This text examines the application of stable isotopes in the reconstruction of past climatic conditions. With particular emphasis on the Quaternary, Stable Isotopes in Paleoclimatology, provides a comprehensive overview of isotope records in marine sediments, ice cores and continental archives, and examines how these may be interpreted. In addition to the in-depth analysis of individual paleoclimatic archives, this book includes chapters on the fundamentals of stable isotope geochemistry and factors controlling the distribution of stable isotopes in the modern environment. The book discusses the stable isotopes of hydrogen, boron, carbon, nitrogen and silicon. Stable Isotopes in Paleoclimatology is essential reading for advanced undergraduates and graduates in paleoenvironmental research, and will also be of value to teachers of undergraduate courses in environmental change who do not have a background in stable isotopes.

One of Springer’s Major Reference Works, this book gives the reader a truly global perspective. It is the first major reference work in its field. Paleoclimate topics covered in the encyclopedia give the reader the capability to place the observations of recent global warming in the context of longer-term natural climate fluctuations. Significant elements of the encyclopedia include recent developments in paleoclimate modeling, paleo-ocean circulation, as well as the influence of geological processes and biological feedbacks on global climate change. The encyclopedia gives the reader an entry point into the literature on these and many other groundbreaking topics.

This thorough reference shows how stable isotopes can be applied to understanding the palaeoenvironment, with chapters on the interpretation of isotopes in water, tree rings, bones and teeth, lake sediments, speleothems and marine sediments. The book offers detailed advice on calibration, including a multi-proxy approach, using isotope signals from different materials or combined with other palaeoenvironmental techniques, to enhance the reliability of readings.

In this authoritative review, leading international researchers explore the growing range of applications of stable isotope techniques for probing and integrating biological processes and palaeoclimatic cycles. The interdisciplinary approach covers a wide range of issues, opportunities and developments, setting interactions with plants in the context of water and nutrient cycles, exchanges with the atmosphere and modelling past and present climate change. This important book will appeal to those requiring an overview of the use of stable isotopes in aquatic, terrestrial and climatic processes and is in tune with current global concerns. In addition postgraduates and research scientists will find an extensive guide to more specialist disciplines, including developing mass spectrometer technologies, compound-specific and cellular-discrimination processes or whole organism and ecosystem responses.

This Open Access volume highlights how tree ring stable isotopes have been used to address a range of environmental issues from paleoclimatology to forest management, and anthropogenic impacts on forest growth. It will further evaluate weaknesses and strengths of isotope applications in tree rings. In contrast to older tree ring studies, which predominantly applied a pure statistical approach this book will focus on physiological mechanisms that influence isotopic signals and reflect environmental impacts. Focusing on connections between physiological responses and drivers of isotope variation will also clarify why environmental impacts are not linearly reflected in isotope ratios and tree ring widths. This volume will be of interest to any researcher and educator who uses tree rings (and other organic matter proxies) to reconstruct paleoclimate as well as to understand contemporary functional processes and anthropogenic influences on native ecosystems. The use of stable isotopes in biogeochemical studies has expanded greatly in recent years, making this volume a valuable resource to a growing and vibrant community of researchers.

"Stable isotope analysis has become the method of choice for many studies investigating the paleoecology and paleoclimate of fossil mammal faunas. While organic tissues (collagen, keratins, proteins) persist for less than 105 years highly mineralized tooth enamel is resistant to alteration and degradation and faithfully preserves its isotopic composition for millions (greater than than 106) years. Reconstructing past climates from these records relies on both understanding both micro-scale mechanisms of isotope incorporation into individual teeth, and macro-scale changes in isotope compositions over hundreds of thousands or millions of years. In this dissertation I address three questions. First, how does the geometry and timing of tooth enamel mineralization affect isotope compositions? Tooth enamel mineralization occurs in two stages with different geometries and proportions of chemical components. In chapter one I present oxygen isotope data and high-resolution major element compositional maps of forming tooth enamel to clarify the process of enamel mineralization. Oxygen isotope results show that enamel records the isotopic composition of only second stage mineralization. Given this, ideal enamel sampling strategies should follow the geometry of second stage mineralization. High resolution maps of calcium density for several teeth reveal that enamel mineralizes at a high angle relative to the underlying dentine, suggesting that existing techniques are appropriate. Second, how can geochronology and stratigraphic information be convolved to strengthen interpretations of paleoclimate proxy records? Many reconstructions of past climates rely on proxy records (e.g. pollen, isotope samples) distributed through a stratigraphic section. Interpreting these data in a global context relies on both the ability to determine the absolute age of some stratigraphic positions, and a model that describes the relationship between stratigraphic position and age, allowing the age of unknown positions to be determined. In chapter two I report new U-Pb ages for several volcanic tuffs from the Santa Cruz Formation of southern Argentina. U-Pb data commonly exhibit complexities which make existing age-depth models unsuitable. I modified an existing age-depth model to better account for variations in absolute age, relative age, and the complex age uncertainties that often arise from magmatic crystal populations. Finally, I present a case study from the Santa Cruz Formation, Argentina. Fossil rich sediments span the initiation of the mid-Miocene climatic optimum, the most recent period of greenhouse conditions in the Cenozoic. carbon isotope-based estimates of mean annual precipitation reveal a progressive aridification of Patagonia with precipitation decreasing prior to the mid-Miocene climatic optimum."--Boise State University ScholarWorks.