Late Pleistocene climatic change in the French Jura (Gigny) recorded in the δO of phosphate from ungulate tooth enamel

Oxygen isotope compositions of phosphate in tooth enamel from large mammals (i.e. horse and red deer) were measured to quantify past mean annual air temperatures and seasonal variations between 145 ka and 33 ka in eastern France. The method is based on interdependent relationships between the δ¹⁸O of apatite phosphate, environmental waters and air temperatures. Horse (Equus caballus germanicus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) remains have δ¹⁸O values that range from 14.2‰ to 17.2‰, indicating mean air temperatures between 7°C and 13°C. Oxygen isotope time series obtained from two of the six horse teeth show a sinusoidal-like signal that could have been forced by temperature variations of seasonal origin. Intra-tooth oxygen isotope variations reveal that at 145 ka, winters were colder (? 7 ± 2°C) than at present (3 ± 1°C) while summer temperatures were similar. Winter temperatures mark a well-developed West–East thermal gradient in France of about ? 9°C, much stronger than the ?4°C difference recorded presently. Negative winter temperatures were likely responsible for the extent and duration of the snow cover, thus limiting the food resources available for large ungulates with repercussions for Neanderthal predators.     

Summer air temperature,reconstructions from the last glacial stage based on rodents from the site Taillis-des-Coteaux (Vienne), Western France

The oxygen isotope composition of phosphate from tooth enamel of rodents (δ¹⁸O_p) constitutes a valuable proxy to reconstruct past air temperatures in continental environments. This method has been applied to rodent dental remains from three genera, Arvicola sp., Microtus sp. and Dicrostonyx sp., coming from Taillis-des-Coteaux, Vienne, France. This archaeological site contains an exceptionally preserved sedimentary sequence spanning almost the whole Upper Palaeolithic, including seven stratigraphic layers dated from 35 to 17 cal ka BP. The abundant presence of rodent remains offers the opportunity to quantify the climatic fluctuations coeval of the various stages of human occupation of the site. Differences between δ¹⁸O_p values of Arvicola sp. and Microtus sp. teeth are interpreted as the result of heterochrony in tooth formation as well as differences in ecology. Mean δ¹⁸O_p values of Microtus sp. are preferentially used to reconstruct summer air temperatures, which range from 16.0 ± 3.7 to 19.1 ± 3.1°C throughout the sedimentary sequence; however, the highest variability is observed during the last glacial maximum.     

江苏盘石山玄武岩中橄榄岩包体的氧同位素和微量元素地球化学

本文研究了8个来自江苏盘石山新生代碱性玄武岩中的橄榄岩包体，利用ICP—MS技术测定了橄榄岩中单斜辉石的微量元素组成；利用激光氟化技术系统地分析了橄榄石、单斜辉石和斜方辉石的氧同位素比值。结果显示，盘石山橄榄岩包体矿物的氧同位素比值落在“正常”地幔矿物的氧同位素变化范围之内，而且矿物之间达到了氧同位素平衡。部分单斜辉石不相容元素富集的特征表明，有些样品经历了隐性地幔交代作用（cryptical metasomatism），配合氧同位素的数据来看，影响盘石山上地幔的交代介质为来自地幔内部的熔体，不合有地壳组分。从盘石山和安徽女山（盘石山以北约100km）的对比看来，影响女山上地幔的洋壳流体可能来自于华南一华北陆陆碰撞之前的海洋板块俯冲，因此华南一华北的深部缝合带可能就在女山和盘石山之间。     

安徽女山橄榄岩包体的氧同位素比值和微量元素组成：地幔交代作用

1本文的研究对象是9个来自安徽女山新生代玄武岩的橄榄岩包体,利用激光氟化技术系统分析了橄榄石、单斜辉石和斜方辉石的氧同位素比值;利用LA-ICPMS技术分析了单斜辉石的微量元素组成,结果显示,女山橄榄岩存在辉石与橄榄石之间的氧同位素不平衡分馏现象,其中△Cpx-O1^18O（=δ^18OCpx-δ^18OO1））出现低至-0．5‰的负值;合角闪石包体中的单斜辉石明显富集大离子亲石元素（LILE,如Sr、Th、LREE）和亏损高场强元素（HFSE,如Nb、Zr、Ti）,氧同位素的数据表明,女山上地幔曾经经历过俯冲洋壳流体参与的交代作用,根据单斜辉石和橄榄石之间氧同位素分馏值△Cpx-O1^18O与包体形成深度之间的负相关性,提出了一个“上升＋缓冲”的流体交代模型,虽然微量元素特征也表明女山上地慢受到过地壳流体的影响,但是氧同位素的不平衡分馏和LILE的富集／HFSE的亏损并不是同步的,对这种现象的可能解释是：引起氧同位素不平衡分馏的交代作用和造成女山单斜辉石微量元素特征的交代作用不是同一期的,即女山上地幔曾经发生过至少2次交代事件.     

