Stable carbon isotopes (δ<Superscript>13</Superscript>C) of total organic carbon and long-chain <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-alkanes as proxies for climate and environmental change in a sediment core from Lake Petén-Itzá, Guatemala

Sediment core PI-6 from Lake Petén Itzá, Guatemala, possesses an ~85-ka record of climate and environmental change from lowland Central America. Variations in sediment lithology suggest large and abrupt changes in precipitation during the last glacial and deglacial periods, and into the early Holocene. We measured stable carbon isotope ratios of total organic carbon and long-chain n-alkanes from the core, the latter representing a largely allochthonous (terrestrial) source of organic matter, to reveal past shifts in the relative proportion of C₃–C₄ terrestrial biomass. We sought to test whether stable carbon isotope results were consistent with other paleoclimate proxies measured in the PI-6 core, and if extraction and isotope analysis of n-alkanes is warranted. The largest δ¹³C variations are associated with Heinrich Events. Carbon isotope values in sediments deposited during the last glacial maximum indicate moderate precipitation with little fluctuation. The deglacial was a period of pronounced climate variability, e.g. a relatively warm and moist Bølling–Allerød, but a cool and dry Younger Dryas. Arid periods of the deglacial were inferred from samples with high δ¹³C values in total organic carbon, which reflect times of greater proportions of C₄ plants. These inferences are supported by stable isotope measurements on ostracod shells and relative abundance of grass pollen from the same depths in core PI-6. Similar trends in carbon stable isotopes measured on bulk organic carbon and n-alkanes suggest that carbon isotope measures on bulk organic carbon in sediments from this lake are sufficient to infer past climate-driven shifts in local vegetation.     

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.     

Biomarker evidence of macrophyte and plankton community changes in Zeekoevlei,a shallow lake in South Africa

Zeekoevlei is the largest freshwater lake in South Africa and has a century-long history of anthropogenic impact that caused hyper-eutrophic conditions. We used biomarkers (alkanes and pigments), stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N), rates of primary palaeoproduction and total inorganic carbon (TIC) accumulation rates in the lake sediments to investigate changes in plankton and macrophyte communities in response to anthropogenic activities in this shallow lake. Specific alkanes (ΣC_15,17,19, pristane, phytane and n-C₂₉/n-C₁₇ ratio) and pigment (chlorophyll a, β,β-carotene, echinenone, fucoxanthin and zeaxanthin) concentrations in lake waters indicated the present-day hyper-eutrophic condition and seasonal fluctuations of cyanobacteria, zooplankton and diatom populations. Eutrophic conditions were initiated in the lake with the start of recreational activities and construction of a sewage treatment plant in the early 1920s. The lake transformed from a eutrophic to a hyper-eutrophic waterbody following damming, pondweed eradication and accelerated catchment-derived nutrient input. The change in lake trophic state was recorded by a sharp decline in the terrestrial to aquatic ratio (TAR) of specific n-alkanes, low carbon preference index (CPI) and increased δ¹³C values in the sediment core. In addition, the aquatic macrophyte n-alkane proxy (P_aq) values (~1) indicated a slow takeover by floating macrophytes after the eradication of submerged pondweeds in 1951. Elevated n-alkane (ΣC_15,17,19), total alkane and pigment (chlorophyll a, β,β-carotene, zeaxanthin and zeaxanthin to β,β-carotene ratio) concentrations, low δ¹⁵N values and low TIC accumulation rates in the upper middle section of the core indicated the beginning of intense cyanobacterial blooms after the dredging in 1983. Although the cyanobacterial population has decreased in recent years, hyper-eutrophic conditions are reflected by low CPI <0.04 and TAR <1 values at the top of the sediment core.     

