桂林地区近150年来的气候变化——基于 210Pb计年的洞穴碳酸盐沉积物记录

采用 ²¹⁰Pb定年和碳、氧稳定同位素分析方法对盘龙洞内的洞穴次生碳酸盐沉积物进行了系统研究,重建桂林地区近150年来的气候变化。本文采用的次生碳酸盐沉积物是采自桂林盘龙洞中的P001石笋和P007流石,分别获得9个和12个 ²¹⁰Pb测年数据; 以及41个和46个碳、氧同位素数据。P001石笋碳、氧同位素记录年代跨度为公元 1869～2002年,  δ¹⁸O  平均值为－6.28‰, δ¹³O  平均值为－7.59‰; P007流石碳、氧同位素记录跨度为公元 1854～2004年,  δ¹⁸O  平均值为－5.27‰, δ¹³O  平均值为－6.68‰。P001石笋和P007流石碳、氧同位素记录的低频信号显示出一致的变化趋势,而且二者的 δ13C 曲线相对  δ¹⁸O  曲线一致性更强,说明它们受同样环境条件所制约,同时也说明了其 ²¹⁰Pb年代系列的建立是可靠的。盘龙洞石笋和流石的  δ¹⁸O 和  δ¹³O 记录在公元 1930～1965年都出现一个低谷,表明该时段植被生产力相对减弱,亦即降水相对减少。通过P001石笋和P007流石的碳、氧同位素记录与现代降雨记录的比较可知,在年际至10年际尺度上,氧同位素反映的为降水或者季风的强弱。由此,公元1854年到2005年的151年内,盘龙洞碳酸盐沉积物氧同位素所反映的气候变化信息为3个阶段： 1)1854年至1900年的相对较强季风期,降水量较丰, δ18O 平均值为－6.3‰; 2)1900年至1960年的较弱季风期,降水量较少, δ¹⁸O 平均值为－5.1‰; 3)1960年至2005年的较强季风期,降水量较丰富,δ¹⁸O 平均值为－6.1‰。     

U37K与海水表层温度

Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ是指少数藻类生物所特有的一种分子化合物（长链不饱和酮）的不饱和指数。在现代海洋沉积物中，Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ与浮游有孔虫的¹⁸Ｏ值具有很好的相关性。在实验室培养的藻类生物体中、海洋悬浮颗粒物及海洋沉积柱样的表层样中均检测出长链不饱和酮，其Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ与生物生长环境的海水表层温度具有很好的线性关系。因此，在古气候研究中，Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ可作为一种有效的古温度指标，且在古气候研究中已得到应用。主要介绍了Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ作为海水表层温度指标的原理、定量公式及其研究现状和存在的问题。     

青藏高原现代湖泊沉积物碳酸盐矿物氧同位素组成特征及影响因素

选择青藏高原14个代表性现代湖泊的表层沉积物为研究对象,它们是冷湖、大苏干湖、小苏干湖、大柴旦湖、小柴旦湖、托素湖、尕海、茶卡湖、唐古拉-1、错鄂、乃日平错、纳木错、空姆错和普莫雍错,探讨这些湖泊碳酸盐矿物组成及相应氧稳定同位素组成的影响因素。XRD结果显示这些湖泊的碳酸盐矿物多以方解石为主,并含白云石。其中冷湖以白云石为主,尕海还含有一定量的文石。碳酸盐氧同位素分析结果显示总碳酸盐δ¹⁸O在-15.9‰到2.6‰范围变化,方解石δ¹⁸O变化范围为-16.2‰～3.9‰,白云石δ¹⁸O变化在-15.3‰～-5.4‰范围内。通过氧同位素与湖区环境因素的相关性分析,认为总碳酸盐δ¹⁸O受湖水δ¹⁸O组成、温度、降水量/蒸发量、盐度、海拔和纬度多种因素影响;方解石δ¹⁸O主要受湖水δ¹⁸O、温度、盐度、海拔和纬度的影响;白云石δ¹⁸O受降水量/蒸发量和盐度的影响。总碳酸盐δ¹⁸O对湖水δ¹⁸O、温度、海拔和纬度的响应是以方解石为载体而体现的;总碳酸盐δ¹⁸O对降水量/蒸发量的响应则归因于白云石δ¹⁸O对其的响应结果;另外总碳酸盐δ¹⁸O通过方解石和白云石δ¹⁸O的叠加作用响应于盐度。该研究初步建立了总碳酸盐、方解石和白云石氧同位素与环境各个指标之间的响应关系,对于揭示过去青藏高原地区环境变化有重要意义。     

