant macrofossil data. Radiocarbon dates were used to develop a core chronology and estimate sedimentation rates. Freshwater tufa precipitation started ca. 10,700 cal yr BP, ca. 2,000 years later than suggested by previous studies on the same lake. Younger Dryas cooling is documented clearly in Lake Äntu Sinijärv sediments by abrupt appearance of diagnostic pollen (Betula nana, Dryas octopetala), highest mineral matter content in sediments (up to 90 %) and low values of δ¹⁸O (less than ?12 ‰). Globally recognized 9.3- and 8.2-ka cold events are weakly defined by negative shifts in δ¹⁸O values, to ?11.3 and ?11.7 ‰, respectively, and low concentrations of herb pollen and charcoal particles. The Holocene thermal maximum (HTM) is palaeobotanically well documented by the first appearance and establishment of nemoral thermophilous taxa and presence of water lilies requiring warm conditions. Isotope values show an increasing trend during the HTM, from ?11.5 to ?10.5 ‰. Relatively stable environmental conditions, represented by only a small-scale increase in δ¹⁸O (up to 1 ‰) and high pollen concentrations between 5,000 and 3,000 cal yr BP, were followed by a decrease in δ¹⁸O, reaching the most negative value (?12.7 ‰) recorded in the freshwater tufa ca. 900 cal yr BP.     

A 100-year record of changes in organic matter characteristics and productivity in Lake Bhimtal in the Kumaon Himalaya, NW India

Sediment variables total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), total sulfur (TS), as well as their accumulation rates and atomic ratios (C/N and C/S), were studied along with stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ³⁴S), and specific biomarkers (n-alkanes and pigments) in a 35-cm-long sediment core from Lake Bhimtal, NW India. The average sedimentation rate is 3.6 mm year^?1, and the core represents a provisional record of ~100 years of sedimentation history. Bulk elemental records and their ratios indicate that sediment organic matter (OM) is derived primarily from algae. In-lake productivity increased sharply over the last two decades, consistent with paleoproductivity reconstructions from other lakes in the area. An up-core decrease in δ¹³C values, despite other evidence for an increase in lake productivity, implies that multiple biogeochemical processes (e.g. external input of sewage or uptake of isotopically depleted CO₂ as a result of fossil fuel burning) influence the C isotope record in the lake. The δ¹⁵N values (?0.2 to ?3.9 ‰) reflect the presence of N-fixing cyanobacteria, and an increase in lake productivity. The δ³⁴S profile shows enrichment of up to 5.6 ‰, and suggests that sulfate reduction occurred in these anoxic sediments. Increases in total n-alkane concentrations and their specific ratios, such as the Carbon Preference Index (CPI) and Terrestrial Aquatic Ratio (TAR), imply in-lake algal production. Likewise, pigments indicate an up-core increase in total concentration and dominance of cyanobacteria over other phytoplankton. Geochemical trends indicate a recent increase in the lake’s trophic state as a result of human-induced changes in the catchment. The study highlights the vulnerability of mountain lakes in the Himalayan region to both natural and anthropogenic processes, and the difficulties associated with reversing trophic state and ecological changes.     

Response of Sandy Lake in Schirmacher Oasis,East Antarctica to the glacial-interglacial climate shift