Biomarker and compound-specific δ<Superscript>13</Superscript>C evidence for changing environmental conditions and carbon limitation at Lake Koucha,eastern Tibetan Plateau

A sediment core from Lake Koucha (eastern Tibetan Plateau) was investigated using organic biomarkers and their stable carbon isotope signatures. The correlation between TOC content, total amount of aquatic macrophyte-derived n-alkanes (e.g. nC₂₃) and δ¹³C values of TOC and nC₂₃ indicates that Lake Koucha was macrophyte-dominated before 8 cal ka BP. Shortly after the lake turned from a saline to a freshwater system at 7.2 cal ka BP, a variety of algal and bacterial markers such as hopanoids and isoprenoids emerged, of which phytane, pentamethylicosene (PMI), moretene and diploptene are particularly abundant. Phytane and PMI show different isotopic signals (≈−18 and ≈−28‰, respectively), which indicates that they originated from different sources. Phytane may have been derived from cyanobacteria, while methanogenic archaea may be the source of PMI. The isotopic depletion of diploptene and moretene (≈−60‰) indicates the presence of methanotrophs. After 6.1 cal ka BP, the saturated C₂₀ highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) became the dominant constituent of the aliphatic hydrocarbon fraction. Such dominance has rarely been reported in lacustrine environments, and indicates a strong presence of algae (most likely diatoms) or cyanobacteria. At 4.7 cal ka BP, the appearance of an unsaturated C₂₅ HBI, which is a specific biomarker for diatoms, was noted. Furthermore, the level of nC₁₇-alkane was observed to increase in abundance in the uppermost two samples. These results suggest that the lake was phytoplankton-dominated during the last 6.1 ka. Relatively low biomarker concentrations and δ¹³C values at 6.0, 3.1 and 1.8 cal ka BP indicate the occurrence of cool periods, which is in agreement with inferences from other locations on the Tibetan Plateau. The δ¹³C values of nC₂₃ range from −23.5 to −12.6‰, with high values at the peak of macrophyte abundance at ca. 11 cal ka BP and at the phytoplankton maximum between ca 6.1 and 2.8 cal ka BP. Thus, aquatic macrophyte-derived mid-chain n-alkanes have been found to be excellent indicators of carbon-limiting conditions, which lead to the assimilation of isotopically-enriched carbon species. The limitation of carbon sources could be a localized phenomenon occurring in dense plant stands (as in the older section of the core), or it may be induced by high primary productivity (as in the younger section). Since the δ¹³C value of the inorganic carbon source may vary, the offset between the δ¹³C values of nC₂₃ and TIC could serve as a more precise proxy for carbon-limiting conditions in lacustrine environments, which could in turn be interpreted with respect to lacustrine paleo-productivity.     

Sedimentary stable carbon isotope evidence of late Quaternary vegetation and climate change in highland Costa Rica

Continuous terrestrial records of paleoclimate and paleovegetation that extend to the late Pleistocene are rare for the circum-Caribbean uplands. In this study we analyzed the bulk and compound-specific carbon isotope composition of lake sediments spanning this period from Lago de las Morrenas 1 (LM1), a glacial lake in the highlands of southern Costa Rica, for evidence of climate and vegetation changes that may not have been apparent in previous analyses. The stable carbon isotope ratios of n-alkanes typically derived from terrestrial plants (δ¹³C_C27–C33) indicate an increased abundance of C₄ plant taxa during the late Pleistocene and earliest Holocene that may be related to decreased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, increased aridity, or habitat availability. These n-alkane isotope ratios also provide evidence of more arid conditions during the early and late Holocene, and more mesic conditions during the middle Holocene, a pattern prevalent in other paleoclimate records from the region that is thought to be related to millennial-scale dynamics of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). The sensitivity of the LM1 paleorecord to trade wind dynamics provides further support for the role of millennial-scale shifts in ITCZ dynamics in driving neotropical environmental change, and indicates that the effects of ITCZ migration were not limited to the lowlands.     

