Bayesian age-depth modelling of Late Quaternary deposits from Wet and Blanche Caves,Naracoorte, South Australia: A framework for comparative faunal analyses

Bayesian age-depth models were constructed for two Late Quaternary aged fossil-bearing sedimentary sequences from caves in south eastern South Australia. The deposits in Wet and Blanche Caves contain dense assemblages of vertebrate fossils, largely the result of owl pellet accumulation. While individually calibrated radiocarbon determinations from the fossil sequences have provided a chronology for their accumulation, there was limited capacity available with such data to (a) temporally constrain assemblages associated with different depositional units and layers within the two sites, (b) interpret the chronological relationships among successive units and layers and (c) correlate sedimentary units and layers of similar age between the two deposits. Here, Bayesian age-depth models were constructed in OxCal for the Wet and Blanche Cave sequences, incorporating the available radiocarbon data and stratigraphic information collected during their excavation. Despite the low precision of the age-depth models for Wet and Blanche Caves which results in part from there being only single radiocarbon determinations available for a number of units and layers, the models enabled the relationships within and between the two sites to be established. Of particular utility for future faunal analyses is quantification of the temporal relationship between strata from the two sites, where groups of individual layers from Blanche Cave were found to be temporally equivalent with the longer-duration units in Wet Cave. We suggest that the use of Phase modelling, as performed here, is useful for cave deposits that have complex depositional histories and even in such instances where, as is common for palaeontological sites, few radiocarbon data are collected relative to the time-spans of tens of millennia that are often represented by them.     

Ice-free conditions in Novaya Zemlya 35 000–30 000 cal years B.P., as indicated by radiocarbon ages and amino acid racemization evidence from marine molluscs

Novaya Zemlya was covered by the eastern part of the Barents–Kara ice sheet during the glacial maximum of marine isotope stage 2 (MIS 2). We obtained ¹⁴C ages on 37 samples of mollusc shells from various sites on the islands. Most samples yielded ages in the range of 48–26 ¹⁴C Ky. Such old samples are sensitive to contamination by young ¹⁴C, and therefore their reliability was assessed using replicate analyses and amino acid geochronology. The extent of aspartic acid racemization (Asp D/L) indicates that many of the ¹⁴C ages are correct, whereas some are minimum ages only. The results indicate that a substantial part of Novaya Zemlya was ice-free about 35–27 ¹⁴C Kya, and probably even earlier. Corresponding shorelines up to >140 m a.s.l. indicate a large Barents–Kara ice sheet during early MIS 3. These results are consistent with findings from Svalbard and northern Russia: in both places a large MIS 4/3 Barents–Kara ice sheet is postulated to have retreated about 50 Kya, followed by an ice-free interstadial that lasted until up to ca. 25 Kya. The duration of the MIS 2 glaciation in Novaya Zemlya was calculated by applying the D/L values to a kinetic equation for Asp racemization. This indicates that the islands were ice covered for less than 3000 years if the basal temperature was 0^oC, and for less than 10 000 years if it was −5^oC.     

末次盛冰期以来库布齐沙漠环境变化

中国北方季风边缘区沙漠/沙地如何响应气候变化及其反馈研究对于理解干旱半干旱地区现代地表过程及其未来环境演变趋势有重要的科学意义.库布齐沙漠作为中国北方季风边缘区中东部唯一的以流动、半流动为主的沙漠,现代地表景观与周围沙地(如毛乌素沙地、浑善达克沙地、科尔沁沙地等)明显不同.晚第四纪以来库布齐沙漠与季风边缘区中东部沙地环...     

