Quaternary International最新文献

{"title":"Changes in the sedimentation and oxygen depletion during the Heinrich stadials 4 and 5 in a distal region of the NW Iberian Margin","authors":"Layla Cristine da Silva ,&nbsp;Maria Virgínia Alves Martins ,&nbsp;Daniel Rey García ,&nbsp;Ana Bernabeu Tello ,&nbsp;Paula Álvarez Iglesias ,&nbsp;Denise Lara Terroso ,&nbsp;Belén Rubio Armesto ,&nbsp;Murilo Barros Saibro ,&nbsp;Silvia Helena de Melo Sousa ,&nbsp;Sérgio Bergamaschi ,&nbsp;Egberto Pereira ,&nbsp;Rodolfo Dino ,&nbsp;Mauro Cesar Geraldes ,&nbsp;Fernando Rocha","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109869","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109869","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work aims to study changes in sedimentation during the Heinrich Stadials (cold periods contemporary with Heinrich Events, HE) HS5 and HS4 in a distal region of the NW Iberian Continental Margin, which has been poorly documented. Physicochemical, geochemical and mineralogical data and radiocarbon dates for the model age were analyzed. During the HS5 (recorded between ∼46.9 and 43.9 ka; duration ∼3.0 ka), the sediment accumulation rate was higher (∼20 cm/ka) than HS4 (recorded between ∼40.7 and 36.8 ka; duration ∼3.9 ka; ∼3.4 cm/ka). Both events were marked by the darkening of the sediment and the increase in lithic grains &gt;350 μm in size, magnetic susceptibility values, sediment resistivity and density, Fe/Ca and Ti/Ca ratios, rare earths (REEs) contents, among other lithogenic chemical elements, minerals such as quartz, feldspars, phyllosilicates, <em>Neogloboquadrina pachyderma</em>, <em>Globigerina bulloides</em> δ¹⁸O. These events were also marked by reduced fractional porosity (due to the accumulation of fine detrital material), calcite, pyrite, ferrihydrite contents, sea surface temperatures, and exported productivity (Pexp). The greatest mineralogical and geochemical changes are associated with the deposition of ice-rafted debris (IRD) due to the melting of icebergs. The Pexp was higher between the HE5 and HE4. However, the values of the V/(V + Ni) ratio indicate that during the analyzed period (∼47.0–36.2 ka) the oxygenation of the sediments was poor, but improved considerably from the end of the HS5 (between ∼43.9 and 43.5 ka) associated with a sudden reduction in δ¹⁸O values, due to an improvement in climatic conditions related to the reduction of the ice caps. The reduction in Pexp values and the decrease in pyrite and ferrihydrite allow us to deduce that during HE5 and HE4, the oxygen shortage was not caused by a higher amount of organic matter degradation; it should have been a consequence of the weakening in the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) production, as suggested by several studies. During HS5, several pulses of heating and cooling (indicated by the δ¹⁸O values), with the highest density of IRD discharges, occurred in a relatively warmer phase.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"739 ","pages":"Article 109869"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144271524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the accuracy and limitations of the Geotek X-ray fluorescence core scanner fundamental parameter method for the estimation of elemental concentrations in sediment samples","authors":"Krzysztof Pleskot,&nbsp;Albert Światłowski,&nbsp;Witold Szczuciński","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109867","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109867","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>X-ray fluorescence core scanners (XRF-CSs) are capable of performing high-resolution, nondestructive, and rapid chemical analyses of sediment samples. As such, they have become an essential part of many geological studies, including palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and geohazard assessments, with their applications expanding each year. The primary limitation of XRF-CSs is that, by default, they provide elemental intensities as outputs, which often cannot quantitatively reflect the chemical composition of samples. To address this limitation, the latest generation of Geotek XRF-CSs provides elemental concentrations estimated from element intensities using the fundamental parameter (FP) method as its default output. In this study, we present the first comprehensive evaluation of Geotek XRF-CS-derived estimates by comparing them to certified (‘true’) elemental concentrations reported for 17 various powdered certified reference materials, which are considered representative of sediment samples and are mixtures of air, water, mineral, and amorphous phases. Our goal was to assess the reliability of the instrument's default output under various measurement setups, including different apparatus settings and both wet