Freshwater lakes in Antarctica fluctuate from ice-free state (during austral summer) to ice-cover state (during austral winter). Hence the lakes respond instantly to the seasonal climate of the region. The Antarctic seasons respond sharply to the glacial and interglacial climates and these signatures are archived in the lake sediments. A sediment core from Sandy Lake, a periglacial lake located in Schirmacher Oasis of East Antarctica records distinct changes in grain-size, C, N, C/N ratios (atomic), δ¹³C_OM and δ¹⁵N_OM contents during the last 36 ky. The contents of the sedimentary organic matter (OM) proxies (C_org ~ 0.3 ± 0.2%, C/N ratios ~9 ± 5 and δ¹³C_OM ~?18 ± 6‰) indicate that the OM in this lake sediment is a product of mixing of terrestrial and lacustrine biomass. Distinctly lower contents of C_org (~0.2%) and sand (~50%), low C/N ratios (~8) and depleted δ¹³C_OM (~?20‰) during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM: 32–17 ky BP based on Vostok Temperatures) suggest greater internal (autochthonous) provenance of organic matter and limited terrestrial (allochthonous) inputs probably due to long and intense winters in the Antarctic. Such intense winters might have resulted the lake surface to be ice-covered for most part of the year when the temperatures remained consistently colder than the Holocene temperatures. The denitrification within the lake evident by enriched δ¹⁵N_OM (>10‰) during Antarctic LGM might have resulted from oxygen-limitation within the lake environment caused by insulated lake surface. The gradual increases in δ¹³C_OM, C/N and sand content starting at ~11 ky BP and attaining high values (~?11‰, ~10 and ~80% respectively) at ~6 ky BP together suggest a subtle change in the balance of sources of organic matter between algal and macrophyte/bryophyte nearly 8–9 ky later to the beginning of the deglaciation. Thus the seasonal opening-up of the Sandy Lake similar to the modern pattern started with the establishment of the optimum temperature conditions (i.e., 0 °C anomaly) in the Antarctic, prior to which the lake environment might have remained mostly insulated or closed.     

Defining drivers of nitrogen stable isotopes (δ15N) of surface sediments in temperate lakes

The nitrogen stable isotopic signature (δ¹⁵N) of sediment is a powerful tool to understand eutrophication history, but its interpretation remains a challenge. In a large-scale comparative approach, we identified the most important drivers influencing surface sediments δ¹⁵N of 65 lakes from two regions of Canada using proxies that reflect watershed nitrogen (N) sources, internal lake microbial cycling and productivity. Across regions, we found that water column total nitrogen (TN),  %N in the sediments and lake morphometric variables were the best predictors of sedimentary δ¹⁵N, explaining 66 % of its variation. Significant relationships were also found between sediment δ¹⁵N and human-derived N load ( \( R_{{{\text{adj}} .}}^{2} \)  = 0.23, p < 0.001), the latter being a strong predictor of TN ( \( R_{{{\text{adj}} .}}^{2} \)  = 0.68, p < 0.001). Despite a relatively strong overall relationship, variation partitioning revealed an interesting difference in the dominant variable that influenced regional δ¹⁵N. Alberta lake sedimentary δ¹⁵N signature was dominated by human derived N load. In contrast, internal processing appeared to be more important in Quebec lakes, where sediment δ¹⁵N was best explained by  %N in the sediments and lake volume. Overall, our findings support the use of δ¹⁵N in paleolimnological investigations to reconstruct changing N sources to lakes but also highlight that regions may have distinctive drivers. Interpretations of sediment δ¹⁵N are likely to be strongest when multiple lines of evidence are employed and when placed in a regional context.     

Taxon-specific δ13C analysis of chitinous invertebrate remains in sediments from Strandsjön,Sweden

Taxon-specific stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C) analysis of chitinous remains of invertebrates can provide valuable information about the carbon sources used by invertebrates living in specific habitats of lake ecosystems (for example, sediments, water column, or aquatic vegetation). This is complementary to δ¹³C of sedimentary organic matter (SOM), which provides an integrated signal of organic matter produced in a lake and its catchment, and of diagenetic processes within sediments. In a sediment record from Strandsjön (Sweden) covering the past circa 140 years, we analyzed SOM geochemistry (δ¹³C, C:N_atomic, organic carbon content) and δ¹³C of chitinous invertebrate remains in order to examine whether taxon-specific δ¹³C records could be developed for different invertebrate groups and whether these analyses provide insights into past changes of organic carbon sources for lacustrine invertebrates available in benthic and planktonic compartments of the lake. Invertebrate taxa included benthic chironomids (Chironomus, Chironomini excluding Chironomus, Tanytarsini, and Tanypodinae), filter-feeders on suspended particulate organic matter (Daphnia, Plumatella and Cristatella mucedo), and Rhabdocoela. δ¹³C of chironomid remains indicated periodic availability of ¹³C-depleted carbon sources in the benthic environment of the lake as δ¹³C values of the different chironomid taxa fluctuated simultaneously between ?34.7 and ?30.5 ‰ (VPDB). Daphnia and Bryozoa showed parallel changes in their δ¹³C values which did not coincide with variations in δ¹³C of chironomids, though, and a 2–3 ‰ decrease since circa AD 1960. The decrease in δ¹³C of Daphnia and Bryozoa could indicate a decrease in phytoplankton δ¹³C as a result of lower lake productivity, which is in accordance with historical information about the lake that suggests a shift to less eutrophic conditions after AD 1960. In contrast, Rhabdocoela cocoons were characterized by relatively high δ¹³C values (?30.4 to ?28.2 ‰) that did not show a strong temporal trend, which could be related to the predatory feeding mode and wide prey spectrum of this organism group. The taxon-specific δ¹³C analyses of invertebrate remains indicated that different carbon sources were available for the benthic chironomid larvae than for the filter-feeding Daphnia and bryozoans. Our results therefore demonstrate that taxon-specific analysis of δ¹³C of organic invertebrate remains can provide complementary information to measurements on bulk SOM and that δ¹³C of invertebrate remains may allow the reconstruction of past changes in carbon sources and their δ¹³C in different habitats of lake ecosystems.     

