Isotopes in Palaeoenvironmental ResearchThis volume is intended to show how stable isotopes can be applied to understanding the palaeoenvironment. There are chapters on the interpretation of isotopes in water, tree rings, bones and teeth, lake sediments, speleothems and marine sediments. Crucial to the understanding of the environmental signal contained within the isotope composition of different materials is to gain more information about how rainfall isotope compositions are determined by climate. Chapter 1 (Darling et al. ) describes O, H and C stable isotope compositions in the modern day water and aqueous carbon cycles to provide a framework for the interpretation of these isotopes in the past. The chapter on the water cycle divides naturally into a number of sections. The starting point, precipitation, is especially important because it is the precursor to which most O and H isotope proxy studies are attempting to relate. While much is understood about the isotope systematics of precipitation, largely owing to the existence of the IAEA– WMO Global Network for Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP), important questions remain to be answered in relation to the isotope-temperature gradients of past climatic conditions. The chapter describes the three reservoirs of water sustaining all terrestrial proxies; soil and vadose zone moisture, groundwater, and surface waters. In each reservoir isotope effects intervene to modify to a greater or lesser extent the isotope signature of antecedent precipitation; groundwaters are least affected and surface waters the most. |
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Contents
1 ISOTOPES IN WATER | 1 |
Oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes in precipitation | 4 |
From precipitation to terrestrial water | 17 |
Lake waters and mass balance modelling | 27 |
Dissolved carbon | 36 |
From proxy to climate constraints on interpretation | 49 |
Summary | 51 |
References | 52 |
Introduction | 148 |
Oxygen isotope systematics in inorganic materials | 150 |
Carbon isotopes in lacustrine organic matter | 166 |
Nitrogen isotopes in lacustrine organic matter | 169 |
Oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in lacustrine organic matter | 173 |
Summary | 175 |
References | 176 |
5 ISOTOPES IN SPELEOTHEMS | 185 |
2 ISOTOPES IN TREE RINGS | 67 |
Isotope fractionation in trees | 69 |
Sample selection and preparation | 72 |
Mass spectrometry | 83 |
Data analysis | 93 |
Environmental signals | 101 |
Multiproxy dendroclimatology | 104 |
Summary | 105 |
References | 106 |
3 ISOTOPES IN BONES AND TEETH | 117 |
Isotope incorporation into bone | 118 |
Relationship of bone isotope composition to an animals diet | 119 |
Preservation of the isotope signal in bone and tooth | 122 |
Environmental influences on isotope transport through food chains | 123 |
Application of isotope techniques to bone and teeth | 127 |
Summary | 138 |
4 ISOTOPES IN LAKE SEDIMENTS | 147 |
Oxygen isotopes in speleothems | 189 |
Carbon isotopes in speleothems | 202 |
methodologies and some recent results | 206 |
Summary | 215 |
References | 218 |
6 ISOTOPES IN MARINE SEDIMENTS | 227 |
Oxygen isotopes in marine sediments | 231 |
Carbon isotopes in marine sediments | 245 |
Nitrogen isotopes in marine sediments | 259 |
Silicon isotopes in marine sediments | 264 |
Boron isotopes in marine sediments | 268 |
Summary | 272 |
References | 273 |
GLOSSARY ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS | 291 |
INDEX | |
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Common terms and phrases
analysis annual approach atmospheric bone calcite carbon isotope cave cellulose changes climate close concentration controlled cores Cosmochim cycle deposition diatom dissolved effects enrichment environment environmental equilibrium estimates et al evaporation evidence example exchange factors Figure foraminifera fractionation Geochim glacial global groundwater growth Holocene hydrogen hydrology inclusions increase indicate influence interpretation isotope composition isotope fractionation isotope ratios isotope records lake lower marine mass material mean measurements moisture Nature nitrogen observed occur ocean organic matter oxygen isotope past period plants Pleistocene possible potential precipitation processes productivity proxy rainfall range reconstruction records reflect regions relationship relative represent river salinity samples seasonal sediments signal significant soil species speleothems stable isotope studies suggest surface surface water techniques temperature terrestrial tree rings values vapour variability variations vary volume wood zone
Popular passages
Page 275 - Epstein, S., Buchsbaum, R., Lowenstam, HA and Urey, HC (1953) Revised Carbonatewater isotopic temperature scale. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 64, p.
References to this book
Archaeological Chemistry A. M. Pollard,Carl Heron,Royal Society of Chemistry (Great Britain) Limited preview - 2008 |