Polygonal terrain underlain by ice wedges (IWs) are a widespread feature in continuous permafrost and make up 20-35%vol of the ground ice in the upper few meters of permafrost. Despite the numerous contemporary studies examining factors that control ice wedge cracking, development and degradation, relatively few have explored ice wedge activity in relation with past climate and vegetation conditions. In the Eureka Sound region, ice wedge polygons dominate the permafrost terrain. Their degradation has started to occur, leading to growth of thaw slumps. The objective of this study is twofold, the principal objective is to investigate the timing of ice wedge activity in the Eureka Sound region using the ¹⁴CDOC dates. The second objective is to evaluate the use of ice wedges as paleotemperature proxies. In July 2018, four ice wedges were sampled at 3-4 depths with each core sample being ~1m in length. In the following summer, eight ice wedges were sampled from the surface, 3-5 core samples were extracted per wedge. Active layer and snow samples were also recovered. Laboratory analyses on the ice wedge samples includes dissolved organic carbon content (DOC) and δ¹³CDOC, radiocarbon dating of DOC, geochemical concentration, and stable water isotopes. The DOC and geochemical results show that snowmelt is the main moisture source for ice wedges in the Eureka Sound region with a minor contribution of leached surface organics. The age (¹⁴CDOC) and size of the studied ice wedges were compared against a cracking occurrence model developed by Mackay (1974), these ice wedges align well with this model and suggest that ice wedge growth is non-linear. Ice wedges in the Eureka Sound region were active during the early to late Holocene (9-2.5 ka). The majority of the activity occurred in the later stage of the early Holocene following regional deglaciation and marine regression. ¹⁴CDOC, high resolution δ¹⁸O and D-excess suggests the occurrence of peripheral cracking in both large and small ice wedges. Rayleigh-type isotopic fractionation was found to occur with depth. As well, post depositional isotopic modification of snow and snowmelt accounts for up to a 4‰ difference of δ18O in surface ice wedge samples. δ¹³CDOC of surface ice wedge samples suggest a habitat transition during the late Holocene from dry meadows to polygonal terrain and the geochemical composition of ice wedges closely reflects that of glacial ice core records.

Rapid tropical glacier retreat over the last 50 years has been well documented, and has received significant media attention. Many studies suggest these changes are due to rising global surface air temperatures, however disentangling the effects of temperature and precipitation has hampered scientific consensus. Furthermore, because of the shortness of the instrumental record, it is difficult to assess the larger significance of the climate changes associated with the decline of tropical glaciers. Here, we present a locally calibrated, independent temperature reconstruction for the past 1,500 years from Laguna Chingaza, Colombia based on distributions of branched Glycerol Dialkyl Glycerol Tetraethers (brGDGTs) in order to assess the controls on long term temperature variability in the tropical Andes, and their relationship with growth and demise of Andean glaciers. Comparison of reconstructed temperatures with the instrumental record suggests that our proxy record faithfully records decadal to century scale trends in temperature. The largest temperature decline over the last 1,500 years was a decrease of 2.5 ± 0.3 °C during the Little Ice Age (LIA), reaching lowest temperatures during the mid-17th century, and is broadly consistent with terrestrial temperature reconstructions throughout the tropics and the higher latitudes. The structure and timing of temperature changes at Laguna Chingaza are remarkably similar to recent terrestrial temperature reconstructions from elsewhere in the tropics, including sites in the tropical Pacific and equatorial Africa, suggesting that these changes are widespread in the tropics. Together, these records suggest that warming over the last few decades is unprecedented over the last 1,500 years, including the Medieval Climate Anomaly (800-1150 AD). Comparison of these temperature changes with records of Andean glacier limits suggests that temperature is the dominant driver of glacial retreat, particularly over the past few decades. Additionally, paleotemperatures inferred from LIA and recent glacial equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) underestimate past changes in temperature when compared with brGDGTs reconstructions, suggesting that changes in precipitation complicate the use of glacier ELAs to reconstruct past temperatures. The coupling of temperature and ice extent in South America suggests that with projected future warming, the health of tropical glaciers could be in jeopardy, significantly impacting the communities and ecosystems that depend on them. / text

