Paleolimnological reconstruction

An understanding of the retention of sulfur in lake sediments is important for paleolimnological reconstructions, for an understanding of the alkalinity balance of lakes, for determination of rates and pathways of diagenesis, and for an understanding of the dynamics of the microbial loop in sediments. Profiles of rates and forms of S accumulation in sediments may preserve records of past conditions of climate, lake chemistry, or atmospheric de-... 

Meyers, P.A. (2003) Applications of organic geochemistry to paleolimnological reconstructions a summary of examples from the Laurentian Great Lakes. Org. Geochem. 34, 261-290. 

R. Pienitz, J.P. Smol, G.M. MacDonald (1999). Paleolimnological reconstruction of Holocene climatic trends from two boreal treeline lakes. Northwest Territories, Canada. Arc. Antarc. Alp. Res., 31, 82-93. 

Davis, R. B., S. A. Norton, C. T. Hess D. F. Brakke, 1983. Paleolimnological reconstruction of the effects of atmospheric deposition of acids and heavy metals on the chemistry and biology of lakes in New England and Norway. Hydrobiologia 103 113-123. 

Interpretation of cellulose-interred lake water records would benefit from coupled estimation of lake water in order to clearly decipher shifting isotopic composition of precipitation from changes in water balance (see Fig. 1). Exploratory paleolimnological reconstructions at Austin Lake demonstrate that further studies on the hydrogen isotope composition of kerogen and its isotopic relationship with ambient water is an especially promising new research direction (Krishnamurthy et al., 1995 also see Fig. 7). Mapping temporal shifts in lake water isotopic composition in two-dimensional space... 

Whiting M. C., Whitehead D. R., Holmes R. W., and Norton S. A. (1989) Paleolimnological reconstruction of recent acidity changes in four Sierra Nevada lakes. J. Paleolimnol. 

Figure 3. Reconstructions of (A) diatom-based and (B) chrysophyte-based monomeric Al for Big Moose Lake, and diatom-based monomeric Al for (C) Deep Lake, (D) Upper Wallface Pond, and (E) Windfall Pond in the Adirondack Mountains, New York. Reconstructions are bounded by bootstrapping estimates of the root mean-squared error of prediction for each sample. Bars to the right of each reconstruction indicate historical (H) and Chaoborus-based (C) reconstructions of fishery resources. The historical fish records are not continuous, unlike the paleolimnological records. Intervals older than 1884 are dated by extrapolation. (Reproduced with permission from reference 10.

S (attributed to polythionates or elemental S and to subsurface production of ester sulfates). Davison and Finlay (47) noted that photosynthetic bacteria, by maintaining low sulfide concentrations, prevented precipitation of FeS in the water column, but they did not evaluate the effect of the bacteria on S speciation in the sediments. Whereas specific S bacteria can occur only in well-defined conditions, a link between S speciation and the presence of these bacteria could be a useful paleolimnological tool for reconstructing previous lake conditions. 

Some reconstructions of regional and continental paleoclimates that are based on organic matter contents of sediments of lakes from different parts of the world are summarized by Meyers Ishiwatari (1993), Meyers (1997), Dean (1999), and Meyers Lallier-Verges (1999). Determinations of the amounts and the origins of the organic matter in sedimentary records are essential components of paleolimnologic investigations. The purpose of this chapter is to describe and critique some of the elemental, isotopic, and molecular methods that are available to make these determinations. 

Isotope analysis of lake sediment cellulose has undergone rapid growth over the last decade as a useful approach for paleohydrologic and paleoclimatic reconstruction. The need remains, however, for further research into key areas of analysis and application to refine this technique and to improve upon its contribution to paleolimnology. Specific areas to be addressed are outlined below. 

Coupled carbon and oxygen isotope analyses of carbonate and organic fractions should also be further exploited as a paleolimnological approach as these stndies provide strong potential for quantitative reconstruction of past lake water temperature (Padden, 1996 Padden et al., 1996 Wolfe et al., 2000a). 

Abbott, M. B., B. B. Wolfe, R. Aravena, A. P. Wolfe G. O. Seltzer, 2000. Holocene hydrological reconstructions from stable isotopes and paleolimnology. Cordillera Real, Bolivia. Quat. Sci. 

I60 and deuterium/hydrogen ratios in sedimentary organic matter could be of advantage to paleolimnological studies concerned with the reconstruction of paleoclimate. However, there are considerable practical difficulties in the analysis of these stable isotopes and few laboratories currently have the required level of analytical skills. 

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