桂林地区洞穴碳酸盐氧碳同位素的环境指代意义

利用洞穴碳酸盐沉积物中的氧碳同位素来作为气候替代指标的一个突出问题是其氧碳同位素的指代意义在全球是否具有普适性？这直接关系到数据的解译及所取得信息的可靠性。桂林地区5年降水的系统研究表明,该地区降水氧同位素特征主要受季风类型及降水云团来源和性质的控制,在不同的季风条件下,降水的δ¹⁸O值有显著的差异。夏季降水主要受夏季风和热带风暴控制(5—10月)时,降水的δ¹⁸O值较轻,5年的平均值为-7．68％。,SMOW);而冬季风盛行,降水多以锋面雨为主(11月至次年4月)时,降水的δ¹⁸O值较重,5年的平均值为-3．84‰,SMOW)。此外,从全年的情况来看,该地区降水的δ¹⁸O值与月均气温呈负相关     

海南岛万泉河口沉积物有机碳、 氮同位素的特征及其环境意义*

对海南岛万泉河口沙美内海柱样K3和K4沉积物进行生物地球化学指标总有机碳(TOC)、总氮(TN)、有机碳同位素(δ¹³ C)、氮同位素(δ¹⁵ N)的分析,以及²¹⁰ Pb定年了解其近代变化特征,追踪沉积物有机质来源的变化,提取沉积环境演变及人类活动的信息。K3中TOC的变化介于0.51 ％ ~1.12 ％ ,K4变化介于0.43 ％ ~1.49 ％ ,而其随时间的变化反映了流域内人类活动的历史。17世纪TOC含量明显增加记录了明末清初开始流域内广泛种植农作物的活动,19世纪以来TOC含量逐渐增加,至现代达最高值,对应了工业革命以来人类活动的增强。K3和K4的δ¹³ C值变化分别在-24.38 ‰ ~-21.02 ‰ 之间和-24.74 ‰ ~-20.17 ‰ 之间,δ¹⁵ N值变化分别在2.20 ‰ ~4.62 ‰ 之间和2.39 ‰ ~5.02 ‰ 之间,映证了本区沉积物有机质是陆源物质和海洋物质混合的特点。明末清初开始流域内广泛种植玉米等农作物造成δ¹³ C值增加和δ¹⁵ N值减少; 自19世纪以来至现在,该区的经济活动增加,人口的持续增长,尤其是近50年来化肥农药的大量使用,造成陆源输入的有机碳含量大幅增加,使δ¹³ C值减少和δ¹⁵ N比值增加。 δ¹³ C值自19世纪以来就逐渐变轻,说明陆源和海洋有机碳的比例发生了变化,较轻的陆源有机碳比例相对增加,较重的海洋有机碳比例相对减少,反映了玉带滩沙坝的增长、沙美内海封闭、海水交换作用减少的状况。C/N比值分别从底部的16.19和17.36到顶部减小为11左右,自19世纪以来呈明显减小的趋势也反映了沙美内海泻湖自生的藻类有机质供应越来越多,也说明了其逐渐封闭、水动力条件越来越弱,与外海的交换作用逐渐减少的状况。     

深海沉积物10Be记录研究

DSDP519钻孔¹⁰Be测定结果表明，在B／M，M／G两地磁极性倒转期间，¹⁰Be产生率均约增加20％。DSDP519孔δ¹⁰Be曲线与DSDP502孔δ¹⁸O曲线具有明显的正相关关系。CT85－5钻孔¹⁰Be曲线在34000±3000aB．P存在明显的峰，峰值比正常值高出2．5倍，⁹Be，Zn变化曲线中均未观察到此峰，与Vostok冰芯¹⁰Be峰在时间上属于同期。这进一步说明了此时期内¹⁰Be浓度增加是全球性的，只能归因于¹⁰Be产生率的增加。Raisbeck峰讯号可以成为某些储存库精确时标。     

