Collaborative Research: Assessing climate-biosphere linkages using Late Holocene records of climate variability and vegetation dynamics from the Brazilian Amazon and Savanna

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This collaborative project aims to investigate the role of changes in the South American Summer Monsoon (SASM) intensity on forest-savanna biome shifts that occurred during the Late Holocene. Development of paleoclimate records from in and near the core of the monsoon region enables an assessment of the strength of the paleo-monsoon signal across the region.The researchers look to generate independent, yet co-located, records of past climate (speleothems) and vegetation (soil profiles) dynamics from the Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado (savanna), for which existing records are absent. Paleoclimate and ecological interpretations will be validated using cave monitoring and proxy system modeling.The researchers intend to evaluate the following questions: i) Do speleothem delta 18-Oxygen values reflect variations in SASM intensity, ii) Do variations in SASM intensity drive corresponding variation in local moisture conditions, iii) What was the nature and driver of Late Holocene variability in SASM intensity and local moisture conditions, and iv) how sensitive were biomes in vegetative transition zones to variability in SASM intensity and local moisture conditions. The project involves the monitoring of modern cave environments to evaluate speleothem delta 18-Oxygen values as a proxy of SASM intensity and speleothem trace element concentrations and Strontium isotope compositions as a proxy of local moisture conditions. The research will extend existing speleothem delta 18-Oxygen records of the last millennium from the Amazon and Cerrado further back in time and develop corresponding records of speleothem trace element and 87- Strontium /86-Strontium and soil organic matter delta 13-Carbon to assess the co-variability between regional monsoon intensity, local moisture conditions, and biome shifts.The project helps promote greater understanding of the SASM and strong collaboration with Brazilian scientists. The SASM is the most important source of rainfall to the region with great socio-economic and environmental relevance, including defining current ecosystem distribution and stability, hydroelectric production, and agriculture.