and dry sample conditions. We found that Geotek XRF-CS estimates are mostly linearly related to true elemental concentrations. However, the latter remain significantly underestimated, particularly when the analysed sample is wet. The relationship between the true concentration and the instrument's estimates becomes proportional when the results are expressed as elemental log ratios, regardless of the measurement setup. In this regard, Geotek XRF-CS estimates resemble the element intensities provided by other XRF-CS systems. We conclude that Geotek XRF-CS estimates are suitable for reliably assessing the relative variability in the chemical composition of sediment samples and its uncertainty. However, their application to fully quantitative analysis may be limited.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"739 ","pages":"Article 109867"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144261288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early fowlers of Europe: evidence for bird exploitation during MIS 8/7 from Velika Balanica cave (Serbia)","authors":"Stefan Milošević ,&nbsp;Zlatozar Boev ,&nbsp;Vesna Dimitrijević ,&nbsp;Dušan Mihailović","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109868","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109868","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>European early hominins have typically been pictured as hunter-gatherers relying on the large mammalian prey that they hunted or scavenged using heavy-hafted stone or sharpened wooden implements to bring down and dismember the prey, while fowling is regarded as a subsistence adaptation that occurs rather late in Neanderthal and modern human cognitive evolutions. Here we explore how early Neanderthals from Velika Balanica (VB) might exploited birds for food – as they are considered elusive prey for humans up to MIS 5 due to their flight escaping capabilities and low caloric return rates, or possibly feathers – as some of identified cutmarks might suggest. From layer 3, dated to MIS 8/7, out of 25 identified bird bones 5 specimens contain cutmarks – 2 of them on medium-sized birds, and 3 on tiny passerines. Apart from human processing, one bird's ulna contains a raptor beak puncture, while 2 talons of a medium-sized raptor have also been recovered. On the base of this evidence, associated with a high proportion of human processed bones, fireplaces, and high lithic density, we argue that early Neanderthals inhabiting VB during the Middle Pleistocene were in good ecological grasp of their environment and acquired birds for a variety of reasons not primarily connected to their main subsistance pattern.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 109868"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144241337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Taxonomic and taphonomic analysis of Late Pleistocene faunal remains from several karst fillings at Cava Muracci travertine quarry (Cisterna di Latina, central Italy): a comprehensive study","authors":"Angelica Fiorillo ,&nbsp;Maurizio Gatta ,&nbsp;Mario Federico Rolfo ,&nbsp;Leonardo Salari","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109859","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109859","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cava Muracci, an archaeological and paleontological site in Cisterna di Latina (Latium, central Italy), has yielded significant faunal assemblages from the Late Pleistocene, collected from eight karst fillings. We have gained valuable insights into subsistence patterns, ecosystem dynamics, site chronology and the processes underlying the preservation of mammal remains through comprehensive palaeontological and taphonomic analysis of over three thousand mammal specimens. The evidence of carnivore activity has led to the interpretation of Area 1-2-3 as a hyena den, while Areas 4 and 7 indicate more limited hyena activity. In contrast, Areas 5, 6 and 8 likely experienced water flow events that transported faunal remains and debris. Environmental reconstructions based on faunal and pollen data suggest a mixed landscape featuring steppe or grassland, interspersed with wooded areas and marshlands along the coastal belt. Species diversity in different areas provides insights into the local ecological dynamics and the chronological sequences of the site. Radiometric dating places Areas 1-2-3 and 7 within MIS 3, with the other areas likely corresponding to a later phase of this period. This multidisciplinary research enhances our understanding of paleoenvironmental dynamics in the Pontine Plain and provides a broader perspective on central Italy's Late Pleistocene landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 109859"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144212883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Late