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A Distinct Delta-C-13 Decline in Organic Lake-Sediments at the Pleistocene-Holocene Transition in Southern Sweden

Hammarlund, Dan LU (1993) In Boreas 22(3). p.236-243
Abstract
Values of deltaC-13 obtained from conventional bulk sediment radiocarbon dates encompassing the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary have been compiled and plotted against C-14 age. In all, 286 lake sediment dates from southern Sweden in the range 8,000 to 13.000 BP have been evaluated. A significant decrease in deltaC-13 values, initiated shortly before 10,000 BP and amounting to 5 parts per thousand, is distinguished. This change is accompanied by increased limnic productivity, decreased erosive input and increased organic carbon content of the sediments. A probable explanation for the deltaC-13 decline in organic material is decreased importance of dissolution of silicates at the transition to the Holocene. During the Late Weichselian,... (More)
Values of deltaC-13 obtained from conventional bulk sediment radiocarbon dates encompassing the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary have been compiled and plotted against C-14 age. In all, 286 lake sediment dates from southern Sweden in the range 8,000 to 13.000 BP have been evaluated. A significant decrease in deltaC-13 values, initiated shortly before 10,000 BP and amounting to 5 parts per thousand, is distinguished. This change is accompanied by increased limnic productivity, decreased erosive input and increased organic carbon content of the sediments. A probable explanation for the deltaC-13 decline in organic material is decreased importance of dissolution of silicates at the transition to the Holocene. During the Late Weichselian, extensive weathering of exposed minerogenic material with subsequent input of bicarbonate to the lake water may have caused a relative enrichment of C-13 in dissolved inorganic carbon. Furthermore, the early Holocene increase in terrestrial vegetation cover probably led to an increased supply of C-13 depleted carbon dioxide to the lake water by root respiration. Altered limnic vegetation, presumably towards increased production of phytoplankton, could also have contributed to the observed decreasing deltaC-13 trend. The importance of these processes compared to other possible influencing factors, mainly endogenic carbonate production and changes in the global carbon cycle, is discussed. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Boreas
volume
22
issue
3
pages
236 - 243
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • wos:A1993MB52500006
  • scopus:0027801329
ISSN
1502-3885
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4f24c72a-56b8-44db-bddd-bc4ac5aa56e3 (old id 4157635)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:57:38
date last changed
2021-08-08 03:42:28
@article{4f24c72a-56b8-44db-bddd-bc4ac5aa56e3,
  abstract     = {{Values of deltaC-13 obtained from conventional bulk sediment radiocarbon dates encompassing the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary have been compiled and plotted against C-14 age. In all, 286 lake sediment dates from southern Sweden in the range 8,000 to 13.000 BP have been evaluated. A significant decrease in deltaC-13 values, initiated shortly before 10,000 BP and amounting to 5 parts per thousand, is distinguished. This change is accompanied by increased limnic productivity, decreased erosive input and increased organic carbon content of the sediments. A probable explanation for the deltaC-13 decline in organic material is decreased importance of dissolution of silicates at the transition to the Holocene. During the Late Weichselian, extensive weathering of exposed minerogenic material with subsequent input of bicarbonate to the lake water may have caused a relative enrichment of C-13 in dissolved inorganic carbon. Furthermore, the early Holocene increase in terrestrial vegetation cover probably led to an increased supply of C-13 depleted carbon dioxide to the lake water by root respiration. Altered limnic vegetation, presumably towards increased production of phytoplankton, could also have contributed to the observed decreasing deltaC-13 trend. The importance of these processes compared to other possible influencing factors, mainly endogenic carbonate production and changes in the global carbon cycle, is discussed.}},
  author       = {{Hammarlund, Dan}},
  issn         = {{1502-3885}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{236--243}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Boreas}},
  title        = {{A Distinct Delta-C-13 Decline in Organic Lake-Sediments at the Pleistocene-Holocene Transition in Southern Sweden}},
  volume       = {{22}},
  year         = {{1993}},
}