The contribution of plants to the biogeochemical cycle of Si and related weathering processes was studied in an equatorial rainforest ecosystem (Congo) where the biologic turnover of Si is high (58 to 76 kg/ha/y). Litterfall leaves, a soil profile and groundwaters were analysed. Phytoliths and organic matter have a similar distribution with depth in the soil profile. The model of a bicompartmental distribution of organic matter is applied to phytolith distribution and shows that about 92% of the biogenic silica input is rapidly recycled while about 8% of the biogenic silica input supplies a stable pool of phytoliths, with a lower turnover. Reprecipitation of silica was observed at the base of the soil profile, indicating a local geochemical environment that is oversaturated with respect to amorphous silica. A balance in biogeochemical cycle of Si requires that the vegetation absorb dissolved silicon released from weathering of minerals, which otherwise would be available for mineral neoformation or export from the profile towards regional drainages. Plant uptake of Si increases the chemical weathering rate without increasing the denudation rate. This study shows that the uptake, storage, and release of Si bv the vegetation have to be taken into account when using dissolved Si for tracing chemical weathering dynamics.

This paper presents the first International Code for Phytolith Nomenclature (ICPN), proposing an easy to follow, internationally accepted protocol to describe and name phytoliths.

The reconstruction of African tropical grassland history during the late Holocene can be carried out using phytolith analysis. Fossil phytolith assemblages from Lake Guiers, in the Sahelian region of Senegal, and from Lake Sinnda, in the Guineo-Congolian region of Congo were investigated. The results are interpreted on the basis of modern phytolith assemblages from the same regions and compared to pollen data previously obtained. Tall or short grass associations are discriminated by their phytolith index lph(%)=saddle/(cross + dumbel + saddle), while the density of shrubs and trees is indicated by relative proportions of the dicotyledon phytoliths. The phytolith data emphasize that, in the Guineo-Congolian region around Lake Sinnda, the driest phase of the late Holocene occurred between 4000 and 1200 yr B.P., commencing with the opening of the dense forest and its replacement by a short grass savanna. From ca. 1000 yr B.P., wetter climatic conditions developed, as represented by the setting up of a tall grass savanna woodland. The modern shrub and tall grass savanna was developed ca. 700 yr B.P. In the Sahelian region around Lake Guiers, the driest phase occurred after about 2000 yr B.P. and has not been followed by moister conditions. A tall grass savanna woodland was gradually replaced by a shrub and short grass savanna which still occurs. A short period of development of swampy vegetation, which can be related to a lake level change, interrupted the semi-arid adaptation of the vegetation, between about 2000 yr B.P. and the present.

Oxygen isotopic compositions allow identification of potential parent bodies of extraterrestrial materials. We measured oxygen isotope ratios of 33 large (diameter >500 mu m) silicate melted micrometeorites (cosmic spherules) from Antarctica, using IR-laser fluorination coupled with mass spectrometry. It is the first time that this high-precision method is used on individual micrometeorites. The selected micrometeorites are representative of the influx of extraterrestrial materials to the Earth. Our results show that most micrometeorites are related to carbonaceous chondrites, which is consistent with previous studies. However, 20-50% of them seem to be related to CO/CV carbonaceous chondrites, whereas CM/CR carbonaceous chondrites were thought to be the main source for micrometeorites. Furthermore, similar to 30% of measured samples have oxygen isotope ratios lying above the terrestrial fractionation line, which relates them to ordinary chondrites or other, as yet, unsampled parent bodies