Climate conditions and relative abundance of C<Subscript>3</Subscript> and C<Subscript>4</Subscript> vegetation during the past 40 ka inferred from lake sediments in Wudalianchi,northeast China

Paleoclimate and paleovegetation changes over the last 40 cal ka were recorded by multiple variables in a sediment core from Qingshi, Wudalianchi City, northeast China. The history of vegetation types inferred from n-C₂₇/n-C₃₁ and average chain length of n-alkanes indicates the paleovegetation went through several distinct stages, consistent with pollen records from the study area. Compound-specific carbon isotope composition was also determined for C₂₇, C₂₉ and C₃₁ n-alkanes in the Qingshi core sediments. The relative abundance of C₃ and C₄ plants was calculated using a binary model and indicates that C₃ plants were the dominant input during the last glacial and Holocene. There were, however, shifts in the ratio of C₃ to C₄ vegetation abundance that correspond to changes in climate conditions. Generally, the long-term trend towards greater C₄ plant abundance from the last glacial to Holocene correlated with an increase in pCO₂, higher temperature, greater precipitation and more growing season precipitation. Our results suggest that temperature and seasonality of precipitation played a strong role in altering the relative abundance of C₃ and C₄ plants in the study area. These results provide information for predicting future vegetation changes in response to on-going global warming.     

Direct application of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis of leaf waxes to establish lacustrine sediment chronology

This study demonstrates use of compound-specific radiocarbon analysis (CSRA) for dating Holocene lacustrine sediments from carbonate-hosted Ordy Pond, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Long-chain odd-numbered normal alkanes (n-alkanes), biomarkers characteristic of terrestrial higher plants, were ubiquitous in Ordy Pond sediments. The δ¹³C of individual n-alkanes ranged from −29.9 to −25.5‰, within the expected range for n-alkanes synthesized by land plants using the C₃ or C₄ carbon fixation pathway. The ¹⁴C ages of n-alkanes determined by CSRA showed remarkably good agreement with ¹⁴C dates of rare plant macrofossils obtained from nearby sedimentary horizons. In general, CSRA of n-alkanes successfully refined the age-control of the sediments. The sum of n-alkanes in each sample produced 70–170 μg of carbon (C), however, greater age errors were confirmed for samples containing less than 80 μg of C. The ¹⁴C age of n-alkanes from one particular sedimentary horizon was 4,155 years older than the value expected from the refined age-control, resulting in an apparent and arguable age discrepancy. Several lines of evidence suggest that this particular sample was contaminated by introduction of ¹⁴C-free C during preparative capillary gas chromatography. This study simultaneously highlighted the promising potential of CSRA for paleo-applications and the risks of contamination associated with micro-scale ¹⁴C measurement of individual organic compounds.     

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.     

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.     

Stable isotope compositions of recent Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas) shells: paleoenvironmental implications

Stable carbon and oxygen isotope studies are among the major proxies in investigations of recent and ancient freshwater environments. Mollusc shells are one the most frequently studied carbonates. In the present paper, stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas) shells, regarded as the most aggressive freshwater invader worldwide, is compared with the stable isotope composition of ambient water. Macrophytes with modern D. polymorpha shells attached were sampled twice, in June and August 2011, from four transects established within the littoral of Lake Lednica (western Poland). The macrophytes were sampled between 0.5 and 7 m of depth at each site from the restricted area of the lake bottom. In order to avoid the influence of ontogeny on the results obtained the stable isotope compositions of shells of equal or nearly equal sizes within one population were compared. A significant spread was observed in the stable isotope signatures in the D. polymorpha shells, particularly in the δ¹³C values derived from one population. The spread in δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values was observed in both juvenile and adult shells; however, it increased with age. It is suggested that stable isotope investigations of D. polymorpha shells should not be performed on single shells, as the isotope values will not be representative of the coeval individuals within population. While the shells of D. polymorpha were close to oxygen isotope equilibrium with the ambient water, they were characterised by a 1.5–2 ‰ depletion in ¹³C relative to δ¹³C_DIC. Both the spread in δ¹³C values in the shells and the ¹³C depletion observed in the shells are interpreted as resulting from a strong metabolic influence on shell composition. Because the offset observed between dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and shells is relatively constant, the stable carbon isotope composition of D. polymorpha shells may reflect environmental conditions and thus may be used as a palaeolimnological proxy.     

