Environmental changes in Sorbas arid region (Southern Spain) during MIS 5a inferred from a carbonate flowstone from a gypsum cave
Present climate conditions impede the formation of calcite speleothems in the gypsum caves of the semi-arid region of Sorbas (Southern Spain). However, U-Th dating reveals the uninterrupted deposition of a 46 mm -thick carbonate flowstone in the Sorbas caves from-78 to-71 ka, during Marine Isotope S...
Published in: | Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |
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Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1157299 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111275 |
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ftunivpisairis:oai:arpi.unipi.it:11568/1157299 2024-04-14T08:12:35+00:00 Environmental changes in Sorbas arid region (Southern Spain) during MIS 5a inferred from a carbonate flowstone from a gypsum cave Columbu, A Gazquez, F Corrick, E Hellstrom, J Drysdale, R Columbu, A Gazquez, F Corrick, E Hellstrom, J Drysdale, R 2022 https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1157299 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111275 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000878776800002 volume:607 firstpage:111275 journal:PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1157299 doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111275 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85140075072 Arid region Speleothem Palaeoclimate reconstruction Mediterranean area Abrupt climate change Dansgaard-Oeschger climate variability info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2022 ftunivpisairis https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111275 2024-03-21T18:22:39Z Present climate conditions impede the formation of calcite speleothems in the gypsum caves of the semi-arid region of Sorbas (Southern Spain). However, U-Th dating reveals the uninterrupted deposition of a 46 mm -thick carbonate flowstone in the Sorbas caves from-78 to-71 ka, during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5a. This indicates that the area was vegetated during this period, producing biogenic CO2 in soils necessary for the un-derground deposition of the speleothem, which contrasts with the current unvegetated landscape. During MIS 5a, rainfall recharged the karst aquifer, leading to cave seepage. The development of soils and persistent water infiltration suggests a higher precipitation/evapotranspiration ratio with respect to the present, which was likely favored by lower regional temperatures and a different annual rainfall regime. 818O and 813C analyses testify that the speleothem recorded climate pulses synchronous, and structurally similar, with Greenland interstadial and stadial periods, with relatively wetter conditions recorded during interstadials 21.1, 20 and 19.2, and drier periods during stadials 21.1 and 20. This demonstrates that the climate in the desert-like environment of Sorbas is sensitive to inter-and intra-hemispherical triggers, such as the extent of Northern ice sheets and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. Interstadials (stadials) were also characterized by a higher (lower) Atlantic/ Mediterranean moisture source ratio. For the first time, we show that carbonate speleothems formed in arid gypsum caves can record reliable palaeoenvironmental information spanning multiple millennia, procuring proxies for detailed palaeoclimate reconstructions. Such speleothems are thus excellent candidates for under-standing past climate dynamics and patterns in desert-like gypsum terrains. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa Greenland Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 607 111275 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa |
op_collection_id |
ftunivpisairis |
language |
English |
topic |
Arid region Speleothem Palaeoclimate reconstruction Mediterranean area Abrupt climate change Dansgaard-Oeschger climate variability |
spellingShingle |
Arid region Speleothem Palaeoclimate reconstruction Mediterranean area Abrupt climate change Dansgaard-Oeschger climate variability Columbu, A Gazquez, F Corrick, E Hellstrom, J Drysdale, R Environmental changes in Sorbas arid region (Southern Spain) during MIS 5a inferred from a carbonate flowstone from a gypsum cave |
topic_facet |
Arid region Speleothem Palaeoclimate reconstruction Mediterranean area Abrupt climate change Dansgaard-Oeschger climate variability |
description |
Present climate conditions impede the formation of calcite speleothems in the gypsum caves of the semi-arid region of Sorbas (Southern Spain). However, U-Th dating reveals the uninterrupted deposition of a 46 mm -thick carbonate flowstone in the Sorbas caves from-78 to-71 ka, during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5a. This indicates that the area was vegetated during this period, producing biogenic CO2 in soils necessary for the un-derground deposition of the speleothem, which contrasts with the current unvegetated landscape. During MIS 5a, rainfall recharged the karst aquifer, leading to cave seepage. The development of soils and persistent water infiltration suggests a higher precipitation/evapotranspiration ratio with respect to the present, which was likely favored by lower regional temperatures and a different annual rainfall regime. 818O and 813C analyses testify that the speleothem recorded climate pulses synchronous, and structurally similar, with Greenland interstadial and stadial periods, with relatively wetter conditions recorded during interstadials 21.1, 20 and 19.2, and drier periods during stadials 21.1 and 20. This demonstrates that the climate in the desert-like environment of Sorbas is sensitive to inter-and intra-hemispherical triggers, such as the extent of Northern ice sheets and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. Interstadials (stadials) were also characterized by a higher (lower) Atlantic/ Mediterranean moisture source ratio. For the first time, we show that carbonate speleothems formed in arid gypsum caves can record reliable palaeoenvironmental information spanning multiple millennia, procuring proxies for detailed palaeoclimate reconstructions. Such speleothems are thus excellent candidates for under-standing past climate dynamics and patterns in desert-like gypsum terrains. |
author2 |
Columbu, A Gazquez, F Corrick, E Hellstrom, J Drysdale, R |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Columbu, A Gazquez, F Corrick, E Hellstrom, J Drysdale, R |
author_facet |
Columbu, A Gazquez, F Corrick, E Hellstrom, J Drysdale, R |
author_sort |
Columbu, A |
title |
Environmental changes in Sorbas arid region (Southern Spain) during MIS 5a inferred from a carbonate flowstone from a gypsum cave |
title_short |
Environmental changes in Sorbas arid region (Southern Spain) during MIS 5a inferred from a carbonate flowstone from a gypsum cave |
title_full |
Environmental changes in Sorbas arid region (Southern Spain) during MIS 5a inferred from a carbonate flowstone from a gypsum cave |
title_fullStr |
Environmental changes in Sorbas arid region (Southern Spain) during MIS 5a inferred from a carbonate flowstone from a gypsum cave |
title_full_unstemmed |
Environmental changes in Sorbas arid region (Southern Spain) during MIS 5a inferred from a carbonate flowstone from a gypsum cave |
title_sort |
environmental changes in sorbas arid region (southern spain) during mis 5a inferred from a carbonate flowstone from a gypsum cave |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1157299 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111275 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland |
genre_facet |
Greenland |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000878776800002 volume:607 firstpage:111275 journal:PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY https://hdl.handle.net/11568/1157299 doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111275 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85140075072 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111275 |
container_title |
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |
container_volume |
607 |
container_start_page |
111275 |
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