A geochemical record of recent anthropogenic nutrient loading and enhanced productivity in Lake Nansihu, China

Total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N), total phosphorus (TP) and organic phosphorus (OP) were measured in surface sediments and two short cores (DU-3 and WS-4) from Lake Nansihu, China to infer historical changes in anthropogenic nutrient inputs and corresponding shifts in lake primary productivity. Results indicate that organic matter preserved in the sediments is mainly autochthonous and that analyzed sediment variables were affected little by post-burial diagenesis. Increasing TOC, TN, OP and TP concentrations since the 1940s reflect increased P loading and elevated lake productivity. The δ¹³C values varied from ?21.5 to ?26.6‰ in the two sediment cores. Values were relatively more negative before the 1940s, but thereafter increased until the mid-1980s, reflecting elevated lake productivity. Since the mid-1980s, δ¹³C values remained relatively constant in core WS-4 and decreased in core DU-3, perhaps reflecting a change in the phytoplankton community. The δ¹⁵N values ranged from ?0.5 to 1.3‰ in core DU-3 and from 1.2 to 2.5‰ in core WS-4 before the mid-1980s, and increased to between 2.1 and 8.0‰ and 5.2 and 7.8‰, respectively, thereafter. Topmost sediments in the two cores display δ¹⁵N values similar to those recorded in the surface sediments (5.5–7.5‰). Higher δ¹⁵N values in recent deposits correspond to greater nitrogen concentration in water, and likely indicate anthropogenic nitrogen input, mainly from human and animal wastes.     

A study of the δ13C offset between chironomid larvae and their exuvial head capsules: implications for palaeoecology

We conducted a rearing experiment with the chironomid species Chironomus riparius to assess the relationship between the δ¹³C values of chironomid larvae and the δ¹³C values of their exuvial head capsules. Our experiment was also designed to study the extent of the trophic fractionation factor (Δ¹³C) under different dietary conditions. Three food sources were used (Tetramin, oats and corn), covering a range in δ¹³C values of 14.55 ‰. For each of the four successive instars, carbon isotope ratios were measured in larval tissues and head capsules. This approach highlighted the variability in δ¹³C for both larvae and their head capsules during larval development. Once the larvae reached the 3rd instar, their δ¹³C values were stabilised and did not significantly differ from their food δ¹³C (Δ¹³C = 0 ‰). It is probable that the variability in the δ¹³C offset during larval development reflected a difference in the carbon turnover for the chironomid cuticle compared with the whole body. At the 4th instar, the δ¹³C offset did not significantly differ between the three food sources and was ?0.9 ± 0.2 ‰. The proposed Δ¹³C and δ¹³C offset values can be considered as a first step for the reconstructions of the chironomid larvae paleo-diets with the aim of deciphering the different organic carbon sources supporting chironomid larvae productions. However, the influence of the environment (e.g. temperature, oxygen), other food sources (e.g. different nutritive values) as well as taxonomy (i.e. other chironomid species) should be assessed to strengthen the robustness of these results.     