International audienceAim This study calibrates the relationship between phytolith indices, modern vegetation structure, and a climate parameter (AET/PET, i.e. the ratio of annual actual evapotranspiration to annual potential evapotranspiration), in order to present new proxies for long-term Quaternary climate and vegetation changes, and model/data comparisons. Location Sixty-two modern soil surface samples from West Africa (Mauritania and Senegal), collected along a latitudinal transect across four bioclimatic zones, were analysed. Methods Two phytolith indices are defined as normalized data: (1) humidity-aridity index [Iph (%) = saddle vs. cross + dumbbell + saddle], and (2) water stress index [fan-shaped index (Fs) (%) = fan-shaped vs. sum of characteristic phytoliths]. Vegetation structures are delimited according to Iph and Fs boundaries. Bootstrapped regression methods are used for evaluating the strength of the relationship between the two phytolith indices and AET/PET. Additional modern phytolith assemblages, from Mexico, Cameroon and Tanzania are extracted in order to test the calibration established from the West African samples. Accuracy of the AET/PET phytolith proxy is compared with equivalent pollen proxy from the same area. Results Characterization of the grass cover is accurately made through Iph. A boundary of 20 +/- 1.4% discriminates tall grass savannas from short grass savannas. Water stress and transpiration experienced by the grass cover can be estimated through Fs. AET/PET is accurately estimated from phytoliths by a transfer function: AET/PET = -0.605 Fs - 0.387 Iph + 0.272 (Iph - 20)(2) (r = 0.80 +/- 0.04) in the application domain (AET/PET ranging from 0.1 +/- 0.04 to 0.45 +/- 0.04). Phytolith and pollen estimate with similar precision (r(pollen) = 0.84 +/- 0.04) the AET/PET in the studied area. Conclusions This study demonstrates that we can rely on the phytolith indices Iph and Fs to distinguish the different grasslands in tropical areas. Moreover, a new phytolith proxy of AET/PET, linked to water availability, is presented. We suggest from these results that combining phytolith and pollen proxies of AET/PET would help to constrain this climate parameter better, especially when phytolith assemblages are dominated by Panicoideae and Chloridoideae C-4-grass phytoliths, are devoid of Pooideae C-3-grass phytoliths, and occur with a few tropical ligneous woody dicotyledon phytoliths. As AET/PET is a bioclimatic indicator commonly used in vegetation models, such a combination would help to make model/data comparisons more efficient

No abstract

ABSTRACT. Over the past decades, analysis of occluded carbon in phytoliths (opaline silica mineral bodies that form in and between plant cells) has become a workhorse of paleoclimate and archaeological studies. Since different plant types exhibit distinctive phytolith morphologies, their assemblages are used in identifying vegetation histories or food culture adaptations. A few direct radiocarbon AMS measurements of phytoliths have been carried out, but these measurements are difficult due to the low concentrations of phytoliths in some plant species, and the small amount of C per phytolith (<2%). In addition, no phytoliths samples of a known 14 C age are available to verify measurement accuracy and precision, and to check sample preparation protocols. Background corrections are also difficult to address due to the lack of suitable material. In this work, we designed a procedure to quantify a suitable blank using SiO 2 powder samples (close to the opal structure, and free of 14 C). The full phytolith extraction showed high carbon contamination components: a) ~3 g of modern C and ~2 g of dead C. We also performed accuracy tests on large phytolith-occluded carbon samples extracted from soils and harvested plants. The unexpected 14 C ages in some of the results triggered further investigations of possible sources of carbon contamination.

This review paper synthesizes the recent published palaeoecological results obtained in Atlantic Equatorial Africa (ECOFIT program) on the history of forest ecosystems and inferred climate changes during the past 4000 years. Evidence are mainly provided by pollen analysis carried out at nine sites from Congo, Cameroon and Ghana, locally supported by macroflora remains, phytoliths, diatoms, 13 C and mineralogical data. At all the sites, except Lake Bosumtwi (Ghana), following a large expansion of rain and mesophilous forests until 3000 years BP, a major change is registered, affecting floristic composition, structure and geographical distribution. According to the hydrological sensitivity of the different sites, local openings of the forests with development of heliophilous formations and/or isolated enclosed savannas are observed at the most humid sites; complete disappearance of forested formations at the driest. The agreement between pollen records, hydrological and hydrobiological data definitely demonstrates that an arid event has been the primary driving factor of this change and is responsable for the main features of the modern landscapes in Atlantic Equatorial Africa. Moreover, the most recent palaeoecological data obtained in Congo (Lake Sinnda), indicate that this Late Holocene increasing aridity was of longer duration, from 4000 to 1300 years BP, and more progressive than previously inferred. A new expansion of forests is locally detected c. 900-600 BP despite increased human impact.