The freshwater reservoir effect in radiocarbon dating

Philippsen, Bente

doi:10.1186/2050-7445-1-24

Cited by 210 publications

(170 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…The absence of freshwater fish in the diet is fortuitous as it could otherwise give rise to a reservoir effect as has been reported in several places (see e.g. [42]). The radiocarbon dates can therefore in all likelihood be trusted for all of the dated individuals.…”

Section: Diet and Stable Isotopesmentioning

confidence: 77%

Convento di San Francesco a Folloni: the function of a Medieval Franciscan Friary seen through the burials

et al. 2015

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Background:The Franciscan Friary in Montella near Avellino in Southern Italy is of special interest because according to historical sources it was founded by St. Francis himself in AD 1221-1222. Human remains of several hundred individuals interred in the cloister walk have been unearthed during two excavation campaigns conducted in 2007-2008 and 2010. The environs of the friary have remained rural since the foundation preventing much modern contamination. The state of preservation of the skeletons is fair to good making a suite of analyses worthwhile. Results:The skeletons have been examined anthropologically and tissue samples have been subjected to radiocarbon dating, stable isotope measurements and trace element analyses by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Cold Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Conclusions:The radiocarbon dates are consistent with the historical sources and show that the cemetery in the cloister walk has been in uninterrupted use from the foundation of the friary in AD 1221-1222 and until the cemetery went out of use in AD 1524. The anthropological investigations show that the individuals interred at the friary would have been shorter than other Italians from the same time, and it seems that tuberculosis was more prevalent than leprosy. Isotopic measurements show a mixed agricultural and pastoral diet and none of the individuals were consuming marine protein. Based on the trace element analysis it seems that the people resided mainly at two distinct geographical areas, one of which was Montella. One individual stands out from the rest, because he was born and raised at some third geographical location distinct from Montella and because he sports the second oldest radiocarbon date of AD 1050-1249 (two sigma calibrated range). This date is consistent with the first generation of the founders of the friary-perhaps one of St. Francis' fellow travellers from Assisi.

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Section: Diet and Stable Isotopesmentioning

confidence: 77%

Convento di San Francesco a Folloni: the function of a Medieval Franciscan Friary seen through the burials

et al. 2015

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“…This type of anomalies have been attributed to an increase of the reservoir effect due to (i) punctual increases of aquatic plants, (ii) reductions in CO 2 exchange with the atmosphere due to increase of depth-to-surface ratio, (iii) incorporation of older oxidized organic matter from former shore-lake lacustrine deposits, and (iv) inflows of CO 2 -rich waters due to volcanic degassing or eventual inputs from nearby aquifers (Philippsen, 2013). In our case, the more probable causes were (i) and (iii) but more detailed studies are needed for a sound assessment.…”

Section: The Kao08-03 Core Recordmentioning

confidence: 99%

CLAFS, a Holistic Climatic-Ecological-Anthropogenic Hypothesis on Easter Island's Deforestation and Cultural Change: Proposals and Testing Prospects

et al. 2018

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This paper reviews the existing hypotheses concerning the cultural shift from the Ancient Cult (AC) to the Birdman Cult (BC) that occurred on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) during the last millennium and introduces a holistic new hypothesis called CLAFS (Climate-Landscape-Anthropogenic Feedbacks and Synergies), which considers a variety of potential drivers of cultural change and their interactions. The CLAFS hypothesis can be tested with future paleoecological studies on new sedimentary sequences such as the new continuous and coherent record encompassing the last millennium from Rano Kao (KAO08-03) using a combination of pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPP), charcoal, and fecal lipid analyses, at decadal to multidecadal resolution. The Kao record should be compared with other continuous records of the last millennium available for the two other freshwater bodies of the island, Rano Aroi and Rano Raraku, to obtain an island-wide perspective of spatio-temporal deforestation patterns in relation to climatic shifts and human activities. The CLAFS hypothesis predicts that the shift from the AC to the BC was associated with the drying out and deforestation of Rano Raraku (the center of the AC) by ∼1,570 CE, followed by human migration to Rano Kao (the social center of the BC), where freshwater and forests were still available. Under the CLAFS scenario, this migration would have occurred by ∼1,600 CE. Findings to the contrary would require modification and refinement, or outright rejection, of the CLAFS hypothesis and the consideration of alternate hypotheses compatible with new paleoecological evidence. Regardless the final results, archeological evidence will be required to link climatic and ecological events with cultural developments.