A 15.4-ka paleoclimate record inferred from δ<Superscript>13</Superscript>C and δ<Superscript>15</Superscript>N of organic matter in sediments from the sub-alpine Daping Swamp,western Nanling Mountains,South China

We inferred past climate conditions from the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of organic matter (OM) in a sediment core (DP-2011-02) from the sub-alpine Daping Swamp, in the western Nanling Mountains, South China. In the study region, a 1000-m increase in altitude results in a ~0.75‰ decrease in δ¹³C and a ~2.2‰ increase in δ¹⁵N. Organic carbon stable isotope (δ¹³C) values of the dominant modern vegetation species, surface soils, and the core samples taken in the swamp exhibit a strong terrestrial C3 plant signature. Comprehensive analysis of the core indicates both terrestrial and aquatic sources contribute to the OM in sediment. Temperature and precipitation are most likely the critical factors that influence δ¹³C: warm and wet conditions favor lower δ¹³C, whereas a dry and cool climate leads to higher δ¹³C values. Higher δ¹⁵N values may result from greater water depth and increased primary productivity, promoted by large inputs of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, induced by high surface runoff. Lower δ¹⁵N values are associated with lower lake stage and reduced productivity, under drier conditions. Therefore, stratigraphic shifts in these stable isotopes were used to infer past regional climate. Measures of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in deglacial deposits, in combination with total organic carbon (TOC) and nitrogen (TN) concentrations, the TOC/TN ratio, coarse silt and sand fractions, dry bulk density and low-frequency mass magnetic susceptibility, reveal two dry and cold events at 15,400–14,500 and 13,000–11,000 cal a BP, which correspond to Heinrich event 1 and the Younger Dryas, respectively. A pronounced warm and wet period that occurred between those dry episodes, from 14,500 to 13,000 cal a BP, corresponds to the Bølling–Allerød. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N data, however, do not reflect a warm and wet early Holocene. The Holocene optimum occurred between ~8000 and 6000 cal a BP, which is different from inferences from the nearby Dongge cave stalagmite δ¹⁸O record, but consistent with our previous results. This study contributes to our understanding of climate-related influences on δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in OM of lake sediments in South China.     

A sediment record of trophic state change in an Arkansas (USA) reservoir

Reservoir sediments are used cautiously in paleolimnological studies because of dating uncertainties, possible sediment disturbances and even concerns that indicators of trophic status may behave differently in reservoirs as opposed to natural lakes. We measured loss on ignition (LOI), carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N), diatom abundance, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), TN:TP ratio, and carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) in an 83-cm sediment core to track recent trophic status changes in Beaver Reservoir, Northwest Arkansas, USA. Measurements showed that LOI, TN, TP and diatom abundance increased significantly from the bottom to the top of the core (p < 0.001). The C:N ratio and δ¹³C indicated a predominantly algal source for organic matter in the sediments. Increases in TN and TP were positively correlated with human population growth (p < 0.01) and the TN:TP ratio recorded a shift from phosphorus to nitrogen limitation around 1990. This shift may have encouraged cyanobacterial growth that caused episodes of taste and odor problems in the reservoir. This study suggests that despite concerns about sediment dating and disturbance, reservoir sediments can provide valuable information on past water quality changes.     

Oxygen isotope variability in calcite shells of the ostracod Cyprideis torosa in Akyatan Lagoon,Turkey