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.     

Biomarker-based paleo-record of environmental change for an eutrophic,tropical freshwater lake,Lake Valencia,Venezuela

The lipids in a sediment core from Lake Valencia, a hypereutrophic freshwater lake in Venezuela, are examined to understand environmental changes over the last ∼13,000 years. From the latest Pleistocene to the earliest Holocene, total organic carbon (TOC) substantially increased from 2.2 to 10%, while total organic carbon over total nitrogen (TOC/TN) decreased from as high as 34 to as low as 10. Correspondingly, the concentration of terrestrially derived triterpenoids markedly decreased, and the dominant n-alkane shifted from C₃₁ to C₂₃ or C₂₅. During the same period, algal biomarkers such as botryococcenes, dinosterol, isoarborinol, C₂₀ HBIs and 1,15C₃₂ keto-ol markedly increased in abundance. These changes suggested a greater contribution of algal organic matter at the onset of the Holocene, which was concurrent with increasing rainfall and the formation of a permanent lake (Lake Valencia) in the Aragua Valley, Venezuela. The age profile of Paq, a n-alkane based proxy, showed large oscillations (0.20–0.81), reflecting historical variations in source strength of submerged/floating vs. terrestrial/emergent OM inputs. An abrupt increase in tetrahymanol abundance at ∼7,260 cal years BP suggests the establishment of an oxic–anoxic boundary in the lake’s water column. After reaching its maximum abundance at ∼2,100 cal year BP, botryococcenes, a biomarker of Botryococcus braunii, gradually decreased to below the detection limit in the uppermost sediments, while different algal/microbial biomarkers such as diploptene, dinosterol and isoarborinol substantially increased. These different historical profiles of algal/microbial biomarkers reflect different responses of source organisms to environmental changes throughout this period. The δ¹³C determinations presented exceptionally enriched values for botryococcene isomers (−7.7 to −15.1‰), indicating the utilization of bicarbonate as carbon sources in an extremely productive ecosystem.     

Chemostratigraphic correlation of carbonate successions in the Gariep and Saldania Belts, Namibia and South Africa

ABSTRACT Inter‐ and intrabasinal correlation of Neoproterozoic carbonate successions and associated glaciogenic deposits from the Pan‐African Gariep Belt and the Kango inlier in the Saldania Belt (Namibia and South Africa) is proposed on the basis of new δ¹³C_Carb and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_I data. Highly positive δ¹³C_Carb values (as much as + 8.65‰) and low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_I ratios (0.7071–0.7077) were obtained on carbonate successions of the Hilda Subgroup between an older and a younger diamictite in the Port Nolloth Group (Gariep Belt). These results are in agreement with data elsewhere that suggest deposition between the global ～ 750 Ma Sturtian and ～ 580 Ma Marinoan glaciations. Considerably lower, positive δ¹³C_Carb values (up to + 1.01‰) and higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_I ratios (0.7082–0.7085) mark the carbonates (Bloeddrif Member, Holgat Formation) on top of the Numees Formation diamictite and support a correlation of this diamictite with the Marinoan glaciation. In the southern extension of the Gariep Belt, correlation of the Widouw Formation limestone (Gifberg Group) with the Bloeddrif Member carbonates is proposed based on similar isotopic characteristics. In the Kango inlier of the Saldania Belt, two carbonate‐bearing members exist in the Matjies River Formation. The lower one of these two (Nooitgedacht Member) compares well with the Hilda Subgroup, whereas the upper one (Kombuis Member) shows strong similarities to the Bloeddrif Member carbonates. This implies that all younger stratigraphic units of the Kango inlier are not correlatives of the Port Nolloth Group, as previously assumed, but syn‐ to post‐orogenic with respect to the 540–580 Ma Pan‐African orogeny.     