Late Pleistocene (MIS 3–4) climate inferred from micromammal communities and δO of rodents from Les Pradelles,France

The middle Paleolithic stratigraphic sequence of Les Pradelles (Charente, France) spans from the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4 until the middle of MIS 3. Micromammal remains are present in all the stratigraphic levels, offering a rare opportunity to address the questions of both environmental and climatic fluctuations throughout this period. Climate modes were studied through the taphonomy, biodiversity and oxygen isotope compositions of phosphate (δ¹⁸O_p) from 66 samples of rodent tooth enamel. The δ¹⁸O_p values from the lower sedimentary levels provide summer mean air temperatures of 19 ± 2°C (level 2/1) and of 16 ± 2°C (levels 2A, 2B and 4A). Within the middle of sequence (level 4B), a paleobiodiversity change can be identified with an increase of Dicrostonyx torquatus, which is associated with the largest amplitude in δ¹⁸O_p values and the highest maximal δ¹⁸O_p values. At the top of the sequence (level 5-2), a biodiversity change is observed with the increase of Microtus arvalis, but without any change in δ¹⁸O_p values. The association of cold rodent species with unexpected high and large amplitudes in the δ¹⁸O_p values of their teeth, possibly indicative of aridity, suggests their deposition during a Heinrich event.     

大别山北部黄土岭片麻岩的锆石U-Pb年龄和氧同位素组成：古老的原岩和多阶段历史

利用阴极发光和离子探针技术，对大别山北部黄土岭片麻岩的锆石进行了内部结构、U-Pb年龄和氧同位素组成的系统分析。黄土岭片麻岩的锆石具有核-幔-边三层结构，核部是原岩的岩浆锆石，形成时代为-2800Ma；幔部是变质重结晶的产物，变质作用的时代为-2000Ma；边部则是在-110Ma从部分熔融体里结晶出来的增生锆石，是受大别山燕山期构造-岩浆事件影响的反映。黄土岭片麻岩和麻粒岩中-2800Ma和-2000Ma的年龄，以及麻粒岩中约3400Ma的残留锆石年龄均可以与扬子崆岭群变质岩对比。由此可以推断，北大别在构造属性上属于扬子板决，扬子与华北板决的缝合线应在北大别以北。锆石的核-幔-边具有不同的氧同位素组成，氧同位素数据表明黄土岭片麻岩的原岩是S型花岗岩，在-2000Ma和-110Ma的事件中都有外来物质(流体或熔体)的加入。     

Stable isotope geochemistry of Quaternary calcretes in the Mersin area, southern Turkey – A comparison and implications for their origin

In the Mersin area, Quaternary calcretes are widespread, and occurred in a variety of forms, as namely powdery, nodular, tubular, fracture-infill, laminar crust, hard laminated crust (hardpan), pisolithic crust. They are predominantly calcite, and small amount of palygorskite associated with them as a minor component. Calcite δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of the calcretes vary from −4.31 to −6.82 and from −6.03 to −9.65‰ PDB, respectively. These values are consistent with values of pedogenic calcretes reported in literature from worldwide sites. The oxygen isotope values indicate formation under the influence of meteoric water at estimated temperatures from 25 to 32 °C. The carbon isotope values are typical for pedogenic calcretes, reflecting development under the C3-dominated vegetation cover and semiarid or seasonally arid climatic conditions.     