The euryhaline ostracod Cyprideis torosa lives in Akyatan Lagoon, Turkey, which is exposed to large spatial and seasonal variations in water salinity, δ¹⁸O, and temperature. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope measurements of waters reveal that the large range of salinity (15–80 g L^?1) in the lagoon results from a combination of evaporation and mixing between Mediterranean seawater and Seyhan River input. Round sieve-pore relative abundance in C. torosa provides a robust proxy for water salinity (S) from 15 to 80 g L^?1, according to the equation: S = 161.41 (±4.52) * log₁₀(% rounded pores) ? 94.04 (±3.44) (R² = 0.937; p = 10^?31). Seasonal sampling and isotope analysis of C. torosa in waters of known δ¹⁸O values (?4.7 to +6.9 ‰ V-PDB) and temperatures (15–35 °C) yielded a weak positive correlation (r = 0.71) between 1000 lnα_{(calcite–water)} ‰ V-SMOW) and 10³ * T^?1. Specimens of C. torosa collected during the mild and warm seasons have oxygen isotope compositions close to those of inorganic calcite precipitated in equilibrium with ambient water. The large oxygen-isotope variability observed during any season of the year most likely results from shell calcification in water bodies of highly variable salinity, alkalinity, Mg/Ca and water saturation relative to calcite. Indeed, distinct water bodies in the Akyatan Lagoon are generated by mixing of fresh and marine waters, which are exposed to different evaporation rates at the seasonal scale.     

Seasonality of cladoceran and bryozoan resting stage δ<Superscript>13</Superscript>C values and implications for their use as palaeolimnological indicators of lacustrine carbon cycle dynamics

The stable carbon isotope composition, expressed as δ¹³C values, of chitinous resting stages of planktivorous invertebrates can provide information on past changes in carbon cycling in lakes. For example, the δ¹³C values of cladoceran ephippia and bryozoan statoblasts have been used to estimate the past contribution of methane-derived carbon to lake food webs and variations in the δ¹³C value of planktonic algae. Limited information, however, is available concerning seasonal variations in δ¹³C values of these organisms and their resting stages. We measured the seasonal variation in δ¹³C values of Daphnia (Branchiopoda: Cladocera: Daphniidae) and their floating ephippia over a 2-year period in small, dimictic Lake Gerzensee, Switzerland. Floating ephippia of Ceriodaphnia (Branchiopoda: Cladocera: Daphniidae) and statoblasts of Plumatella (Phylactolaemata: Plumatellida: Plumatellidae) were analysed during parts of this period. Furthermore, δ¹³C values of remains from all three organism groups were analysed in a 62-cm-long sediment core. Throughout the year, Daphnia δ¹³C values tracked the δ¹³C values of particulate organic matter (POM), but were more negative than POM, indicating that Daphnia also utilize a relatively ¹³C-depleted carbon source. Daphnia ephippia δ¹³C values did not show any pronounced seasonal variation, suggesting that they are produced batch-wise in autumn and/or spring and float for several months. In contrast, δ¹³C values of Ceriodaphnia ephippia and Plumatella statoblasts followed variations in δ¹³C_POM values, Ceriodaphnia values being the most negative of the resting stages. Average cladoceran ephippia δ¹³C values in the flotsam agreed well with ephippia values from Gerzensee surface sediments. In contrast, average Plumatella statoblast δ¹³C values from the flotsam were 4‰ more negative than in the surface sediments. In the sediment core, δ¹³C values of the two cladocerans remained low (mean ?39.0 and ?41.9‰) throughout the record. In contrast, Plumatella had distinctly less negative δ¹³C values (mean ?32.0‰). Our results indicate that in Gerzensee, Daphnia and Ceriodaphnia strongly relied on a ¹³C-depleted food source throughout the past 150 years, most likely methane-oxidising bacteria, whereas this food source was not a major contribution to the diet of bryozoans.     

Paleoclimate changes inferred from stable isotopes and magnetic properties of organic-rich lake sediments in Arctic Norway

