Speleothem evidence for Holocene fluctuations of the prairie-forest ecotone, north-central USA

Rhawn F. Denniston; Luis A. González; Richard G. Baker; Yemane Asmerom; Mark K. Reagan; R. Lawrence Edwards; E. Calvin Alexander

doi:10.1191/095968399674716399

Speleothem evidence for Holocene fluctuations of the prairie-forest ecotone, north-central USA

Rhawn F. Denniston, Luis A. González, Richard G. Baker, Yemane Asmerom, Mark K. Reagan, R. Lawrence Edwards, E. Calvin Alexander

Earth and Environmental Sciences-Twin Cities

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

40 Scopus citations

Abstract

Carbon and oxygen isotopic trends from seven Midwestern speleothems record significant offsets in the timing of middle-Holocene vegetation change. Interactions of dry Pacific and moist Gulf of Mexico air masses maintained a sharp moisture gradient across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin such that the arrival of prairie was offset by 2000 years between caves and pollen sites located only 50 km apart. Oxygen isotopes shift concomitantly with carbon in most cases, although these changes are believed to represent increased evaporative enrichment of ¹⁸O prior to infiltration during the prairie period.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	671-676
Number of pages	6
Journal	Holocene
Volume	9
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1191/095968399674716399
State	Published - 1999

Keywords

Carbon isotopes
Climatic change
Holocene
Midwestern USA
Oxygen isotopes
Prairie-forest ecotone
Speleothems
Vegetation change

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title = "Speleothem evidence for Holocene fluctuations of the prairie-forest ecotone, north-central USA",

abstract = "Carbon and oxygen isotopic trends from seven Midwestern speleothems record significant offsets in the timing of middle-Holocene vegetation change. Interactions of dry Pacific and moist Gulf of Mexico air masses maintained a sharp moisture gradient across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin such that the arrival of prairie was offset by 2000 years between caves and pollen sites located only 50 km apart. Oxygen isotopes shift concomitantly with carbon in most cases, although these changes are believed to represent increased evaporative enrichment of 18O prior to infiltration during the prairie period.",

keywords = "Carbon isotopes, Climatic change, Holocene, Midwestern USA, Oxygen isotopes, Prairie-forest ecotone, Speleothems, Vegetation change",

author = "Denniston, {Rhawn F.} and Gonz{\'a}lez, {Luis A.} and Baker, {Richard G.} and Yemane Asmerom and Reagan, {Mark K.} and Edwards, {R. Lawrence} and Alexander, {E. Calvin}",

year = "1999",

doi = "10.1191/095968399674716399",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "9",

pages = "671--676",

journal = "Holocene",

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T1 - Speleothem evidence for Holocene fluctuations of the prairie-forest ecotone, north-central USA

AU - Denniston, Rhawn F.

AU - González, Luis A.

AU - Baker, Richard G.

AU - Asmerom, Yemane

AU - Reagan, Mark K.

AU - Edwards, R. Lawrence

AU - Alexander, E. Calvin

PY - 1999

Y1 - 1999

N2 - Carbon and oxygen isotopic trends from seven Midwestern speleothems record significant offsets in the timing of middle-Holocene vegetation change. Interactions of dry Pacific and moist Gulf of Mexico air masses maintained a sharp moisture gradient across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin such that the arrival of prairie was offset by 2000 years between caves and pollen sites located only 50 km apart. Oxygen isotopes shift concomitantly with carbon in most cases, although these changes are believed to represent increased evaporative enrichment of 18O prior to infiltration during the prairie period.

AB - Carbon and oxygen isotopic trends from seven Midwestern speleothems record significant offsets in the timing of middle-Holocene vegetation change. Interactions of dry Pacific and moist Gulf of Mexico air masses maintained a sharp moisture gradient across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin such that the arrival of prairie was offset by 2000 years between caves and pollen sites located only 50 km apart. Oxygen isotopes shift concomitantly with carbon in most cases, although these changes are believed to represent increased evaporative enrichment of 18O prior to infiltration during the prairie period.

KW - Carbon isotopes

KW - Climatic change

KW - Holocene

KW - Midwestern USA

KW - Oxygen isotopes

KW - Prairie-forest ecotone

KW - Speleothems

KW - Vegetation change

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