用树轮δ13C重建1685年以来的大气CO2浓度变化趋势

对采自浙江西天目山地区的3株柳杉树盘,交叉定年后,测定了3株树轮^δ13C的年序列,分析了3株树轮^δ13C序列中所含的共同环境变化信息。用二项式拟合法去除气候因素引起的3个^δ13C序列的高频变化,得到3个低频变化序列。分析了theLowDome冰芯记录的大气CO₂浓度与树轮^δ13C序列低频变化趋势的关系,建立了相应的转移函数,重建了天目山地区1685年以来大气CO₂浓度变化。结果表明:用3株树轮^δ13C序列重建的结果有较好的一致性,并与南极冰芯的记录及前人研究结果有很好的吻合。这一结果表明用同一地区不同树木个体的树轮^δ13C序列的低频变化序列可以重建出基本一致的大气CO₂浓度变化历史。     

南京大气降水氧同位素变化及水汽来源分析

研究结论有助于了解南京地区的水汽输送以及水汽循环过程。在全球大气降水同位素观测网(GNIP)南京站点的大气降水氢氧同位素资料基础上,并结合相关气象资料,分析了南京地区大气降水稳定同位素时间分布特征及其影响因素,并建立了局地大气降水线方程。结果表明:南京地区大气降水中δ¹⁸O春季最为富集、夏季最为贫化;年尺度下降水δ¹⁸O与温度之间不存在正相关,而与降水量之间存在负相关;季节尺度下,冬季的δ¹⁸O与温度、降水量的关系与年尺度结果相反,皆呈现出正相关关系。采用HYSPLIT模型对站点水汽来源进行追踪,并结合季风活动分析得出:全年中南京大气降水δ¹⁸O变化主要受亚洲夏、冬季风及其带来的水汽影响,在季风交替时节(春、秋季)虽降水源于局地蒸发水汽,但仍为季风带来降水的影响。     

末次盛冰期以来印度尼西亚穿越流对东印度洋上部水体结构的影响

海洋上部水体垂向结构变化对于理解热带海区在全球气候变化中的作用有着重要意义。通过分析印度尼西亚穿越流(ITF)出口处东印度洋帝汶海区SO18480-3孔中的浮游有孔虫表层种Globigerinoides ruber和温跃层种Pulleniatina obliquiloculata壳体氧碳同位素,并借助12个AMS¹⁴C测年数据重建了末次盛冰期(LGM)以来该区温跃层深度和营养盐水平的演化序列。壳体氧同位素(δ¹⁸O)记录表明温跃层古海洋学特征的变化幅度要大于表层海水,其差值(Δδ¹⁸O_(P-G))有效地反映了温跃层深度的变化,即冰消期和晚全新世温跃层较浅,LGM和早中全新世温跃层较深;并揭示出与全新世相比,LGM期间ITF总流量未显著减小,ITF对该区上部水体结构的影响受到了东西太平洋之间不对称性的调节。碳同位素(δ¹³C)记录则表明该区的古海洋学变化在不同程度上受到了南大洋的影响,并受本区上部水体垂向结构的控制,其差值(Δδ¹³_(G-P))在一定程度上反映了该区上部水体营养盐水平的变化。     

中国黄土高原西缘甘肃万象洞MIS 5石笋δ18 O记录与南方地区石笋记录的对比研究*

位于青藏高原与黄土高原过渡带的甘肃武都万象洞石笋WXSM51和WXSM52提供了MIS 5(118~79kaB.P.)高分辨率的δ¹⁸ O记录。研究表明, 万象洞石笋δ¹⁸ O值与夏季风强度呈负相关关系, 与我国西南部的贵州董歌洞石笋δ¹⁸ O记录有良好的对应关系, 并与高纬度的格陵兰NGRIP冰芯δ¹⁸ O记录和65°N太阳辐射强度有很好的一致性, 说明万象洞石笋δ¹⁸ O记录了118~79kaB.P.期间亚洲季风强度的变化, 同时也说明东亚季风强度的变化和全球气候变化同步, 而且主要受控于北半球太阳辐射强度的变化。同时它与地中海碳酸盐记录有很好的相似性, 和巴西石笋δ¹⁸ O记录在千年尺度上表现出相反的变化趋势, 说明东亚季风区、地中海地区以及巴西季风区之间存在密切的联系, 指示了南北半球气候在千年尺度上存在"跷跷板"(seesaw)现象。万象洞石笋δ¹⁸ O记录的MIS 5b与MIS 5a突发性转换, 与NGRIP冰芯δ¹⁸ O记录相似, 而与神农架记录存在差异, 说明万象洞地区对亚洲季风强度的响应更为敏感。     

