Collaborative Research: Calibration of Sr:Ca and d18O Proxies of the Southern Quahog, Mercenaria Campechiensis, to Reconstruct Late Holocene Climate, SW Florida

该奖项将校准锶/钙比率和δ氧-18同位素从现代壳的南部quahog蛤，Mercenaria campechiensis，作为代理的温度和盐度，分别产生低纬度，前工业化，晚全新世气候数据来自考古quahog壳。为了确定水的物理和化学性质、温度、盐度、δ氧-18（水）、δ碳-13（溶解无机碳）和锶/钙（水）在夏洛特港河口，西南佛罗里达的季节和空间变化，将在雨季和旱季测量/采样。这些数据将用于构建预测模型外壳，以便与观测数据进行比较。南部quahog将通过比较观测到的壳数据与预测模型壳进行校准。PI还将评估考古quahogs中的锶/钙和δ氧-18（壳）是否可以通过将预测模型与现代壳的地球化学和已知的考古数据进行比较，分别跟踪温度和盐度。这项研究的成功完成将产生多学科数据，并应用于全球气候变化领域的一些问题，这项工作的推广部分将由佛罗里达自然历史博物馆的兰德尔研究中心（RRC）提供便利。公共教育将通过志愿服务、通讯、网站、图尔斯、讲解员培训、展览、讲座和讲习班，针对K-12学生（包括市中心儿童）和教师、退休社区和其他人。在所有这些场所，作为其使命的一部分，RRC促进公共考古和生态系统管理。

This award will calibrate Strontium/Calcium ratios and delta oxygen-18 isotopes from modern shells of the southern quahog clam, Mercenaria campechiensis, as proxies for temperature and salinity, respectively, to generate low-latitude, preindustrial, Late Holocene climate data derived from archaeological quahog shells. To determine seasonal and spatial variability in physical and chemical water properties, temperature, salinity, delta Oxygen-18 (water), delta Carbon-13 (dissolved inorganic carbon), and Strontium/Calcium (water) in the Charlotte Harbor estuary, southwest Florida, will be measured/sampled during the wet and dry seasons. These data will be used to construct predictive-model shells for comparison with observed data. The southern quahog will be calibrated by comparing observed shell data with predictive-model shells. The PIs will also evaluate whether Strontium/Calcium and delta oxygen-18 (shell) in archaeological quahogs can track temperature and salinity, respectively, by comparing the predictive model to the geochemistry of modern shells and to known archaeological data. The successful completion of this research will yield multidisciplinary data with applications to a number of problems in the area of global climate change.The outreach component of this work will be facilitated by the Florida Museum of Natural History's Randell Research Center (RRC). Public education will target K-12 students (including inner-city children) and teachers, the retired community, and others, via volunteerism, newsletters, websites, tours, docent training, exhibits, lectures, and workshops. In all these venues, the RRC promotes public archaeological and ecosystem stewardship as part of its mission.