Reconstructing past sea surface temperature conditions is valuable to observe and evaluate the climate of the past. In the SW Atlantic, so far, few studies have exanimated the applicability of paleotemperature equations, which may reflect in fewer reliable SST estimates. This study aimed to evaluate two marine proxies for SST reconstructions: the alkenones unsaturation index (UK\'37) and the ratio Mg/Ca in different planktonic foraminifera species and size fractions (G. ruber pink; G. ruber white senso stricto and senso lato; between 250 - 300 µm and 300 - 355 μm; G. truncatulinoides (d) crusted and non-crusted forms, between 380 - 620 μm; and G. inflata 300 - 425 μm). The samples were collected in the shelf break of South Brazilian Bight (SBB, 22 °S to 27 °S). The proxies were converted into SSTs and then compared to modern SSTs from the World Ocean Atlas and satellite images. The first chapter describes the UK\'37 signals and the applicability of three different paleotemperature equations, and the second chapter describes the Mg/Ca a proxy for past SSTs and water mass conditions after applying the most used paleotemperature equations for the ratio Mg/Ca. The UK\'37 seems to record mostly autumn conditions at 0m, and the most recent Bayspline equation results into more similar temperature averages when compared to modern annual SSTs (p-value of 0.81, n = 47, ΔSST of -0.03°C ± 0.27), while the most used linear equations result into SSTs similar to autumn conditions. In subtropical regions with low-temperature variations (∼4°C), the function UK\'37 versus SSTs works in an exponential relation, and they are related to seasonal temperatures. For the Mg/Ca in planktonic foraminifera species, the Mg/Ca-inferred temperatures agree well with modern ocean temperatures. Our data suggest that in different size fractions the tested species respond differently to the most used species-specific and general species paleotemperature equations. All the upper water column species agree well with temperatures at 0-meter depth. The G. ruber (p) responds well to the SS equation, where the smallest and the largest size results into annual and autumn estimates, respectively (p-value of 0.81 and 0.71, n = 23); the smallest size of G. ruber (w) s.s. provides summer estimates applying the GE equation (p-value of 0.21, n = 7), while the largest size provides annual estimates (p-value of 0.86, n = 13). The G. ruber (w) s.l. has significant averages when compared the largest size with autumn and summer conditions (p-value of 0.21 for both, n = 16); the deep-dwelling species G. inflata and the G. truncatulinoides (d) crusted form reflect the uplift of the SACW, calcifying at 10 and 20 m depth (p-value of 0.89, n = 10 and p-value of 0.06, n = 14, respectively), while the G. truncatulinoides (d) non-crusted form records annual temperature in deep water layers conditions (p-value of 0.06, n = 16). This is the first study to report Mg/Ca ratios in surface-dwelling and deep-dwelling planktonic foraminifera tests obtained in core-top samples at the SBB. This validation will inform the reconstruction of past environmental conditions of SW Atlantic, especially in the SBB. / As reconstruções das condições da temperatura superficial do mar são importantes para avaliar o clima do passado da Terra. No Atlântico SE, no entanto, poucos estudos avaliaram a aplicabilidade das equações de conversão dos indicadores geoquímicos para temperatura, o que pode resultar em estimativas de paleotemperatura de menor acurácia. Este estudo avaliou dois indicadores marinhos de paleotemperatura: o índice de insaturação de alquenonas (UK\'37), e a razão Mg/Ca em testas de foraminíferos planctônicos de diferentes espécies e frações de tamanho (G. ruber pink; G. ruber white senso stricto e senso lato; entre 250 - 300 μm e 300 - 355 μm; G. truncatulinoides (d) encrustadas e não-encrustadas, entre 380 - 620 μm; e G. inflata 300 - 425 μm). As amostras são provenientes da plataforma externa e quebra da plataforma do Embaiamento de São Paulo (22°S a 27°S). Os indicadores foram transformados em TSM e então comparados com as temperaturas obtidas por meio do World Ocean Atlas e de imagens de satélite. O primeiro capítulo apresenta os dados de UK\'37 e a aplicabilidade de três equações de paleotemperatura. O segundo capítulo apresenta dados da razão Mg/Ca como indicador de TSM e condições de massa d\'água após a aplicação das equações de conversão. O UK\'37 apresenta influência do outono em 0 m de profundidade em seus registros, e a mais recente equação Bayspline resulta em médias de TSM mais similares com as condições atuais, principalmente quando comparado com a média anual de TSM (p-valor de 0.81, n = 47, ΔSST de -0.03°C ± 0.27), já as equações lineares mais conhecidas resultam em TSM mais parecidas com condições de outono. No geral, em regiões com pouca variação de TSM (∼1.5 °C), o UK\'37 responde em uma relação exponencial com a temperatura. A razão Mg/Ca em testas de foraminíferos planctônicos, quando convertidas em TSM, resultam em médias similares com as condições atuais de temperatura. Os nossos dados sugerem que as