Stable isotope measures in organic matter are frequently used as indicators of past climate change. Although such analyses can provide valuable information, there is considerable uncertainty associated with studies of organic-rich sediments, especially those from Arctic lakes and bogs. We studied stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen, and magnetic properties in a sediment core from a small alkaline lake with a high sedimentation rate, Lake Nattmålsvatn, Norway. There is good correspondence among the different sediment variables during the late glacial, and they seemingly reflect major climate variations such as the Allerød Interstade and the Younger Dryas, as well as the transition into the current interglacial. During the early Holocene, however, these relationships are more complex and δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values do not stabilize until ~7,500 cal year BP. A significant excursion in all variables occurs between 6,850 and 6,500 cal year BP and is interpreted to represent climate deterioration. Holocene δ¹³C values vary little and indicate that isotopically-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the lake, possibly influenced by methanotrophy and high pCO₂, dominated the lake’s carbon cycle. Holocene δ¹⁵N is similarly muted, likely due to the availability of abundant dissolved nitrogen. Bulk organic matter is probably dominated by phytoplankton remains produced beneath the ice cover in late spring and during ice breakup when isotopically-depleted DIC, pCO₂ and ammonium availability were maximal. Thus, use of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N as indicators of Holocene paleoclimate and paleoproductivity variation can be challenging in a lake such as Nattmålsvatn, where ice cover isolates the basin for large parts of the year, allowing dissolved respiratory gases to accumulate in the water column. In contrast, magnetic variables appear to better track climate variations. In particular, runoff-driven influx of minerogenic sediments shows high variability that can be attributed to regional changes in Holocene winter precipitation. The most striking shifts occur between 4,000 and 2,300 cal year BP.     

Clay mineral occurrence and burial transformations: reservoir potential of the Permo‐Triassic sediments of the Iberian Range

The diagenetic evolution of Permian (Autunian and Saxonian) and Triassic (Buntsandstein) sandstones and mudrocks have been studied over 1000 m sequence from the Sigüenza 44‐3 drill core in the Iberian Range, Spain. We compare and contrast the diagenetic processes in these different lithologies and the timing of clay mineral formation. Moreover, we establish the relationship between clay mineral diagenesis and reservoir potential. Both the Permian and Triassic successions are characterised by conglomerates, sandstones and interbedded mudstones of fluvial origin that change upwards into distal deposits of a fluvio‐deltaic system. The clay minerals are illite, illite‐smectite mixed layers, kaolinite and dickite. The illite content in all sequences is not related to diminished feldspars; it is owing to the initial detrital mineralogical composition of the Autunian sandstones. The effect of feldspar alteration to kaolin minerals has a strong influence on the lost of porosity‐permeability in the Saxonian facies. In contrast, illite and mixed layers illite‐smectite are the main clay rims preserving porosity in the Buntsandstein sandstones. However, fibrous illite is the dominant pore‐filling in the Permian Autunian facies, closing porosity and permeability. Kaolinite and dickite show opposite trends: dickite increases yet kaolinite decreases from Triassic to Permian sandstones. Dickite replaced kaolinite during burial‐thermal evolution of the succession. The δD and δ¹⁸O isotopic signatures from silt and clay fractions indicate a mixture of meteoric and marine waters, and suggest a minimum temperature range between 60 and 150 °C for diagenetic pore fluids. The Permian δD values (?24‰ to ?44‰) are relatively similar to Buntsandstein values (?24‰ to ?37‰). However, the Permian δ¹⁸O values (+7.6 and +15.3, average of +13.3‰) are generally higher by ca. 6.2‰ compared to the Buntsandstein data (4.8–10.1‰, average +7.1‰). Such a variation is interpreted as the result of mesodiagenetic pore fluid changes. The extensive dickitisation of kaolinite is attributed to increased hydrogen ions resulting from maturation of organic matter. The vitrinite reflectance of organic matter and the modelled thermal history suggest a maximum burial of 3400 m, accomplished 70 Ma ago. The Permo‐Triassic reached the gas window shortly before major uplift, at 65 Ma, when further maturation and hydrocarbon expulsion ceased.     

A high-resolution sedimentary archive from landslide-dammed Lake Mengda,north-eastern Tibetan Plateau

Lacustrine sediments have been widely used to investigate past climatic and environmental changes on millennial to seasonal time scales. Sedimentary archives of lakes in mountainous regions may also record non-climatic events such as earthquakes. We argue herein that a set of 64 annual laminae couplets reconciles a stratigraphically inconsistent accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) ¹⁴C chronology in a ~4-m-long sediment core from Lake Mengda, in the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau. The laminations suggest the lake was formed by a large landslide, triggered by the 1927 Gulang earthquake (M = 8.0). The lake sediment sequence can be separated into three units based on lithologic, sedimentary, and isotopic characteristics. Starting from the bottom of the sequence, these are: (1) unweathered, coarse, sandy valley-floor deposits or landslide debris that pre-date the lake, (2) landslide-induced, fine-grained soil or reworked landslide debris with a high organic content, and (3) lacustrine sediments with low organic content and laminations. These annual laminations provide a high-resolution record of anthropogenic and environmental changes during the twentieth century, recording enhanced sediment input associated with two phases of construction activities. The high mean sedimentation rates of up to 4.8 mm year^?1 underscore the potential for reconstructing such distinct sediment pulses in remote, forested, and seemingly undisturbed mountain catchments.     