Patterns of Pacific decadal variability recorded by Indian Ocean corals

We investigate Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) signals recorded by two bimonthly resolved coral δ¹⁸O series from La Réunion and Ifaty (West Madagascar), Indian Ocean from 1882 to 1993. To isolate the main PDO frequencies, we apply a band pass filter to the time series passing only periodicities from 16 to 28 years. We investigate the covariance patterns of the coral time series with sea surface temperature (SST) and sea level pressure (SLP) of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In addition, the empirical orthogonal functions of the filtered SST and SLP fields (single and coupled) are related to the filtered coral times series. The covariance maps show the typical PDO pattern for SST and SLP, confirming the coupling between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Both corals show the strongest signal in boreal summer. The La Réunion (Ifaty) coral better records SST (SLP) than SLP (SST) pattern variability. We suggest that the filtered La Réunion coral δ¹⁸O represents δ¹⁸O of seawater that varies with the South Equatorial Current, which, in turn, is linked with the SST PDO. The filtered Ifaty coral δ¹⁸O represents SST and is remotely linked with the SLP PDO variability. A combined coral record of the Ifaty and La Réunion boreal summer δ¹⁸O series explains about 64% of the variance of the coupled SST/SLP PDO time series. AGU OS06 special issue “Ocean’s role in climate change—a paleo perspective”.     

五千年来南海海平面变化的研究

大型块状滨珊瑚的生长上限充其量只能达到大潮低潮面,礁坪面成为古高海面的极好标志。多数学者认为,５０００ａＢ．Ｐ．以来南海周边曾有３—６ｍ的高海面。但南海曾否有古高海面有着两种截然相反的意见。作者对南沙群岛、西沙群岛、海南岛、雷州半岛和台湾恒春半岛珊瑚礁的考察,实测礁顶面的高程,钻取岩芯样品做(１４)Ｃ测年,并收集大量古高海面礁的资料,进一步证实了南海同它的周边情况一样,确实出现过至少比现今高２—３ｍ的高海面。     

细纹灰尖巴蜗牛壳体氧同位素组成的季节性变化

陆生蜗牛壳体碳酸盐氧同位素组成,理论上取决于壳体生长季节的降水 18O丰度、温度和湿度,对揭示古气候和古环境变化具有巨大的潜力。然而,同一地区不同属种的蜗牛生长季节存在一定的差异,因此,了解不同季节生长的蜗牛壳体氧同位素特征,是其成为重建古气候、古环境变化的工具的关键。为了进一步阐明降水氧同位素组成和气候月际变化对蜗牛壳体 18O的影响,分别对从江苏镇江逐月采集的现生细纹灰尖巴蜗牛(Bradybaena ravida redfieldi)进行了整体壳体及壳口文石氧同位素组成的分析,结果表明： 1)不同月份采集的样品壳口的 δ18O 值变化较大,从－1.92‰至－6.79‰,幅度达4.87‰,其中,4～6月采集的样品 δ18O 值较正,平均 －2.40±0.42‰,7～9月采集的样品明显偏负,平均 －6.41±0.34‰; 2)整个壳体的 δ18O 值差别不大,平均 －2.61±0.47‰,与 4～6月壳口 δ18O 平均值相近; 3)不同月份蜗牛壳口 δ18O 值呈现出与当地的降水氧同位素组成、温度和大气相对湿度等相似的季节性变化模式,其中降水氧同位素组成对壳口 δ18O 变化的影响是主要的。这些特征说明,蜗牛壳体碳酸盐氧同位素组成受其生长时的环境因素(降水 18O丰度,温度和相对湿度)控制,对于中国夏季风影响地区来说,春季生长的蜗牛壳体相对富集 18O,而夏季生长的壳体 18O相对贫化。换句话说,根据蜗牛壳体碳酸盐氧同位素组成能够推测壳体主要生长季节,或降水 18O丰度及气候温湿程度的特征。对于B.ravida redfieldi来说,氧同位素组成显示了壳体主要生长时期为春季的特征。     

Deconvolving the δO seawater component from subseasonal coral δO and Sr/Ca at Rarotonga in the southwestern subtropical Pacific for the period 1726 to 1997

