Α high-resolution late Holocene speleothem record from Kaite Cave, northern Spain: δ18O variability and possible causes

Abstract

A high-resolution calcite oxygen stable isotopic (0 18 0) record, covering the past 4000 years, was obtained from Kaite Cave, northern Spain. The record has a mean 0 18 0 value of -6.25%0 VPDB and a range of 2%0. Spectral analysis of the 0 18 0 data shows significant periodicities of 2400-1900,600, 150,27, and 22 years. The amplitudes during these periods range from 0.2%0 to 2%0. Factors controlling the isotopic ratio in the speleothem were evaluated. The calcite is most likely precipitated under equilibrium conditions, with the cave calcite 0 18 0 interpreted as a proxy of oxygen isotopic composition in local rainwater. Other factors such as temperature or fractionation in the karst system prior to calcite precipitation are considered of negligible or of minor importance. Mechanisms affecting rainfall isotopic composition were also investigated on different time scales. Precipitation amount is the primary factor controlling the high frequency 0 18 0 oscillations. Other climate parameters, such as changes of storm tracks may have significant contributions on centennial and millennial time scales.

Revealing the last 13,500 years of environmental history from the multiproxy record of a mountain lake (Lago Enol, northern Iberian Peninsula)

“…Some exceptions are marine records from Menorca, offshore from northeastern Spain (Frigola et al 2007), Biscaye in northwestern France (Naughton et al 2007), and the Alborán Sea, southern Spain (Fletcher and Sánchez Goñi 2008), where higher sedimentation rates have occurred due to their particular settings. Additionally, several recent studies carried out on speleothems have provided high resolution paleohydrological variations in central Italy during the Early Holocene (Zanchetta et al 2007) and at the southern foothills of the Cantabrian Range in the Late Holocene (Domínguez-Villar et al 2008). The general pattern in these records is an evolution from wetter to drier climatic conditions between the Early and Late Holocene throughout southern Europe, consistent with changes in orbitally-induced insolation values, and hence seasonality (Wanner et al 2008).…”

Land surface temperature changes in Northern Iberia since 4000yrBP, based on δ13C of speleothems

“…data), and (3) Environmental analysis of sampling sites in the caves, all of them characterized by relative humidity close to 100% and the lack of significant air currents through the year. On the other hand, petrographkal details on stalagmites from Cueva del Cobre are given in MufiozGarda et al (2006MufiozGarda et al ( , 2007 and Mufioz-Garda (2007); from Kaite cave in Dominguez-Villar et al (2004 and Martin-Chivelet et al (2006) ; and from Cueva Mayor-SHex Gallery in Muiioz-Garda et al (2009).…”

“…The basic question that arises is about the mechanism capable of inducing the observed direct association speleothem o 13 C-surface temperature. Changes in stalagmite 013C through time may be caused by a number of factors, including: (1) changes in the atmospheric CO 2 isotopic composition, as those induced by anthropogenic burning of fossil fuels (e.g., Suess, 1955;Genty and Massault, 1999;Genty et al, 2oo1a;McCarroll and Loader, 2006); (2) changes in the ratio ofC3:C4 plants in the overlying vegetation leading to changes in 013C of soil CO 2 (e.g., Dorale et al, 1992Dorale et al, , 1998Bar-Matthews et al, 1996;Hopley et al, 2007 ); (3) changes in vegetation density above the cave (e.g., Amundson et al, 1988;Baldini et al, 2005 ); (4) degree of mixing between atmospheric CO 2 and biological CO 2 derived from root respiration and microbial activity (Baker et al, 1997;Genty and Massault, 1999;Genty et al, 2003 ); (5) changes in the degree of open versus closed system dissolution of the host limestone by percolating groundwaters above the cave (Hendy, 1971;Salomons and Mook, 1986;Dulinski and Rozanski, 1990); (6) variation in the amount of CO 2 degassing of drip waters due to changes in air pC0 2 within the cave (Spotl et al, 2005;Baldini et al, 2008;Matteyet al, 2008 ); and (7) changes in the amount of prior calcite precipitation, in the roof of the cave and/or elsewhere in the aquifer system (e.g., Verheyden et al, 2000;Tooth and Fairchild, 2003;johnson et aL, 2006;Mattey et aL, 2008 ).…”

Mid-Holocene erosive episodes in tufa deposits from Trabaque Canyon, central Spain, as a result of abrupt arid climate transitions

“…Another factor affecting the variability of isotope values in rainfall is the amount of rainfall. Oxygen isotope values have a negative correlation with amount of rainfall in most of the Iberian Peninsula (e.g., Plata, 1994;Domínguez-Villar et al, 2008b), although in Eastern and North-Eastern Iberia the correlations are not significant based on available rainfall isotope dataset (IAEA, 2006). The negligible relationship for this site of oxygen isotopes with either temperature or amount of precipitation are confirmed by the lack of a significant oxygen isotope shift during the glacial to interglacial transition of the Termination II in older deposits from Trabaque Canyon (Domínguez-Villar et al, 2011b).…”