Diatom distribution in sediments of the Peruvian coastal upwelling

Two shelf and upper-slope sites (681 and 686) near present cores of active coastal upwelling on the Peruvian margin were sampled continuously at 7.5 cm intervals down to approximately 25 meters below the seafloor (mbsf). Sedimentary structures were subdivided into homogeneous/bioturbated, laminated, and laminated-varved intervals. Diatom analysis and statistical treatment of data revealed almost persistent upwelling over the last 400,000 yr, with slightly increased upwelling during oxygen-isotope Stages 3, 5, 7, and 8 that resulted in anoxic bottom-water conditions and deposition of laminated/undisturbed primary sedimentary structures.

中国南方热带地区田洋玛珥湖24万年以来的气候变化及湖泊演变

A continuous long (224m) and high-resolution core TY2 was recovered from paleo-maar-lake Tianyang, tropical South China. Based on the diatom records of the upper 130-m core, this paper focuses on exploring climate change and the lake evolution history in tropical South China during the past 240ka. The most typical and unique characteristics of the diatom assemblages is that, Aulacoseira granulata was dominant or absolutely dominant species (80-90%) during most parts of the 130-m core, while Cyclotella stelligera var. tenuis and Fragilaria construens var. venter were subdominant species in only limited parts of the lower and upper core, respectively. Time scale is always the biggest problem for the study of TY2 core, so although diatom is seldom used for establishing time scale, here we attempt this by correlating the diatom-reconstructed temperature sequence with the time scale of ODP core 806B from Equatorial Western Pacific. Verified by the few most reliable ages from TY2 core and the parallel core TYl, a rather reasonable and reliable time scale was established. 01S 7/6 falls at the depth of 100m (ca. 194kaBP), OIS 6/5 at 75m (ca. 132kaBP), OIS 5/4 at 46m (ca. 75kaBP), OIS 4-3 at 35m (ca. 60kaBP). Qualitative and quantitative environmental reconstructions are made on the basis of diatom assemblage ecotype and EDDI dataset. Correlation of diatom-reconstructed temperature and moisture changes of Core TY2 with pollen-reconstructed temperature and rainfall sequence of Core TYl proves that the results are quite consistent in most periods. Thus the reconstruction results from diatom are quite reliable, and probably have a much higher resolution than pollen results. Combined with lithological and magnetic susceptibility variations, the diatom analysis reveals that, the general climate in tropical South China during the past 240ka was warm and wet. On the time scale of glacial-interglacial, warm and wet, cool and dry are not always synchronous. It was relatively warm-wet during the penultimate interglacial, cool-dry during the penultimate glacial, warm-dry during the last interglacial, and cooler-drier during the last glacial. In contrast, on the time scale of subglacial-subinterglacial scales, warm and dry, cool and wet corresponds very obviously, showing very clear 21-23 ka precession cycle. Analysis also shows that, the water of Tianyang paleo-maar-lake was generally warm, turbulent, turbid, meso-trophic, slightly alkaline, low conductivity and fresh during the past 240 kaBP, with small variations in some parts. Tianyang paleolake experienced shallow to semi-deep lake in OIS7d, open shallow lake in OIS7c-OIS5b, shallow coastal lake in OIS5a-OIS4c, swamp in OIS4b, and then completely dried up in OIS3c. The lake evolution was mainly controlled by temperature and precipitation changes in tropical China. While temperature and precipitation changes were probably controlled by the migrations of monsoon rainband and the evaporation rate, which was in turn controlled by the evolution of East Asian monsoon. Therefore, when the summer monsoon was strongest the climate was warm-dry, when stronger the climate was warm-wet; when the winter monsoon was strongest the climate was cool-dry, stronger cool-wet. This mechanism caused the warm-dry sub interglacial and cool-wet subglacial climate in the tropical South China.

