The Karsthives project proposes an integrated approach based upon a multi-proxy
analysis of the various paleoclimate archives from caves and karst deposits.
Out of these, the most important are the stable isotopes, chemical (trace
elements), and mineralogical variations in speleothems (calcite formations in
caves), magnetic properties of fluviatile or lacustrine sediments, fossil and
sub-fossil species and faunal associations, stable isotopes and composition of
the underground ice accumulations. Most of the above deposits bear information
relevant for the paleoclimate evolution at regional scale and their
high-resolution radiometric datings allow signal calibration and comparative
analysis of the different time-series. The combination of the data measured
from various proxies from cave environment (speleothems, sediments, fossil,
ice) within the same cave or karst area allow: (1) to overcome the limitations
of some dating methods; (2) to combine
different climate records into a composite record; (3) to carry on time-series
analyses taking into account regional or global climate records and to identify
the regional constrains of climate oscillations. The data may be calibrated by
isotope analysis of newly-precipitated calcite in laboratory-caves correlated
with the monitoring of both surface weather conditions and underground
microclimate and physical parameters. The conversion of the variations of
isotope from cave deposits into variations of temperature or other parameters
(precipitation source, vegetation cover, biological activity in soil) allow us
validate and/or develop new models for abrupt climate oscillations at
millennial or centenial scales. Project duration: June 2010 - June 2013 A Project supported by CNCSIS-UEFISCSU through the PCCE IDEI Grant Number 31/2010 |
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KarstHives - Climate Archives in Karst
Subpages (1):
The sites
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