Quaternary fluvial deposits of the Sai River Basin, Central Ganga Plain: insights into morphometry and provenance","authors":"S.K. Yadav ,&nbsp;S. Tripathi ,&nbsp;S. Singh ,&nbsp;M.A. Quasim ,&nbsp;S. Kanhaiya ,&nbsp;Aashna Javed ,&nbsp;M. Yadav ,&nbsp;S. Kumar ,&nbsp;A. Patra","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109857","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109857","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the regional topography, drainage distribution, depositional processes, and provenance of the Late Quaternary deposits of the Sai River Basin, Central Ganga Plain, India. Morphometric, lithofacies, textural, and heavy mineral analyses were conducted utilizing multi-proxy data sets to accomplish the outlined objectives. The basin comprises two sub-basins with predominant dendritic to sub-dendritic drainage patterns, very low drainage density, and extremely coarse drainage texture. The bifurcation ratio suggests minimal influence of structural and tectonic control on basin dynamics. Five lithofacies, i. e. Sp (Sp1and Sp2), Sm, Fc, Sr, and Sh were identified in the fluvial deposits of the Sai River. Sp and Sh are abundant in channel bar successions, while Sp, Fc, Sr, and Sh occur in the point bar, and Sm and Sh are common in natural levees, representing varying energy conditions and depositional environments. The mean grain size is 3.0 φ (ranges from 2.80 φ to 3.07 φ) for the channel bar, 3.16 φ (ranges from 3.05 φ to 3.28 φ) for the point bar, and 3.25 φ (ranges from 3.19 φ to 3.31φ) for natural levees, indicating that studied sediments range from fine to very fine sand. The mean standard deviation (sorting) values for the channel bar sequence is 0.46 φ (ranges from 0.45 φ to 0.50 φ), for point bar sequences is 0.43 φ (ranges from 0.38 φ to 0.51 φ), and for natural levee sequences is 0.56 φ (ranges from 0.52 φ to 0.64 φ). These values suggest that the sediments in all the studied geomorphic units are moderately to well sorted. The mean skewness value of the sediments is 0.01 (ranges from - 0.01 to 0.10) for the channel bar, - 0.14 (ranges from - 0.24 to - 0.02) for point bar, and - 0.15 (ranges from - 0.17 to - 0.13) for natural levees, indicating a near-symmetrical to coarse-skewed nature of the sediments. The mean value of kurtosis is 0.91 (ranges from 0.83 to 1.06), 0.86 (ranges from 0.76 to 1.05), and 1.03 (ranges from 0.95 to 1.15) respectively, for channel bar, point bar, and natural levee, sequences, suggesting platykurtic to leptokurtic nature of the sediments. The C–M plot for the studied samples from point bars, channel bars, and natural levees reveals that the sediments were predominantly transported by the graded suspension. The dominant heavy minerals include tourmaline, staurolite, muscovite, epidote, zircon, brookite, chloritoid, and kyanite, along with some opaque minerals, indicating that the sediments are derived from low to medium-grade metamorphic rocks and acidic igneous rock, sources, documenting key contributions derived from rocks of the Himalayan region. The ZTR index values vary from 23.3 % to 61.3 %, with an average of 37.7 %. This indicates that the sediments are mineralogically immature and show early diagenetic dissolution of palimpsest sediments originally deposited by the river.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 109857"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144203552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytolith production in non-woody plants from the Atlantic Forest on islands of the Paraná River, Brazil","authors":"Luan Maler de Oliveira ,&nbsp;Isabel Terezinha Leli ,&nbsp;Mauricio Lamano Ferrreira ,&nbsp;Mariza Barion Romagnolo ,&nbsp;Marcia Regina Calegari","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109858","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109858","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phytolith reference collections of modern plants (RC) are essential tools for understanding and disseminating variations in phytolith production both within and among plant families, thereby playing a fundamental role in studies of biological indicators. This study aimed to assess the phytolith production (quantity and diversity; redundancy and multiplicity) of the main species from the vegetation of the Três Ilhas Archipelago in the Upper Paraná River, Brazil. Phytoliths were extracted from the leaves of 48 species across 25 families, including liana, subshrub, herb, and bamboo life forms, using the dry ashing method. The extracted material was quantified and prepared as temporary slides with immersion oil, enabling phytolith identification and counting. Phytolith production data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS). Phytoliths were