Air pollutant contamination and acidification of surface waters in the North York Moors, UK: Multi-proxy evidence from the sediments of a moorland pool

Despite the extensive geographical range of palaeolimnological studies designed to assess the extent of surface water acidification in the United Kingdom during the 1980s, little attention was paid to the status of surface waters in the North York Moors (NYM). In this paper, we present sediment core data from a moorland pool in the NYM that provide a record of air pollution contamination and surface water acidification. The 41-cm-long core was divided into three lithostratigraphic units. The lower two comprise peaty soils and peats, respectively, that date to between approximately 8080 and 6740 cal. BP. The uppermost unit comprises peaty lake muds dating from between approximately ad 1790 and the present day (ad 2006). The lower two units contain pollen dominated by forest taxa, whereas the uppermost unit contains pollen indicative of open landscape conditions similar to those of the present. Heavy metal, spheroidal carbonaceous particle, mineral magnetics and stable isotope analysis of the upper sediments show clear evidence of contamination by air pollutants derived from fossil-fuel combustion over the last c. 150years, and diatom analysis indicates that the naturally acidic pool became more acidic during the 20th century. We conclude that the exceptionally acidic surface waters of the pool at present (pH=c. 4.1) are the result of a long history of air pollution and not because of naturally acidic local conditions. We argue that the highly acidic surface waters elsewhere in the NYM are similarly acidified and that the lack of evidence of significant recovery from acidification, despite major reductions in the emissions of acidic gases that have taken place over the last c. 30years, indicates the continuing influence of pollutant sulphur stored in catchment peats, a legacy of over 150years of acid deposition.

The utility of sedimentary diatoms as a measure of historical lake ph

As a result of increased acid precipitation, the pH of a large number of Canadian Shield lakes has been falling. Prior to this study there was no documentation available to explain the history of lake acidification for the Algoma area lakes. In order to obtain this information the diatom inferred pH technique was developed in this study. During two field seasons, July 1981 and July 1982, short sediment cores (circa 25-30 cm) were collected from 28 study lakes located north of Lake Superior, District Algoma, Ontario. The surface sediment diatoms (0-1 cm) from each of these lakes were carefully identified, enumerated, and classified in terms of their pH indicator status. The surface sediment diatom analysis indicated that lake pH is one of the most important factors affecting the species composition and relative abundance of diatom populations. Thus diatom assemblages can be sensitive indicators of lake acidification. When Nygaard's index alpha was plotted against observed lake pH, a statistically significant relationship resulted (r=-0.89; p=diatoms and observed lake pH and secondly a statistically significant relationship between index alpha and observed pH suggested that diatoms are one of the best indicators of lake pH. Thus diatom inferred pH technique has great potential in explaining the rate of lake acidification.

Hydrology and climatology at Laguna La Gaiba, lowland Bolivia: complex responses to climatic forcings over the last 25,000 years

Diatom, geochemical and isotopic data provide a record of environmental change in Laguna La Gaiba, lowland Bolivia (17°450S, 57°350W), over the last ca. 25 000 years. High-resolution diatom analysis around the Last Glacial–Interglacial Transition provides new insights into this period of change. The full and late glacial lake was generally quite shallow, but with evidence of periodic flooding. At about 13 100 cal a BP, just before the start of the Younger Dryas chronozone, the diatoms indicate shallower water conditions, but there is a marked change at about 12 200 cal a BP indicating the onset of a period of high variability, with rising water levels punctuated by periodic drying. From ca. 11 800 to 10 000 cal a BP, stable, deeper water conditions persisted. There is evidence for drying in the early to middle Holocene, but not as pronounced as that reported from elsewhere in the southern hemisphere tropics of South America. This was followed by the onset of wetter conditions in the late Holocene consistent with insolation forcing. Conditions very similar to present were established about 2100 cal a BP. A complex response to both insolation forcing and millennial-scale events originating in the North Atlantic is noted.

