Paleosols as Indicators of Paleoclimates: Oxygen and Carbon Isotopes in Pedogenic Carbonate

这笔拨款允许Cerling博士研究 土壤碳酸盐含有有用的气候信息。是 古土壤的稳定同位素组成 碳酸盐可以提供气候和生态的直接测量 非海事地盘的条件。由于氧同位素组成 受温度影响，可能变化近20 如果这在古土壤碳酸盐中保存， 一个潜在的气候指标土壤的同位素组成 碳的变化约为每密耳15，主要是 C4植物在当地的比例。由于这 植被还受气候碳同位素比值的影响， 土壤碳酸盐也可以反映气候。 瑟林博士将收集沿着的样本， 记录同位素的变化 现代土壤碳酸盐的组成，这是由于生态 和气候因素。他还将测量 土壤有机质和呼吸碳组成 二氧化物来记录重要的控制过程。最后他 将分析一系列具有人类学意义的土壤， 包括非洲和亚洲。 这项研究很重要，因为如果成功， 提供了重要的人类学工具了解如何 人类发展到一定程度， 以及它们是如何随着时间的推移而变化的。而 海洋沉积物、陆地沉积物、 材料更难解释， 工作已经完成。该项目应有助于补救 情况。*//

This grant permits Dr. Cerling to examine the extent to which soil carbonates contain useful climatic information. It is possible that the stable isotopic composition of paleosol carbonate may provide a direct measure of climatic and ecological conditions for non.marine sites. Since oxygen isotope composition in rainwater is affected by temperature and may vary by almost 20 per mil if this is perserved in paleosol carbonate it may provide a potential climatic indicator. The isotopic composition of soil carbon varies by about 15 per mil and is primarily a function of the proportion of C4 plants in the local setting. Since this vegetation is also influenced by climate carbon isotope ratio of soil carbonate may also reflect climate. Dr. Cerling will collect samples along both latitudinal and altitudinal transcents to document variation in the isotopic composition of modern soil carbonate which is due to ecological and climatic factors. He will also measure the isotopic composition of soil organic matter and respired soil carbon dioxide to document important controlling processes. Finally he will analyze a series of anthropologically significant soils from both Africa and Asia. This research is important because, if successful, it will provide an important anthropological tool. To understand how humans developed it is essential to understand the environments in which they lived and how these changed over time. While techniques are well established for marine sediments, terrestrial materials are much more difficult to interpret and very little work has been done. This project should help to remedy the situation.***//