To reconstruct oceanographic variations in the subtropical South Pacific, 271-year long subseasonal time series of Sr/Ca and δ¹⁸O were generated from a coral growing at Rarotonga (21.5°S, 159.5°W). In this case, coral Sr/Ca appears to be an excellent proxy for sea surface temperature (SST) and coral δ¹⁸O is a function of both SST and seawater δ¹⁸O composition (δ¹⁸O_sw). Here, we focus on extracting the δ¹⁸O_sw signal from these proxy records. A method is presented assuming that coral Sr/Ca is solely a function of SST and that coral δ¹⁸O is a function of both SST and δ¹⁸O_sw. This method separates the effects of δ¹⁸O_sw from SST by breaking the instantaneous changes of coral δ¹⁸O into separate contributions by instantaneous SST and δ¹⁸O_sw changes, respectively. The results show that on average δ¹⁸O_sw at Rarotonga explains ∼39% of the variance in δ¹⁸O and that variations in SST explains the remaining ∼61% of δ¹⁸O variance. Reconstructed δ¹⁸O_sw shows systematic increases in summer months (December-February) consistent with the regional pattern of variations in precipitation and evaporation. The δ¹⁸O_sw also shows a positive linear correlation with satellite-derived estimated salinity for the period 1980 to 1997 (r = 0.72). This linear correlation between reconstructed δ¹⁸O_sw and salinity makes it possible to use the reconstructed δ¹⁸O_sw to estimate the past interannual and decadal salinity changes in this region. Comparisons of coral δ¹⁸O and δ¹⁸O_sw at Rarotonga with the Pacific decadal oscillation index suggest that the decadal and interdecadal salinity and SST variability at Rarotonga appears to be related to basin-scale decadal variability in the Pacific.     

Change of the ENSO-related δ18O–SST correlation from coral skeletons in northern South China Sea: A possible influence from the Kuroshio Current

Chemical proxies are useful analogs for reconstructing physical properties of sea water, such as sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface salinity (SSS). Time series of these inferred properties would allow for reconstructions of past El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, where no instrumental records exist. In this study, a monthly oxygen isotope record from a Porites coral is used to explain how past ENSO events are recorded in the coral skeletons. The sample covers a 12 year period and was collected from Nanwan Bay, Taiwan. During El Niño events the coral skeleton is shown to produce a δ¹⁸O–SST correlation with a slope of −0.12 ± 0.04‰ °C⁻¹. During other times, this value is significantly different, with a slope of −0.21 ± 0.04‰ °C⁻¹. Coral that grew during El Niño summers have δ¹⁸O values which are enriched by ∼0.2‰, relative to other times. A possible mechanism to explain this difference may be enhanced penetration of Kuroshio Current waters into the South China Sea during summer. The observed contrast in the correlation of δ¹⁸O–SST variability in this sample supports the influence of El Niño in eastern Asia.     

贵州都匀七星洞石笋剖面晚更新世高分辨率的气候地层学

通过对贵州都匀七星洞4根石笋42件系统的TIMS²³⁰Th测年及694件稳定同位素分析,揭示的气候变化记录时限范围连续1～15万年,稳定同位素样品平均分辨率晚期达150～220a,早期达440～530a。研究表明,石笋^δ18O曲线,相当于海洋记录的终止点Ⅰ及终止点Ⅱ具有特别明显的突变,其年龄分别为11.3kaB.P.及129.3kaB.P.,应为晚更新世顶、底界线的准确年代。晚更新世与深海氧同位素记录MIS2～MIS5e相对应的气候地层单元,其界限年代也分别得到了明确的界定。相当于格陵兰冰芯记录、北大西洋沉积记录的YD事件、Heinrich气候突变事件,几个石笋记录取得了一致的准确定位及定年。其中YD事件为12.76～11.52kaB.P.;Heinrich事件的H1～H6分别为17～15kaB.P.,24.6kaB.P.,30.5kaB.P.,39.3kaB.P.,47.8～46.8kaB.P.以及60.4kaB.P.。对其与北大西洋沉积及格陵兰冰芯记录所揭示的短尺度气候突变事件的可比性,表明东亚季风气候变化,与高纬度地区的气候变化呈遥相关响应,对研究东亚季风气候驱动机制及其与全球气候变化的响应关系和对晚更新世的地层学研究,均具有特别重要的意义。     

Identification and composition of secondary meniscus calcite in fossil coral and the effect on predicted sea surface temperature

This study uses electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to identify secondary calcite in coral skeletons. Secondary calcite appears to have nucleated on the original aragonite dissepiments, producing horizontal structures that mimic the morphology of the original coral aragonite, forming dissepiment-like meniscus structures. The Sr/Ca and δ¹⁸O of the pristine aragonite and secondary calcite were analysed by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The effect of calcite inclusion on the mean geochemistry of the coral carbonate and subsequent sea surface temperature (SST) calculations were determined for both Sr/Ca and δ¹⁸O. Inclusion of as little as 1% secondary calcite within the primary coral aragonite elevates the Sr/Ca-derived SST by 1.2 °C and could markedly offset estimates of past tropical climate. Conversely, inclusion of 10% secondary calcite has little effect on the SST estimated from δ¹⁸O (+ 0.6 °C) indicating that this proxy is relatively robust to even large amounts of calcite. The different extents to which the two proxies would be influenced by inadvertent inclusion of such meniscus calcite demonstrate the importance of a multi-proxy approach.     