Middle and Late Pleistocene humid periods recorded in palaeolake deposits of the Nafud desert, Saudi Arabia

Present climate in the Nafud desert of northern Saudi Arabia is hyper-arid and moisture brought by north-westerly winds scarcely reaches the region. The existence of abundant palaeolake sediments provides evidence for a considerably wetter climate in the past. However, the existing chronological framework of these deposits is solely based on radiocarbon dating of questionable reliability, due to potential post-depositional contamination with younger 14C. By using luminescence dating, we show that the lake deposits were not formed between 40 and 20 ka as suggested previously, but approximately ca 410 ka, 320 ka, 200 ka, 125 ka, and 100 ka ago. All of these humid phases are in good agreement with those recorded in lake sediments and speleothems from southern Arabia. Surprisingly, no Holocene lake deposits were identified. Geological characteristics of the deposits and diatom analysis suggest that a single, perennial lake covered the entire south-western Nafud ca 320 ka ago. In contrast, lakes of the 200 ka, 125 ka, and 100 ka humid intervals were smaller and restricted to interdune depressions of a pre-existing dune relief. The concurrent occurrence of humid phases in the Nafud, southern Arabia and the eastern Mediterranean suggests that moisture in northern Arabia originated either from the Mediterranean due to more frequent frontal depression systems or from stronger Indian monsoon circulation, respectively. However, based on previously published climate model simulations and palaecolimate evidence from central Arabia and the Negev desert, we argue that humid climate conditions in the Nafud were probably caused by a stronger African monsoon and a distinct change in zonal atmospheric circulation.

Middle and Late Pleistocene humid periods recorded in palaeolake deposits of the Nafud desert, Saudi Arabia

Present climate in the Nafud desert of northern Saudi Arabia is hyper-arid and moisture brought by north-westerly winds scarcely reaches the region. The existence of abundant palaeolake sediments provides evidence for a considerably wetter climate in the past. However, the existing chronological framework of these deposits is solely based on radiocarbon dating of questionable reliability, due to potential post-depositional contamination with younger 14C. By using luminescence dating, we show that the lake deposits were not formed between 40 and 20 ka as suggested previously, but approximately ca 410 ka, 320 ka, 200 ka, 125 ka, and 100 ka ago. All of these humid phases are in good agreement with those recorded in lake sediments and speleothems from southern Arabia. Surprisingly, no Holocene lake deposits were identified. Geological characteristics of the deposits and diatom analysis suggest that a single, perennial lake covered the entire south-western Nafud ca 320 ka ago. In contrast, lakes of the 200 ka, 125 ka, and 100 ka humid intervals were smaller and restricted to interdune depressions of a pre-existing dune relief. The concurrent occurrence of humid phases in the Nafud, southern Arabia and the eastern Mediterranean suggests that moisture in northern Arabia originated either from the Mediterranean due to more frequent frontal depression systems or from stronger Indian monsoon circulation, respectively. However, based on previously published climate model simulations and palaecolimate evidence from central Arabia and the Negev desert, we argue that humid climate conditions in the Nafud were probably caused by a stronger African monsoon and a distinct change in zonal atmospheric circulation.

Age of samples from the sedimentary cover of the Primorye continental slope and from the submarine Bogorov Rise

Results of a complex study of the sedimentary cover (continuous seismic profiling and diatom analysis) in the northeastern Sea of Japan including the Bogorov Rise an adjacent part of the Japan Basin and the continental slope, are presented. Two varied-age complexes were distinguished in the sedimentary cover of the continental slope of Primorye: Middle Miocene and Late Miocene - Pleistocene. These complexes formed in a stable tectonic setting with no significant vertical movements. A depression in the acoustic basement is located along the continental slope and it is divided from the Japan Basin by a group of volcanic structures, the most uplifted part of which forms the Bogorov Rise. The depression probably formed before Middle Miocene. In Middle Miocene the Bogorov Rise was already at depths close to modern ones. In the sedimentary cover near the Bogorov Rise buried zones were found. Probably they were channels for gas transportation in pre-Pleistocene. Deformations of sediments that occurred in the beginning of Pleistocene are established in the basin.