磷酸盐氧同位素组成的测定方法及分馏机理研究进展

磷酸盐氧同位素组成在古气候和磷的生物地球化学循环研究中都具有十分重要的意义.测定方法和同位素的分馏机理是该类研究的基础.国际上已开展了一系列磷酸盐氧同位素的测定方法和分馏机理研究.在测定方法上,由初期的间接法,经高温还原/裂解法到氟化法,再演化到改进后的高温还原法(包括TC/EA-IRMS法),甚至激光原位技术,样品由实验室纯化学试剂扩展到各种复杂地质样品,在测量精确度、测量速度、样品用量、安全性和技术要求方面都有巨大改进.在分馏机理上,①尽管Longinelli等建立的关系式已获得了天然样品的验证,并认为是平衡分馏,但实验室模拟结果与其还存在较大差异(即没有达到平衡分馏).②在地表温度和pH条件下,无机过程均不会造成水体中溶解态磷酸盐和水之间的氧同位素交换.在高温(>70℃)及不同pH条件下,即使没有生物作用也会造成溶解磷酸盐和水分子之间进行氧的同位素交换,但不同实验室之间结果不一致.③在生物作用存在下,溶解无机磷酸盐和水之间在地表环境会发生强烈氧同位素交换,但除了PPase外,其余均没有达到平衡值.④磷灰石的氧同位素组成要比形成它的溶解态磷酸盐的值高1‰～1.4‰,因此在把Longinelli等关系式用于溶解态磷酸盐和水体系时,需要考虑该因素.同位素平衡分馏和条件有关,认为无机条件下的高温(>70℃)实验结果不一致,以及有生物参与的培养实验结果偏离平衡值,都是实验条件不同所致,包括pH、磷酸盐浓度、生物种类、生物量等.     

Oxygen and carbon isotope analysis of the Mooreville Chalk and late Santonian-early Campanian sea level and sea surface temperature changes, northeastern Gulf of Mexico, U.S.A.

Oxygen and carbon isotope profiles for strata of the Mooreville Chalk (upper Santonian-lower Campanian) of the eastern Gulf Coastal Plain, U.S.A., show correlations with published curves for these isotopes. The δ¹⁸O curve exhibits a strong similarity to the Exmouth Plateau δ¹⁸O curve from ODP drilling sites offshore northwestern Australia, and the δ¹³C curve can be correlated with the δ¹³C curve from the English Chalk Trunch section.A thermal maximum probably occurred in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico during the latest Santonian (83.8 Ma), as evidenced by the minimum δ¹⁸O values in the lower Mooreville beds. A δ¹³C positive excursion occurs at the same stratigraphic level, which has been recognized as the “Santonian/Campanian boundary event” worldwide. After this event, ocean surface water temperature decreased throughout the early Campanian. This carbon isotope excursion is followed by a plateau in δ¹³C values with a peak value occurring in a condensed section (80 Ma), which has been correlated to a downlap or maximum flooding surface on seismic data from offshore Alabama. The section characterized by increasing δ¹³C values corresponds to a marine transgression. The interval characterized by decreasing δ¹³C values corresponds to regression and progradation. The maximum flooding event occurred 0.8 Ma later than the thermal maximum event.The Mooreville chalk/marl cycles are most likely a product of fluctuations in siliciclastic sediment influx into the northeastern Gulf of Mexico modulated by the precession band of the Earth's orbital cycles. Higher carbon isotope values occur in the marl beds indicating that these beds were formed in a more anoxic/dysoxic environment characterized by higher clay, silt input and higher organic carbon accumulation.     

Quantifying climatic change through the last glacial–interglacial transition based on lake isotope palaeohydrology from central Turkey

Questions remain as to the nature of climatic change through the last glacial–interglacial transition in the eastern Mediterranean region, particularly the relative contribution of evaporation and precipitation to regional water balance. Here changes in oxygen isotope values through this time period from Eski Acıgöl, a crater lake in central Turkey, are investigated using hydrological and isotope mass balance models. These allow changes in evaporation and precipitation to be quantified and their relative importance evaluated. We show that it is the volumetric flux rate of water passing through the lake system and not the precipitation-to-evaporation ratio per se which controlled the stable isotope record in Eski Acıgöl. Early Holocene precipitation is shown to be much greater than that during both the latter part of the last glaciation and the present day. We test these calculated values against other records in the same region, firstly with other lake records in Anatolia, the Konya basin and Lake Van, and secondly with isotope-inferred palaeo-precipitation data from Soreq cave in Israel. This reveals a contrast between pre- and post-LGM precipitation values in Turkey (wetter and drier, respectively) and also suggests that during the last glacial–interglacial transition there was a more marked precipitation gradient than at present between northern/interior and southern/coastal parts of the eastern Mediterranean region.     