Coral δO records as an indicator of winter monsoon intensity in the South China Sea

We have used correlative analysis between mean December-January-February winter wind velocities, measured at the Xisha Meteorological Observatory (16°50′N, 112°20′E) in the middle of the South China Sea, and mean δ¹⁸O data for the corresponding month from Porites lutea coral, collected in Longwan waters (19°20′N, 110°39′E), to obtain a linear equation relating the two datasets. This winter wind velocity for the South China Sea (WMII_scs) can then be correlated to the coral δ¹⁸O by the equation WMII_scs = −1.213-1.351 δ¹⁸O (‰ PDB), r = −0.60, n = 40, P = 0.01. From this, the calculated WMII_scs-δ18O series from 1944 to 1997 tends to decrease during the 1940s to the 1960s; it increases slightly during the 1970s and then decreases again in the 1980s and 1990s. The calculated decadal mean WMII_scs-δ18O series had a obvious decrease from 5.92 to 4.63 m/s during the period of 1944-1997. The calculated yearly mean WMII_scs-δ18O value is 5.58 m/s from 1944 to 1976 and this decreases to 4.85 m/s from 1977 to 1998. That is the opposite trend to the observed yearly mean SST variation. The yearly mean SST anomaly is −0.27° from 1943 to 1976 and this increases to +0.16° from 1977 to 1998. Spectral analysis used on a 54-year-long calculated WMII_scs-δ18O series produces spectral peaks at 2.4-7 yr, which can be closely correlated with the quasibiennial oscillation band (QBO band, 2-2.4 yr) and the El Ñino southern oscillation band (ENSO band, 3-8 yr). Hence most of the variability of the winter monsoon intensity in the middle of the South China Sea is mainly constrained by changes in the thermal difference between the land and the adjoining sea area, perhaps due to global warming.     

神农架三宝洞倒数第二次冰期高分辨率石笋δ13C记录

基于神农架三宝洞两支石笋24个230Th年龄以及637个δ13C测试数据,建立了倒数第二次冰期191±1.8～133±0.6kaB.P.时段洞穴石笋高分辨率δ13C的时间序列.在冰期/间冰期尺度上,δ13C值振幅达4.5％,整体变化趋势与全球冰量曲线类似.在倒数第二次冰期,石笋δ13C记录揭示出一系列较大振荡幅度的千年...     

North Atlantic climate variability since AD 1350 recorded in δ 18O and skeletal density of Bermuda corals

The reconstruction of the climatic history during the past several hundred years requires a sufficient geographical coverage of combined climate proxy series. Especially in order to identify causal connections between the atmosphere and the ocean, inclusion of marine records into composite climate time series is of fundamental importance. We present two skeletal δ ¹⁸O chronologies of coral skeletons of Diploria labyrinthiformis from Bermuda fore-reef sites covering periods in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and compare them with instrumental temperature data. Both time series are demonstrated to display sea-surface temperature (SST) variability on inter-annual to decadal time scales. On the basis of a specific modern δ ¹⁸O vs instrumental SST calibration we reconstruct a time series of SST anomalies between AD 1350 and 1630 covering periods during the Little Ice Age. The application of the coral δ ¹⁸O vs temperature relationship leads to estimates of past SST variability which are comparable to the magnitude of modern variations. Parallel to δ ¹⁸O chronologies we present time series of skeletal bulk density. Coral δ ¹⁸O and skeletal density reveal a strong similarity during Little Ice Age, confirming the reliability of both proxy climate indicators. The past coral records, presented in this study, share features with a previously published climate proxy record from Bermuda and a composite time series of reconstructed Northern Hemisphere summer temperatures. The coral proxy data presented here represent a valuable contribution to elucidate northern Atlantic subtropical climate variation during the past several centuries. Received: 9 November 1998 / Accepted: 13 September 1999