The ratio between chrysophycean cysts and diatoms in temperate,mountain lakes: some recommendations for its use in paleolimnology

The ratio between chrysophycean cysts and diatom valves (CD ratio) in lake sediments has been suggested as a useful indicator of changing trophic state conditions in oligotrophic lakes. Other environmental factors, however, may influence the CD ratio because chrysophycean cysts usually reflect conditions in the planktonic environment and diatoms reflect benthic conditions. We investigated the CD ratio in 76 mountain lakes in the Pyrenees to determine the environmental drivers that influence the ratio and assess its value for paleoenvironmental inference. The lakes surveyed included a broad range with respect to bedrock type, altitude and surface area, characteristics that cover much of the variability that can be found in cold, oligotrophic mountain lakes. Lake depth and Ca²⁺ concentration explain most of the variation in the CD ratio. Trophic state factors (e.g. total phosphorus, TP) play a secondary role. As a predictor, CD ratio performs primarily as a lake depth indicator. The predictive models can be improved if trophic state (i.e. TP) and chemical conditions (Ca²⁺) are known or can be estimated independently. Use of the CD ratio for inferring Ca²⁺ oscillations only makes sense in lakes with Ca²⁺ <200 µeq/L or in those that oscillate below and above this threshold through time. Other interpretations of the CD ratio (e.g. lake trophic state changes, ice-cover duration) make sense if complementary paleolimnological evidence indicates that neither water depth nor Ca²⁺ concentration changed significantly. Indeed, paleolimnological interpretation of the CD ratio requires considering the particular characteristics of the lake and may vary depending on the temporal scale considered. This study provides some guidelines for evaluating critically the use of the CD ratio.     

Laminated lake sediments in northeast Poland: distribution, preconditions for formation and potential for paleoenvironmental investigation

Glacial landscapes of the Land of Great Masurian Lakes and Suwa?ki Lakelands in northeast Poland are characterized by very high abundance of lakes. These two areas were surveyed for lakes containing laminated sediments. Using bathymetry as a criterion, 60 small, deep lakes, representing preferred conditions for formation and preservation of lacustrine non-glacial varves, were selected for gravity coring. We found laminated sediments in 24 of the lakes, 15 in the Land of Great Masurian Lakes and 9 in the Suwa?ki Lakeland. Seven of these 24 sediment records were laminated in the topmost part only. Analysis of lake morphometric variables showed that the relation between surface area and maximum water depth can be used to identify lakes with laminated sediments. Most of the newly discovered lakes with laminated deposits have surface areas ≤0.3 km² and maximum depths of 15–35 m. Multivariate statistical analysis (Linear Discriminant Analysis) of the lake dataset identified the morphological features of lake basins and their catchments that largely control preservation of laminated sediments. Microscopic and geochemical analyses revealed a biogenic (carbonaceous) type of lamination typical for lakes in northeast Poland. Such lakes are characterized by a spring-summer lamina that is rich in calcium carbonate and an autumn-winter lamina composed of organic and minerogenic detritus. This pattern may be modified by multiple periods of calcite deposition during a single year or substantial contribution of clastic material. Laminations and high sedimentation rates offer the possibility of high-resolution investigation of past climate and environmental changes through application of myriad biological, isotopic and geochemical proxies.     

