Stable isotopes from peat profiles from the western Himalayas (India as indicators of westerlies and monsoon variability during the Holocene

该项目拟对喜马拉雅地区现代泥炭和全新世泥炭剖面进行多参数研究。主要的重点将放在植物纤维素的提取和碳、氧和氢同位素组成的调查上，以深入了解沼泽动态的气候驱动因素。该项目的目的是：(I)确定所调查泥潭水分平衡的驱动因素；(Ii)确定不同指标，如花粉、微型化石、同位素和生物标志物对气候系统不同组成部分(温度、水文)的不同敏感性；(Iii)重建全新世期间的低至中频气候变率；(Iv)推断夏季风和西风带在地区降水中的作用和相互作用。还将探讨将泥炭中的无机成分用作集水区过程和风沙输入的指标的可行性--这两者都与气候变化有关。实现这些目标的研究方法是双重的。对现有沼泽系统的研究将建立对现代条件下沼泽动力学的理解。这一知识对于第二阶段的泥炭岩芯的开采至关重要。从泥炭档案馆获得的数据将被纳入亚太区域管理信息系统网络，并与从相同/邻近区域的其他档案馆获得的重建数据一起进行严格审查。最终目标是获得西喜马拉雅全新世季风变化的简明图景。

This project proposes multiparameter investigations on modern mires and Holocene peat profiles in the Himalayan region. The main focus will be laid on the extraction of plant cellulose and the investigation of the carbon, oxygen and hydrogen isotope composition to gain insights into the climatic drivers of mire dynamics. The aims of the project are (i) to identify the drivers of the moisture balance of the investigated mires, (ii) to characterize differing sensitivities of various proxies e.g. pollens, microfossils, isotopes and biomarkers to different components of the climate system (temperature, hydrology), (iii) to reconstruct the low to medium-frequency climate variability during the Holocene and (iv) to infer the role and the interplay of the summer monsoon and the westerlies in regional precipitation. The feasibility of using the inorganic component of the peat as an indicator of the catchment area processes and aeolian input – both of which are related to climate changes - will also be explored. The research approach to reach these goals is a twofold one. A study of the existing mire systems will establish an understanding of the mire dynamics under modern conditions. This knowledge will be essential for the interperation of peat cores during the second phase. The data obtained from the peat archive will be integrated into the HIMPAC network and critically reviewed with reconstructions gained from other archives in the same/nearby regions. The ultimate goal is to obtain a concise picture of Holocene monsoon variability for the Western Himalayas.