Use of geochronology and geophysical techniques to study palaeosealevel, archaeology and sea turtle behaviour

利用地质年代学和地球物理技术研究古海平面、考古学和海龟行为

• 批准号: 170445-2008
• 负责人: Rink, William
• 金额: $ 2.15万
• 依托单位: McMaster University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=496938
• 关键词: Use; geochronology; geophysical; techniques; study

Dr. Jack Rink is engaged in the determination of the age of ancient coastlines. Using new dating techniques developed in Canada, we determine the time that the sand on these coastlines was deposited. This in turn allows us to know the time and height of ancient high sea levels in the recent geological past (last million years or so). These studies of ancient sea levels are very important to our understanding of climate change in general because we can use the results to refine global climate models. Dating the time that humans occupy ancient shorelines that occur on land and submerged underwater is another aspect of this work that contributes to our understanding of human history within the natural environment. Another project involves conservation of endangered sea turtles. Sea turtles are known to have a magnetic sense, apparently using magnetic navigation to orient themselves in long ocean journeys. Our work indicates that the earth's geomagnetic field strength along the nesting coastline is influencing how these turtles select their nest locations. In addition, human magnetic infrastructure in the form of seawalls in front of condominiums on the beach has also been shown to disrupt the natural nesting behaviour of the turtles. New studies in this area are planned to increase our understanding of these phenomena, which should lead to new conservation methods to improve reproductive success in these animals.

杰克·林克博士致力于确定古代海岸线的年龄。使用加拿大开发的新测年技术，我们确定了这些海岸线上沙子的沉积时间。这反过来又让我们知道在最近的地质过去(过去一百万年左右)古代高海平面的时间和高度。这些对古代海平面的研究对我们从总体上理解气候变化非常重要，因为我们可以利用这些结果来完善全球气候模型。测定人类占据陆地和水下古代海岸线的时间，是这项工作的另一个方面，有助于我们理解自然环境中的人类历史。另一个项目涉及保护濒危海龟。众所周知，海龟具有磁感，显然在长途海洋旅行中使用磁导航来为自己定位。我们的工作表明，沿着筑巢海岸线的地球磁场强度正在影响这些海龟选择筑巢地点的方式。此外，海滩公寓前海堤形式的人类磁性基础设施也被证明扰乱了海龟的自然筑巢行为。计划在这一领域进行新的研究，以增加我们对这些现象的理解，这将导致新的保护方法，以提高这些动物的繁殖成功。