Temporal patterns in lacustrine stable isotopes as evidence for climate change during the late glacial in the Southern European Alps

We investigated oxygen and carbon isotopes of bulk carbonate and of benthic freshwater ostracods (Candona candida) in a sediment core of Lago Piccolo di Avigliana that was previously analyzed for pollen and loss-on-ignition, in order to reconstruct environmental changes during the late glacial and early Holocene. The depth–age relationship of the sediment core was established using 14 AMS ¹⁴C dates and the Laacher See Tephra. While stable isotopes of bulk carbonates may have been affected by detrital input and, therefore, only indirectly reflect climatic changes, isotopes measured on ostracod shells provide unambiguous evidence for major environmental changes. Oxygen isotope ratios of ostracod shells (δ¹⁸O_C) increased by ～6‰ at the onset of the Bølling (～14,650 cal BP) and were ～2‰ lower during the Younger Dryas (～12,850 to 11,650 cal BP), indicating a temporal pattern of climate changes similar to the North Atlantic region. However, in contrast to records in that region, δ¹⁸O_C gradually decreased during the early Holocene, suggesting that compared to the Younger Dryas more humid conditions occurred and that the lake received gradually increasing input of ¹⁸O-depleted groundwater or river water.     

Lake evolution and hydroclimate variation at Lake Qinghai (China) over the past 32 ka inferred from ostracods and their stable isotope composition

We used ostracod species assemblages and their δ¹⁸O values in a 32-m sediment core from Lake Qinghai, China, along with information from cores collected at other sites in the lake, to infer lake evolution and hydroclimate changes since the last glacial. Dominant ostracod species Ilyocypris bradyi and its low δ¹⁸O values showed that Lake Qinghai was small in size or even consisted of several playa lakes, and the 1F core site could have even been in a wetland setting, under cold and dry climate conditions before 15.0 ka. Presence of Limnocythere inopinata with low δ¹⁸O values, and absence of I. bradyi after 15.0 ka, indicate the lake area increased or that the playas merged. The decrease or disappearance of ostracods with high δ¹⁸O values showed that the lake shrunk under dry climate from 12.0 to 11.6 ka. After 11.6 ka, hydroclimate shifts inferred from ostracod species changes (Eucypris mareotica and L. inopinata) and their δ¹⁸O values were as follows: (1) 11.6–7.4 ka—larger, but still small lake area with greater moisture availability under primarily dry climate conditions, (2) 7.4 to 3.2 ka—increasing lake level under a warmer and wetter climate, and (3) 3.2 ka to present—stable, large, brackish lake. The low ratio of lake water volume to runoff, and close proximity of the core site to freshwater input from the river mouth would have resulted in relatively lower ostracod δ¹⁸O values when Lake Qinghai was small in area during the interval from 32.0 to 15.0 ka. Lower ostracod δ¹⁸O values during interstadials and throughout the entire Last Glacial Maximum and early deglacial (ca. 24.0–16.0 ka) were caused by a greater contribution of seasonal meltwater from ice or snow and low incoming precipitation δ¹⁸O values related to cold climate conditions in the region at that time.     

Diatom-inference models for acid neutralizing capacity and nitrate based on 41 calibration lakes in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA

We investigated relationships among modern diatom species composition and physical and chemical characteristics of high-elevation lakes of the Sierra Nevada (California), to develop transfer functions that can be used to infer historic lake conditions. Data were collected from 50 lakes in National Parks and Forests of the central and southern Sierra Nevada. Multivariate statistical methods revealed that acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and nitrate accounted for significant variation in diatom taxa. A training set with 242 modern diatom taxa from a subset of 41 lakes was used to develop transfer functions for ANC and nitrate using weighted averaging techniques. ANC and nitrate calibration ranges were 23.0–137 μEq/L and 0.18–9.5 μM, respectively. Coefficients of determination for the models were: ANC: R² = 0.76, and R _jackknife ²  = 0.44; NO₃: R² = 0.67, and R _jackknife ²  = 0.27. The ANC model was applied to the top 50 cm of sediments in Moat Lake to reconstruct ANC from ca. AD 350 to 2005. The reconstruction suggests that ANC declined by about 40 % (101–60 μEq/L) between the 1920s and the 1960s and then recovered to pre-1920s levels during 1980–2000. The magnitude of this ANC excursion was the largest observed during the past 1,600 years. We hypothesize that temporal variations in ANC were influenced by: (1) changes in rates of acid deposition, especially nitric acid and (2) variations in the timing and magnitude of snowmelt runoff.