identified in 25 species, representing 16 families from liana, herb, subshrub, and bamboo life forms. A total of 25 phytolith morphotypes were identified, with monocots showing higher phytolith abundance, and eudicots exhibiting greater morphotype diversity, ranging from 1 to 7. The most redundant morphotype in monocots was <span>Bilobate</span>, found in four species, while the most common in eudicots was <span>Spheroid ornate,</span> present in 16 species. The Lythraceae family, known for producing <span>Conical</span> phytoliths, showed significant production of <span>Oblong</span> morphotypes in this collection. No new morphotypes were identified, and the findings largely align with the current literature for most of the studied families. This research provides essential data for paleoenvironmental reconstruction studies of the Três Ilhas Archipelago and similar environments, complementing the previous work on this site and vegetation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 109858"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144203551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Terrestrial record of ∼3000 years of extreme floods from the Kaveri and adjacent river basins, Tamil Nadu, India","authors":"Mahadev ,&nbsp;Diptimayee Behera ,&nbsp;Pankaj Kumar ,&nbsp;Manoj Kumar Jaiswal ,&nbsp;Atul Kumar Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109856","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109856","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extreme flood events have played a crucial role in shaping the fluvial landscape of the Kaveri River basin, impacting agriculture, water resources, and human settlements. However, due to the limited availability of instrumental and historical records, the long-term recurrence of these extreme events and their relationship with climatic fluctuations remain poorly understood. This study reconstructs the history of extreme flood events in the lower Kaveri Basin and adjoining river systems, over the past 3000 years using detailed sedimentological analysis and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating. Field investigations identified well-preserved slack water deposits (SWDs), levee sediments, and overbank flood layers, which serve as reliable archives of past high-magnitude flood events. These deposits exhibit distinctive sedimentary facies, including fining-upward sequences, abrupt basal contacts, and poorly sorted sand-silt-clay layers, which confirm their deposition under high-energy flood conditions rather than by gradual channel migration processes. The OSL dating results indicate major flood events at approximately 40 years, 150 years, 1.7 ka, and 2.85 ka, demonstrating episodic flood recurrence over millennial timescales. The 40-year event closely aligns with the timeframe of the catastrophic 1977 flood, while the older flood events correspond to major climatic transitions. The recurrence of extreme flood events in the Kaveri Basin suggests a strong link between flood magnitude and Indian Monsoon variability, with monsoon intensification, shifts in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and cyclone activity in the Bay of Bengal acting as primary drivers of hydrological extremes in the region. Additionally, sediment transport mechanisms and depositional environments influence the bleaching efficiency of quartz grains, affecting the reliability of luminescence ages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 109856"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144189950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A long chronology for the British Late Middle Palaeolithic: MIS 5–MIS 3 occupation at Great Pan Farm (Isle of Wight, England)","authors":"Andrew Shaw ,&nbsp;Jon Dobbie ,&nbsp;Phil Toms ,&nbsp;Jamie Wood","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109846","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109846","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human occupation of Britain during the Late Middle Palaeolithic (LMP) has been characterised as spanning a duration of only ten to fifteen thousand years between ∼50 and 37 ka BP during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and preceded with a period of human absence, potentially stretching from ∼165 to 130 Ka BP (MIS 6). New investigations at Great Pan Farm, Isle of Wight challenge this ‘short chronology’ for the LMP. Research, including lithostratigraphic revision, archaeological analysis and luminescence dating of sediments containing archaeology demonstrates two periods of human activity at the site. The earliest occurred during MIS 5 (115–84 Ka BP) and adds to more limited evidence from Dartford, Kent. It opens up a ‘long chronology’ for British LMP and the settlement history of the margins of northern