基于PMIP3和CMIP5模拟结果的过去千年特征时段北极涛动的变率特征及成因分析

利用参与第三次古气候模式评估比较计划（Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project Phase III,PMIP3）过去千年气候模拟试验以及参与第五次耦合模式评估比较计划（Paleoclimate Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5,CMIP5）全强迫历史情景试验的9个地球系统模式模拟试验结果,对过去千年3个特征时段（中世纪气候异常期、小冰期和现代暖期）北极涛动（Arctic Oscillation, AO）的变率及成因进行了分析。通过与NCEP再分析资料的对比发现,模式能够较好地模拟出AO的空间模态及年际变化周期,且大部分模式能够模拟出过去50年AO的增强趋势。过去千年3个特征时段中,不同模式对中世纪气候异常期AO位相的模拟并不一致,但大部分模式显示小冰期AO基本呈现负位相,而现代暖期则表现为显著的正位相,与重建结果一致。基于多模式集合平均的机制分析表明,中世纪气候异常期北极地区海平面气压变化不显著,小冰期北极地区海平面气压显著偏正,现代暖期海平面气压显著偏负,这与现代暖期北极温度偏高而小冰期北极温度偏低有关。过去千年中,小冰期和现代暖期的AO变率分别受自然外强迫和人为外强迫的影响。     

10Be and 26Al exposure‐age dating of bedrock surfaces on the Aran ridge,Wales: evidence for a thick Welsh Ice Cap at the Last Glacial Maximum

This paper presents results of the analysis of paired cosmogenic isotopes (¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al) from eight quartz‐rich samples collected from ice‐moulded bedrock on the Aran ridge, the highest land in the British Isles south of Snowdon. On the Aran ridge, comprising the summits of Aran Fawddwy (905 m a.s.l.) and Aran Benllyn (885 m a.s.l.), ²⁶Al and ¹⁰Be ages indicate complete ice coverage and glacial erosion at the global Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Six samples from the summit ridge above 750–800 m a.s.l. yielded paired ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al ages ranging from 17.2 to 34.4 ka, respectively. Four of these samples are very close in age (¹⁰Be ages of 17.5 ± 0.6, 17.5 ± 0.7, 19.7 ± 0.8 and 20.0 ± 0.7 ka) and are interpreted as representing the exposure age of the summit ridge. Two other summit samples are much older (¹⁰Be ages of 27.5 ± 1.0 and 33.9 ± 1.2 ka) and these results may indicate nuclide inheritance. The ²⁶Al/¹⁰Be ratios for all samples are indistinguishable within one‐sigma uncertainty from the production rate ratio line, indicating that there is no evidence for a complex exposure history. These results indicate that the last Welsh Ice Cap was thick enough to completely cover the Aran ridge and achieve glacial erosion at the LGM. However, between c. 20 and 17 ka ridge summits were exposed as nunataks at a time when glacial erosion at lower elevations (below 750–800 m a.s.l.) was achieved by large outlet glaciers in the valleys surrounding the mountains. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

江西万年仙人洞和吊桶环遗址蚌器表面残留物中的淀粉粒及其环境指示

江西万年仙人洞和吊桶环遗址是中国长江中游鄱阳湖流域旧石器时期(20~12kaB.P.)的重要遗址,出土有大量的蚌器。本文对两处遗址旧石器晚期地层(大约20~19ka cal.B.P.)出土的两件蚌器表层残留物中的淀粉粒进行了提取和鉴定。在可鉴定的202颗古代淀粉粒中,几乎全部来自小麦族和黍族,很可能是小麦族冰草属(Agropyron)、山羊草属(Aegilops)、小麦属(Triticum)和大麦属(Hordeum)中的某些植物,以及黍族狗尾草属(Setaria)的某些植物。中国现有上述几个属的小麦族植物,除了小麦、大麦和黑麦等被人类种植的物种以外,主要分布在新疆、内蒙西北、甘青地区以及西藏等温干的地区。仙人洞和吊桶环出土蚌器上的古代淀粉粒组合暗示了末次冰盛期江西北部可能存在以禾草为主的草本植物群落。蚌器表面淀粉粒残留验证了蚌器具有收割植物的功能。蚌器表面淀粉粒保存几率的差异也证实了不同埋藏环境对淀粉粒残留物保存有着十分重要的影响,较为封闭的遗址环境中器物表面的淀粉粒可以得到更好的保存。     