Identifying recent sources of organic matter enrichment and eutrophication trends at coastal sites using stable nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios in sediment cores

We studied the potential for using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in sediment profiles to trace external nutrient sources and eutrophication at four coastal sites in the Baltic Sea. The sites are characterized by various present and past activities in their catchments, including residential development, sugar processing, agriculture and fish farming. Radiometrically dated sediment cores were analysed for nutrient isotope ratios, organic carbon and total nitrogen. Background information was collected from historical sources, literature and water monitoring data. Despite the multiple organic enrichment sources, it was possible to identify individual sources and processes in the sediment profiles using stable isotope analysis of bulk sediment. The largest changes in δ¹⁵N values were seen at sites receiving urban wastewaters. The site that received effluents from a sugar cane (C₄-plant) refinery in the past showed a clear effect on δ¹³C values compared to the site that received wastewater from a sugar beet (C₃-plant) factory. Fish farming produced detectable, albeit minor changes in the sediment profile. Slightly lower δ¹³C values reflected the influence of fish feed and fish metabolism, and higher δ¹⁵N values likely indicated the influence of increased sediment denitrification. The land-sea connection via river discharge was observable in the overall δ¹³C levels of the sediment cores. Our results suggest that temporal changes in sources of organic matter enrichment can be detected in well-dated coastal sediment cores using nutrient stable isotope analyses, even at sites subjected to multiple impacts. There is not, however, a simple relationship between sediment stable isotope profiles and the eutrophication history of our study sites.     

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.     

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.     

Spatial and temporal variations in C3 and C4 plant abundance over the Chinese Loess Plateau since the last glacial maximum

Stable carbon isotopes of soil organic matter from 12 sites in the southern Chinese Loess Plateau are reviewed to examine spatial and temporal patterns of C₃ and C₄ plants in the arid to semiarid monsoonal region during three key periods - last glacial maximum, mid-Holocene, and modern. We have tentatively corrected the effects of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and precipitation amounts on the δ¹³C endmembers for C₃ plants to reconstruct the relative proportion of C₄ plants because the δ¹³C values of C₃ plants are variable under different CO₂ and climate conditions. The results indicate that C₄ grasses increase from northwest to southeast spatially, which is consistent with present-day increasing precipitation and temperature patterns. This suggests that for a monsoon-dominant arid to semiarid region, such as the Loess Plateau, warm-season rainfall is a primary factor limiting C₄ plants growth, and thus C₄ grasses have been outcompeted by C₃ grasses/shrubs under cold-dry climate conditions. However, temporal fluctuations in atmospheric CO₂ concentration may also affect plant growth through altering water-use efficiency (WUE). Enhanced drought caused by decreased WUE due to low atmospheric CO₂ concentrations during glacial periods, combined with a cold-dry climate, leads to a decline in C₄ grasses, canceling out any advantages gained from lowered atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. To reconstruct accurately the abundance of C₃ and C₄ plants in an ecosystem and explore their controlling factors, process-based vegetation models integrating CO₂ and climatic parameters interactive with plant physiology are necessary.     

Biomarker and stable carbon isotope analyses of sedimentary organic matter from Lake Tswaing: evidence for deglacial wetness and early Holocene drought from South Africa

Comparing the organic matter (OM) composition of modern and past lake sediments contributes to the understanding of changes in lacustrine environments over time. We investigate modern plant and lake-water samples as well as modern and ancient sediment samples from the Tswaing Crater in South Africa using biomarker and stable carbon isotope analyses on bulk OM and specific biomarker compounds. The characteristic molecular markers for higher land plants (predominantly C3-type deciduous angiosperms) in Lake Tswaing are long-chain n-alkanes (n-C₂₇₋₃₃), n-alkanols (n-C₂₈₊₃₀), stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, β-amyrin, α-amyrin and lupeol. The C₁₇ n-alkane, tetrahymanol, gammaceran-3-one and C₂₉ sterols dominate the lipid fraction of autochthonously produced OM. By comparing stable carbon isotope analyses on bulk OM and the characteristic biomarkers, we follow the modern carbon cycle in the crater environment and find indications for methanotrophic activity in the lake from isotopically depleted moretene. A comparative study of core sediments reveals changes in the terrestrial (C3 versus C4) and aquatic bioproductivity and allows insights into the variability of the carbon cycle under the influence of changing climatic conditions for the time from the end of the last glacial (Termination I) to the late Holocene, ca. 14,000–2,000 calibrated years before present (years BP). The most pronounced changes occur in the aquatic realm after ca. 10,000 years BP when our results imply climate swings from more humid to more arid and after 7,500 years BP to gradually more humid conditions again, which can be related to a shift in the position of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone or to changes in the tropical atmosphere–ocean interaction. Long-chain alkenones (LCAs) have been identified in ancient lake sediments from Africa for the first time. They occur in samples older than 7,500 years BP and their distribution (dominance of C₃₈ and of tri- over tetra-unsaturated LCAs) is distinctly different from other published records suggesting a to date unknown source organism.     

