The potential of gypsum speleothems for paleoclimatology: application to the Iberian Roman Human Period.

ABSTRACT: Carbonate cave deposits (speleothems) have been used widely for paleoclimate reconstructions; however, few studies have examined the utility of other speleothem-forming minerals for this purpose. Here we demonstrate for the first time that stable isotopes (δ¹⁷O, δ¹⁸O and δD) of structurally-bound gypsum (CaSO₄·2H₂O) hydration water (GHW) can be used to infer paleoclimate. Specifically, we used a 63 cm-long gypsum stalactite from Sima Blanca Cave to reconstruct the climate history of SE Spain from ~ 800 BCE to ~ 800 CE. The gypsum stalactite indicates wet conditions in the cave and humid climate from ~ 200 BCE to 100 CE, at the time of the Roman Empire apogee in Hispania. From ~ 100 CE to ~ 600 CE, evaporation in the cave increased in response to

SUBMITTER: Gazquez F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7481774 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature