Biotic responses to rapid warming about 14,685 yr BP: Introduction to a case study at Gerzensee (Switzerland) ...

• Main Authors: Ammann, Brigitta, Von Grafenstein, Ulrich, Van Raden, Ulrike J.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2013
• Subjects: 580 Plants Botany; Greenland; Zero Point; Dansgaard-Oeschger events; Greenland ice core; ice core; NGRIP
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.7892/boris.106882; https://boris.unibe.ch/106882/

The late-glacial climatic warming indicated in the Greenland ice-core record about 14,685 years before 1950 AD belongs to a type of very rapid high-amplitude warming similar the onsets of Dansgaard-Oeschger events during marine isotope stage 3 (MIS 3). In order to estimate the nature and rates of change of biotic responses to such a major climatic shift we need a reliable time scale as well as climatic indicators independent of the biota. Both are provided by a high-resolution oxygen-isotope record from precipitated carbonates of lake marl in Gerzensee, Switzerland (van Raden et al., 2013-this issue). On the basis of the assumption of synchronous climatic changes between Greenland and Gerzensee, the close correlation of the oxygen-isotope changes at the two sites allows the use of the NGRIP GICC05-timescale at Gerzensee (with the zero point at 1950 AD to maintain comparability with the numerous radiocarbon dates in Europe). The delta O-18-record measured in precipitated carbonates is checked and refined by ...