Stable isotopes and trace elements in modern ostracod shells: implications for reconstructing past environments on the Tibetan Plateau,China

Stable isotopes and trace elements in ostracod shells have been used widely in paleolimnological investigations of past lake hydrochemistry and climate because they provide insights into past water balance and solute evolution of lakes. Regional differences in lake characteristics and species-specific element fractionation, however, do not permit generalization of results from other regions or ostracod species to the southern Tibetan Plateau, in part because most common taxa from the southern Tibetan Plateau are endemic to the area. This study evaluated relations between present-day environmental conditions and the geochemical composition of modern ostracod shells from the southern Tibetan Plateau, to assess the suitability of using shell chemistry to infer hydrological conditions. We studied nine lakes and their catchments, located along a west–east transect in the south-central part of the Tibetan Plateau. Stable oxygen and carbon isotope values and trace element concentrations in recent shells from the four most abundant ostracod species (Leucocytherella sinensis, ?Leucocythere dorsotuberosa, Limnocythere inopinata, Tonnacypris gyirongensis) were measured, together with hydrochemical properties of host waters at the time of sampling. Results revealed significant between-species differences in stable isotope fractionation and trace element incorporation into shell calcite. Stable oxygen and carbon isotope values of ostracod shells were correlated significantly with the stable isotope composition of the respective water body \( \left( {\updelta^{18} {\text{O}}_{{{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} \,{\text{and }}\updelta^{13} {\text{C}}_{{{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} } \right) \), reflecting salinity and productivity, respectively. Offsets between δ¹⁸O_shell and δ¹³C_shell and inorganic calcite, the latter representing isotopic equilibrium, suggest shell formation of T. gyirongensis during spring melt. L. sinensis reproduces throughout the monsoon season until September and shows several consecutive generations, and L. inopinata molts to the adult stage after the monsoon season in August/September. The influence of pore water δ¹³C was displayed by L. inopinata, suggesting shell calcification within the sediment. Mg/Ca_shell is primarily influenced by water Mg/Ca ratios and salinity and confirms the use of this shell ratio as a proxy for precipitation-evaporation balance and lake level. In addition, Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca can be used to infer changes in salinity, at least in closed-basin lakes with calcite saturation. Observed effects of water Sr/Ca and salinity on Sr/Ca incorporation are biased by the presence of aragonite precipitation in the lakes, which removes bioavailable Sr from the host water, resulting in low Sr/Ca_shell values. Changes in carbonate mineralogy affect the bioavailability of trace elements, a process that should be considered in paleoclimate reconstructions. Oxygen isotopes and Mg/Ca_shell ratios were unaffected by water temperature. Positive correlations among Fe/Ca, Mn/Ca and U/Ca in ostracod shells, and their negative correlation with δ¹³C, which reflects organic matter decay, show the potential to infer changes in redox conditions that can be used to reconstruct past oxygen supply to bottom waters and thus past water-circulation changes within lakes. The intensity of microbial activity, associated with organic matter decomposition, can be inferred from U/Ca ratios in ostracod shells. These findings highlight the value of fossil ostracod records in lake deposits for inferring paleoenvironmental conditions on the southern Tibetan Plateau.