Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Diatom-inferred salinity in palaeolakes: An indirect tracer of climate change
AU - Gasse, F.
AU - Barker, P.
AU - Gell, P. A.
AU - Fritz, S. C.
AU - Chalie, F.
N1 - 1997 Diatom-inferred salinity in palaeolakes: An indirect tracer of climate change Times Cited: 55
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Lakes in arid and semi-arid regions respond to climatic change through shifts in lake water volume and ionic concentration. Because diatom distribution is highly correlated with lake hydrochemistry, diatoms can be used to infer changes in salinity and brine composition and thus to infer past climates. Here we critically examine the use of diatom-inferred salinity as a climate proxy, with examples taken from both modern waterbodies and sedimentary profiles. Sediment records may contain assemblages mixed from periods or sites of differing hydrochemistries because of the high degree of spatial and temporal heterogeneity in saline systems. Dissolution and diagenesis in saline brines may further complicate interpretation of sedimentary assemblages. Furthermore threshold effects, salinity regulation via groundwater seepage, antecedent conditions, and other aspects of local hydrology may modify the relationship between salinity change and climatic forcing. These complexities necessitate critical examination of the ecology and taphonomy of sedimentary assemblages, as well as evaluation of potential non-linearities in the salinity/climate relationship through comparison of diatom-inferred salinity with other proxy records of hydrochemical change, historical documents where they exist. and with other regional lake systems.
AB - Lakes in arid and semi-arid regions respond to climatic change through shifts in lake water volume and ionic concentration. Because diatom distribution is highly correlated with lake hydrochemistry, diatoms can be used to infer changes in salinity and brine composition and thus to infer past climates. Here we critically examine the use of diatom-inferred salinity as a climate proxy, with examples taken from both modern waterbodies and sedimentary profiles. Sediment records may contain assemblages mixed from periods or sites of differing hydrochemistries because of the high degree of spatial and temporal heterogeneity in saline systems. Dissolution and diagenesis in saline brines may further complicate interpretation of sedimentary assemblages. Furthermore threshold effects, salinity regulation via groundwater seepage, antecedent conditions, and other aspects of local hydrology may modify the relationship between salinity change and climatic forcing. These complexities necessitate critical examination of the ecology and taphonomy of sedimentary assemblages, as well as evaluation of potential non-linearities in the salinity/climate relationship through comparison of diatom-inferred salinity with other proxy records of hydrochemical change, historical documents where they exist. and with other regional lake systems.
U2 - 10.1016/S0277-3791(96)00081-9
DO - 10.1016/S0277-3791(96)00081-9
M3 - Journal article
VL - 16
SP - 547
EP - 563
JO - Quaternary Science Reviews
JF - Quaternary Science Reviews
SN - 0277-3791
IS - 6
ER -