北淮阳庐镇关岩浆岩锆石U-Pb年龄和氧同位素组成

对大别造山带北麓的北淮阳庐镇关浅变质岩浆杂岩进行了锆石阴极发光显微结构观察、激光剥蚀等离子质谱锆石U-Pb定年以及单矿物激光氟化氧同位素分析。锆石阴极发光图像显示,这些样品中的锆石具有明显的振荡环带或片状分带,为典型的岩浆锆石。少数样品的锆石具有窄的蚀变边。锆石U-Pb定年结果表明,这些岩浆岩有较一致的形成年龄,变化范围为739±8Ma～754±5Ma。岩浆岩单矿物的氧同位素组成具有较大的变化范围,其中锆石δ~(18)O为1.39‰～6.81‰,石英为3.12‰～12.47‰,斜长石为0.71‰～8.38‰。锆石的δ~(18)O值在不同岩体和/或同一岩体的不同样品之间具有明显差别,反应了其初始岩浆在氧同位素组成上的不均一性。锆石与其它矿物之间表现出显著的氧同位素不平衡,说明它们经历了岩浆期后的扰动,其中部分样品受到了亚固相条件下高温热液蚀变作用的影响,还有部分样品在岩浆后期演化过程中可能同化混染了高δ~(18)O值的围岩。大多数锆石具有低于典型地慢锆石的δ~(18)O值,表现出~(18)O亏损特征。低δ~(18)O锆石的内部结构和化学组成表现出典型岩浆锆石的特征,表明这些低δ~(18)O锆石是从亏损~(18)O的岩浆中结晶出来的,而非热液蚀变成因。这一结果证明,扬子板块北缘新元古代低δ~(18)O锆石形成于热液蚀变岩石经部分熔融所形成的低δ~(18)O岩浆。结合这些样品的形成年龄,我们认为这些低δ~(18)O岩浆的形成与Rodinia超大陆裂解有关的地幔柱裂谷岩浆活动有关,并对应于全球性的雪球地球事件。此外,这些岩石中锆石U-Pb年龄与矿物δ~(18)O分布与大别造山带高压-超高压变火成岩原岩相似,指示北淮阳单元属于俯冲的扬子板块北缘     

青藏高原第四纪冰川的早期记录及其构造与气候含义

综合青藏高原第四纪冰川早期记录的研究进展和典型盆地地层、沉积、古生物、古环境研究的系统成果,扎达盆地香孜组上部冻融层的出现代表了区域的古海拔达到了高原冰缘的高度,即3 500 m以上.这一段地层的时代可能从2.3 Ma前后开始.并与贡巴砾石层下部冰水沉积层的时代基本一致.卓奥友冰期和希夏邦马冰期的时代与扎达盆地沉积结束后,直接覆盖其上的终碛垄和冰碛垄的时代大致相当,展现了这一时期喜马拉雅山脉的山岳冰川进一步发育,也说明喜马拉雅山脉作为青藏高原海拔最高的地区开始冰冻圈的环境很可能在早更新世早中期.川西地区的早更新世的冰川沉积说明东喜马拉雅构造结附近地区这一时期已经抬升至冰冻圈高度,但是,海拨高度与气候环境与喜马拉雅山脉应有不同.具体的时代仍需要深入工作.青藏高原普遍开始冰冻罔记录是在中更新世早期.伴随着全球冰期的到来,这一时期的冰川作用在青藏高原最为发育和广泛.这些暗示着青藏高原在中更新世早期整体性地较快速抬升进入冰冻圈,即海拔3 500 m以上.详细的过程仍有待深入研究.     

Stable isotope geochemistry of marbles from the coesite UHP terrains of Dabieshan and Sulu, China