Europe, relatable to more extensive regional datasets from northern France. The younger LMP archaeology from the site dates from ∼50 to 40 ka BP (early to mid MIS 3) and reflects the reoccupation of northern Europe after a period of climatic deterioration and abandonment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"736 ","pages":"Article 109846"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144185315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reconstruction of water level variations during the last 4K years BP using magnetic and biological sedimentary proxies from Lake Fonck (northern Patagonia, Argentina)","authors":"F. Petruzzella ,&nbsp;M.A. Irurzun ,&nbsp;J. Massaferro ,&nbsp;C. Gogorza","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109843","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109843","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lakes have changed throughout history due to natural climatic variations and human impact. Lake Fonck is a lake of glacial origin located in northern Patagonia, Argentina, which has probably been also affected by these changes. A 160 cm sediment core from Lake Fonck covering the last 4000 years was analysed using a multiproxy approach. Magnetic measurements were conducted to determine the mineralogical composition, concentration and magnetic grain size to model water level variations in the lake and chironomid head capsules and organic matter were also analysed to provide additional and complementary information on productivity and environmental conditions. Although lake water levels and the chironomid assemblage varied over the entire period analysed, it was observed that the lake experienced the greatest environmental stress during the last 200 years. This period records the most acute droughts and floods of the last 4000 years, possibly related to human intervention in these ecosystems. This is the first study to combine environmental magnetic studies with biological (chironomid) analysis demonstrating the effectiveness of integrating multiple indicators of different sensitivities for climatic and environmental reconstructions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"736 ","pages":"Article 109843"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144166947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil weathering and human activities dominate trace elements in a stalagmite from Shandong Peninsula in coastal North China during the last millennium","authors":"Yuefeng Liu ,&nbsp;Ke Cheng ,&nbsp;György Czuppon ,&nbsp;Anikó Horváth ,&nbsp;Houyun Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109847","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109847","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Trace elements in speleothems are important proxies for paleoclimate reconstructions. Water-rock interaction (WRI) and prior calcite precipitation (PCP) are two mechanisms mostly used to interpret trace elements in speleothems. It is usually assumed that higher ratios of trace element to calcium (X/Ca) indicate enhanced WRI and/or PCP effects and in turn drier climates. In this study, the Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of stalagmite KY1 (collected from Kaiyuan Cave in Shandong Peninsula, coastal North China) were determined and the mechanisms dominating the X/Ca and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios were investigated. The results indicate that 1) the soil layer overlying Kaiyuan Cave is an important source of trace elements in stalagmite KY1, contributing more than a half of Sr in stalagmite KY1; and 2) chemical weathering of the soil layer, instead of the two widely used mechanisms WRI and PCP, dominates the variations of the Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and Ba/Ca ratios in stalagmite KY1 during the last millennium. Before ∼1670 CE, chemical weathering of and trace element release from the soil layer were controlled naturally by climates. Warm-humid climates strengthened chemical weathering of the soil layer, releasing relatively more trace elements and eventually resulted in higher X/Ca ratios in stalagmite KY1. Cold-dry climates were responsible for lower X/Ca ratios. After ∼1670 CE, human activities played a key role on the X/Ca ratio variations in stalagmite KY1. Enhanced reclamation led possibly to deforestation, reduced residence time of groundwaters in the soil layer, weakened chemical weathering of the soil layer, resulting in lower X/Ca ratios in stalagmite KY1. This study underlines the importance of the soil layer to accurately interpret trace elements in speleothems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"736 ","pages":"Article 109847"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144138383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}