青藏高原末次冰期最盛时的冰川与环境

在１６－３２ｋａＢｐ的末次冰期最盛时，青藏高原较现代降温７℃左右，降水为现代的０３－７０％。极地型冰川广泛分布，高原内部平衡线较下降值减至５００－３００ｍ以内，高原东部，南缘及西缘可能以亚极地型冰川为主，并有小部分温冰川，平衡线下降８００ｍ以至１００－１２００ｍ。初步统计，包括周围高山在内冰川面积在３５×１０＾４ｋｍ＾２左右，为现代冰川的７．５倍，冰储量相当于全海平面变化２４．２ｃｍ。其时，多年冻     

Environmental changes in the northern Altai during the last millennium documented in Lake Teletskoye pollen record

A high-resolution pollen record from Lake Teletskoye documents the climate-related vegetation history of the northern Altai Mountain region during the last millennium. Siberian pine taiga with Scots pine, fir, spruce, and birch dominated the vegetation between ca. AD 1050 and 1100. The climate was similar to modern. In the beginning of the 12th century, birch and shrub alder increased. Lowered pollen concentrations and simultaneous peaks in herbs (especially Artemisia and Poaceae), ferns, and charcoal fragments point to colder and more arid climate conditions than before, with frequent fire events. Around AD 1200, regional climate became warmer and more humid than present, as revealed by an increase of Siberian pine and decreases of dry herb taxa and charcoal contents. Climatic conditions were rather stable until ca. AD 1410. An increase of Artemisia pollen may reflect slightly drier climate conditions between AD 1410 and 1560. Increases in Alnus, Betula, Artemisia, and Chenopodiaceae pollen and in charcoal particle contents may reflect further deterioration of climate conditions between AD 1560 and 1810, consistent with the Little Ice Age. After AD 1850 the vegetation gradually approached the modern one, in conjunction with ongoing climate warming.     

New evidence on the sequence of deglacial warming in the tropical Indian Ocean

The transition from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene was an internal of climate variability that was characterised by large spatial and temporal variations. Here we show that deglaciation warming in the northern Indian Ocean was initiated ca. 19 ka, which is contemporary with deglaciation warming in the Antarctica and Southern Ocean. A gradual warming occurred during the glacial/Holocene transition in the northern Indian Ocean, unlike the two‐step warming seen in Greenland and the North Atlantic. Synchronous deglacial warming ca. 19 ka in Antarctica and the northern Indian Ocean suggests a strong connection in the propagation of climate signals between Antarctica and the Indian Ocean, probably through the Indonesian Throughflow and/or Subantarctic Mode Water. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chlorine-36 and C chronology support a limited last glacial maximum across central chukotka, northeastern Siberia, and no Beringian ice sheet

The Pekulney Mountains and adjacent Tanyurer River valley are key regions for examining the nature of glaciation across much of northeast Russia. Twelve new cosmogenic isotope ages and 14 new radiocarbon ages in concert with morphometric analyses and terrace stratigraphy constrain the timing of glaciation in this region of central Chukotka. The Sartan Glaciation (Last Glacial Maximum) was limited in extent in the Pekulney Mountains and dates to 20,000 yr ago. Cosmogenic isotope ages > 30,000 yr as well as non-finite radiocarbon ages imply an estimated age no younger than the Zyryan Glaciation (early Wisconsinan) for large sets of moraines found in the central Tanyurer Valley. Slope angles on these loess-mantled ridges are less than a few degrees and crest widths are an order of magnitude greater than those found on the younger Sartan moraines. The most extensive moraines in the lower Tanyurer Valley are most subdued implying an even older, probable middle Pleistocene age. This research provides direct field evidence against Grosswald’s Beringian ice-sheet hypothesis.