Marbles from Dabieshan and Sulu, China, suffered ultra high pressure (UHP) metamorphism in the coesite–eclogite facies at approximately 700°C and 30 kbars during Triassic continental collision and subduction. The marbles range in isotopic composition from +7 to +25 δ¹⁸O_VSMOW and from 0 to +6 δ¹³C_VPDB. High δ¹³C values are representative of unmodified protoliths and are similar to those of ¹³C-enriched Sinian carbonate rocks from the Yangtze craton. High oxygen isotope ratios reflect pristine protoliths but the low values may have been caused by infiltration of low ¹⁸O meteoric water during diagenesis and dolomitization, by fracture-controlled infiltration of water during subduction, by metamorphic mineral reactions, or by a combination of these processes. No evidence of regional isotopic transport during UHP metamorphism has been found. Sampling on scales of 1 to 100 m shows marbles to be inhomogeneous in both carbon and oxygen isotopes. Only samples separated by less than 10 cm have equilibrated oxygen and carbon isotope compositions. Limited isotopic equilibration between adjacent rocks is consistent with the preservation of unaltered UHP minerals and indicates that the metamorphic fluid–rock system was rock-dominated during and following peak metamorphism. A freely flowing, pervasive fluid phase was not present during UHP metamorphism. There is no evidence of isotopic exchange between marble and the upper mantle into which it was subducted. Correlation of geochemical similarities of UHP marbles with Sinian limestones implies that the subducted edge of the Yangtze craton extends at least as far north as the coesite–eclogite facies rocks of Dabieshan. Deposition of protolith carbonates may have taken place in a cold climate either preceding or following but not coincident with Neoproterozoic glaciation.     

大别-苏鲁造山带大理岩碳氧同位素地球化学研究

大别-苏鲁造山带的大理岩分布非常广泛,在三叠纪的陆-陆碰撞中,经受了不同程度的变质作用。本文对分布在大别地区北淮阳、苏家河、桐柏、宿松和苏鲁地区张八岭、五莲和坪上等地区的浅变质大理岩进行了碳氧同位素分析。结果发现,除了张八岭大理岩δ~(13)C值出现明显正异常(1‰～8‰)外,其他地区大理岩的δ~(13)C值均处于0±2‰(PDB)范围之内。所有地区大理岩的δ~(18)O值都有不同程度的降低,最低的δ~(18)O值达到4.5‰(SMOW)。与前人对大别-苏鲁超高压大理岩碳氧同位素研究结果相对比,我们发现大理岩δ~(13)C值分布与岩石是否经过超高压没有联系,而主要反映了其原岩沉积的时代和环境,并且其特征可以与发生在新元古代的冰川事件相关联。区域性的δ~(18)O值降低则说明,大部分岩石都经过了流体交换,并且流体的主要成分是水,含碳很少或者不舍碳,因此流体的来源是大气降水,可能与新元古代冰川溶融有关。     

同位素古温度与海平面变化的关系初探

用稳定同位素地球化学古温度的测定方法对北京周口店石笋进行氧、碳同位素测定，获得的古温度与年龄值与同期的海平面变化进行比较，表明古温度的变化与海平面变化密切相关。     

Oxygen isotope compositions and magmatic epidote from two contrasting metaluminous granitoids,NE Brazil

Oxygen isotope compositions of mineral separates were determined from two metaluminous granitoids (Emas and São Rafael plutons) from northeastern Brazil. The I-type Emas pluton has high δ¹⁸O (WR) values (11.5–11.8‰), whereas the São Rafael pluton has low δ¹⁸O (WR) values (7.5–8.1‰), but Sr and Nd are characteristics of S-type granitoids. Measured mineral–mineral fractionations suggest continuous sub-solidus inter-mineral isotope exchange among all minerals except zircon. There is a large and consistent quartz–epidote fractionation that gives apparent temperatures that are much lower than anticipated closure temperatures for epidote. Oxygen isotope fractionation between natural zircon and magmatic epidote is opposite to that predicted from theoretical determinations, as δ¹⁸O (epidote) <δ¹⁸O (zircon). An empirical calibration based on these results would suggests a closure T for oxygen in epidote of ~500 °C and Δ(qtz–epi) ~5.19 at 500 °C.     

古高程计：氢氧同位素的新应用

定量恢复高大地形的古高程是地质学家一直以来追求的目标，将自生矿物中氢氧同位素用作古高程计的历史不长，这种方法还有很大的应用潜力，可用到比新生代更古老的时期。根据与气团上升和水汽凝结的热动力学性质相关的瑞利平衡分馏原理，建立了这种古高程计的热动力模型，这个模型应用简便，适用于纬度小于35°的地区。区域性经验关系的方法误差较小，但也有计算繁琐、适用区域有限的不足。以上两种方法的计算精度均有待于提高。研究中使用方解石作为样品最普遍，在方解石、高岭石、蒙脱石和针铁石等矿物中,究竟使用哪种推算古高程产生的误差更小，还需进一步研究。     

Oxygen isotope study of Cayenne duricrust paleosurfaces: implications for past climate and laterization processes over French Guiana