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“…In estuaries, the error in reservoir effect estimation can be of great importance. For instance, the inorganic carbon in waters used by calcifying organisms may be contaminated by ancient carbon issued from the dissolution of carbonate or crystalline rocks (e.g., Colman et al, 1990;Rea and Colman, 1995;Philippsen, 2013).…”

Section: Radiocarbon Datingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mid- to late-Holocene environmental evolution of the Loire estuary as observed from sedimentary characteristics and benthic foraminiferal assemblages

Durand

Mojtahid

Maillet

et al. 2016

Journal of Sea Research

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International audienceWe used sedimentological and foraminiferal characteristics of four sedimentary cores, supported by paleogeographical and historical data, to reconstruct the depositional history of the inner Loire estuary (Near Saint-Nazaire, France) and the response of benthic foraminifera to the mid- to late-Holocene marine flooding of the incised valley. These were further used to evaluate the consequent changes in estuarine morphological and hydro-sedimentary patterns during this time period. Our results described significant changes in hydro-sedimentary dynamics over the past ~ 6 kyrs BP. At our location, these changes expressed the combined influence of marine (e.g., tide, storm waves) and fluvial dynamics (e.g., floods), which are linked, on a broader scale, to sea-level variations and the regional climate regime. Three main periods stand out: (1) from ~ 6.0 to ~ 2.5 kyrs BP, when the sea-level rise slowed down, a large brackish bay extended over and around the study area. The fine-grained tidal rythmites recorded north of the Bilho bank (the main tidal bar located in our study area) indicated a calm depositional environment, protected from the main riverine influence. The presence of thick flood deposits from ~ 5.4 to ~ 4.0 kyrs BP near the Bilho bank indicates further the dominance of humid conditions. (2) From ~ 2.5 kyrs BP to ~ 1850 CE (pre-industrial state), sea-level stabilized at its present value, and the pre-existing bay was progressively infilled. North of the Bilho bank, near a major mudflat (Méan), the generally homogenous sedimentation composed of silty muds rich in organic matter indicated a sheltered environment; the main water flow channel being located south of the Bilho bank. Within this overall homogenous sedimentation, foraminiferal assemblages described rather accurately the progressive infilling of the valley (indicated by a decrease in the proportions of outer estuarine species), accompanied with the channelization of the main entering marine currents (tide, storm waves) (indicated by an increase in the proportions of transported species from the adjacent upper continental shelf), and finally the buildup of the Méan mudflat and the stabilization of the environment to its present day configuration (indicated by the dominance of autochthonous inner estuarine species). (3) Since 1850 CE, the human impact progressively modified the general landscape of our study area with the construction of the Saint-Nazaire shipyard, the digging of the northern navigation channel and the polderization of the northern Bay. The southern channel was progressively abandoned by the main water flow in favor of the newly dug northern channel, causing the southern migration of the Bilho sandbank and the progressive filling of the southern channel

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The freshwater reservoir effect in radiocarbon dating

Cited by 210 publications

References 73 publications

Convento di San Francesco a Folloni: the function of a Medieval Franciscan Friary seen through the burials

Convento di San Francesco a Folloni: the function of a Medieval Franciscan Friary seen through the burials

CLAFS, a Holistic Climatic-Ecological-Anthropogenic Hypothesis on Easter Island's Deforestation and Cultural Change: Proposals and Testing Prospects

Mid- to late-Holocene environmental evolution of the Loire estuary as observed from sedimentary characteristics and benthic foraminiferal assemblages

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