Oxygen isotopic compositions of weathering goethite, hematite, kaolinite and gibbsite in duricrust paleosurfaces of the Cayenne region, northeastern French Guiana, were investigated. Samples were microdrilled from different horizons and different pedogenetic microfacies of three well-characterized duricrust units of Eocene (unit 1) and Miocene (units 2 and 3) age. The results provided valuable information on duricrust formation processes and on climate change over French Guiana.The pristine original isotopic signal, suited for reconstruction of past climates, appears to be best preserved in the massive duricrust facies (middle part of the duricrust). In the overlying pisolotic duricrust and in the underlying mottled zone, the isotopic signal is affected by subsequent re-activation of weathering processes. Oxygen isotope data from massive duricrust indicate that Cayenne duricrusts formed from meteoric waters increasingly depleted in ¹⁸O with age. The youngest duricrust paleosurface (unit 3) formed under humid climate similar to present-day, while the two older paleosurfaces formed from meteoric paleo-water distinctly depleted in ¹⁸O, reflecting a “moonsonal” contrasted ancient climate for unit 2 added to the ¹⁸O-depleted nature of the pre-Miocene ocean for unit 1. The results further suggest that the major climatic change, from tropical wet-and-dry to present-day humid regime, recorded in Amazonia most likely occurred in the Late Miocene, and that Miocene laterization events may be responsible for the secondary bauxitization of the Eocene duricrust paleosurface.The oxygen isotopic composition of weathering minerals occurring in massive duricrust horizons, and in particular in hematite nodules and matrix, may be used as a tool to discriminate among the different duricrust paleosurfaces encountered in Amazonia and constrain the evolution of past climates.     

Late-Glacial climatic changes in Eastern France (Lake Lautrey) from pollen, lake-levels, and chironomids

High-temporal resolution analyses of pollen, chironomid, and lake-level records from Lake Lautrey provide multi-proxy, quantitative estimates of climatic change during the Late-Glacial period in eastern France. Past temperature and moisture parameters were estimated using modern analogues and ‘plant functional types’ transfer-function methods for three pollen records obtained from different localities within the paleolake basin. The comparison of these methods shows that they provide generally similar climate signals, with the exception of the Bölling. Comparison of pollen- and chironomid-based temperature of the warmest month reconstructions generally agree, except during the Bölling. Major abrupt changes associated with the Oldest Dryas/Bölling, Alleröd/Younger Dryas, and the Younger Dryas/Preboreal transitions were quantified as well as other minor fluctuations related to the cold events (e.g., Preboreal oscillation). The temperature of the warmest month increased by ∼5°C at the start of Bölling, and by 1.5°-3°C at the onset of the Holocene, while it fell by ca. 3° to 4°C at the beginning of Younger Dryas. The comparative analysis of the results based on the three Lautrey cores have highlighted significant differences in the climate reconstructions related to the location of each core, underlining the caution that is needed when studying single cores not taken from deepest part of lake basins.     

Environmental change and seasonal behavior of mastodons in the Great Lakes region inferred from stable isotope analysis

We investigate seasonal variations in the diet and drinking water of four Great Lakes mastodon (Mammut americanum) specimens using stable isotope analysis of serially sampled inner-enamel bioapatite structural carbonate (δ¹³C_sc, δ¹⁸O_sc), and previously published bulk analyses. Isotopic analyses and thin section measurements showed that mastodon tooth enamel extension rates (~ 12–4 mm/yr, decreasing toward the cervix) were lower than those of mammoths or modern elephants. Mastodons had distinct and highly regular seasonal variations in δ¹³C_sc and δ¹⁸O_sc, which we interpret in the context of local glacial history and vegetation changes. Seasonal variations in δ¹⁸O were large but variations in δ¹³C were small, and may have been obscured if coarser sampling methods than our inner-enamel sampling approach were used. Thus, our approach may be particularly useful for understanding relatively small seasonal changes in δ¹³C within C₃ environments. The seasonal patterns, though not entirely conclusive, suggest that the Ontario mastodons did not migrate over very long distances. Rather, the climate and seasonal dietary patterns of mastodons within the region changed over time, from ~ 12,400 to 10,400 ¹⁴C yr BP (~ 15,000 – 12,000 cal yr BP). Insights gained using these methods can contribute to a better understanding of megafaunal extinctions and Paleoamerican lifeways.