equações específicas para cada espécie (SS) e as equações gerais (GE) resultam em diferentes médias de TSM para cada espécie/fração de tamanho. Todas as espécies de superfície respondem bem com as temperaturas em 0 metros de profundidade. A G. ruber (p) responde bem à equação SS, onde a menor e a maior fração de tamanho resulta em médias similares às TSM anuais e de outono, respectivamente (p-valor de 0.81 e 0.71, n = 23); a menor fração de tamanho da espécie G. ruber (w) s.s. resulta em médias similares às TSM de verão com a equação GE (p-valor de 0.21, n = 7), enquanto a maior fração de tamanho resulta em TSM anual (p-valor de 0.86, n = 13). A maior fração de tamanho da espécie G. ruber (w) s.l. resulta em médias significativas quando comparadas com TSM de outono e de verão (p-valor de 0.21 para ambas, n = 16). Os registros geoquímicos das espécies de subsuperfície, como a G. inflata e a G. truncatulinoides (d) encrustada registram a subida da ACAS para a superfície na área de estudo, calcificando em 10 e 20 metros de profundidade, respectivamente (p-valor de 0.89, n = 10 e de 0.06, n = 14, respectivamente), enquanto a G. truncatulinoides (d) não-encrustada aparenta registrar as condições anuais de temperatura em profundidades mais próximas da ACAS, com médias um pouco mais elevadas que as duas espécies de subsuperfície (p-valor de 0.06, n = 16). Este é o primeiro estudo que relata as razões Mg/Ca em diferentes espécies de foraminíferos planctônicos no ESP. Esta validação auxiliará a aprimorar futuras estimações de TSM com este indicador.

Fossil midge remains from a sediment core from Lake Stowell, Saltspring Island (48°46’54”N, 123°26’38”W) were used to produce quantitative estimates of mean July air temperature over the last 14,000 years. Chironomid and Chaoborus remains were identified, and multiple models of past temperatures based on transfer functions of northern North American calibration datasets were evaluated. The selected model was used to create the first quantitative paleotemperature estimates for the Gulf Islands region. Inferred paleotemperatures at Lake Stowell varied between 12.1 °C and 18.6 °C over the last 14,000 calendar years. Several major climate phases were identified based on changes in paleotemperature. The base of the record is characterised by a cool lateglacial interval with a minimum inferred July temperature of 12.1 °C. Inferred temperatures generally increased by ~4 °C between ~14,200 and 10,300 cal yr BP but this warming was interrupted by cooling, coincident with the Younger Dryas Chronozone, when inferred temperatures drop ~2 °C from the temperatures immediately preceding this interval. A warm early Holocene extends from ~10,300 to 8100 cal yr BP with temperatures regularly exceeding 16 °C. Following the early Holocene, inferred temperatures decreased to approximately 14.9 °C in the mid-Holocene. After a brief warm peak in the late Holocene, inferred temperatures cooled towards the present. Inferred changes in paleotemperature from Lake Stowell are consistent with other paleoenvironmental studies conducted in southern British Columbia and throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. Temperature changes at Lake Stowell are muted in comparison to continental sites, which may be due to the influence of marine conditions. This research provides context for other studies in the region, and contributes to our understanding of environmental change since the last glacial maximum. / Graduate / 2017-08-17 / 0426 / 0793 / 0353 / jillian.lemmen@gmail.com

Cette thèse a pour but de reconstituer le climat des 100 000 dernières années en Europe de l’ouest. L’étude du climat du passé permet de mieux comprendre la variabilité naturelle du climat sur laquelle se surimpose aujourd’hui le réchauffement climatique d’origine anthropique. Ce sont des molécules fossiles bactériennes dont la structure varie en fonction des conditions environnementales qui ont permis dans cette étude de reconstituer le paléoclimat à partir des sédiments du lac St Front dans le Massif Central. Les indices dérivés de ces molécules révèlent la variabilité climatique à long terme mais également les évènements rapides de changement climatique ainsi qu’une forte action anthropique en surimposition des changements climatiques régionaux sur les 5000 dernières années. Ce travail montre l’importance de la compréhension de l’outil utilisé et du fonctionnement du système naturel dans lequel il est étudié, préalables indispensables à l’obtention d’une séquence climatique crédible / This thesis aims to reconstruct the climate of the last 100,000 years in western Europe. The study of past climate allows to better understand the natural variability of climate on which human-induced global warming is superimposed today. Bacterial fossil molecules whose structure varies according to the environmental conditions were used in this study to reconstruct the paleoclimate from the sediments of lake St Front in the Massif Central. The indices derived from these molecules reveal the long-term climatic variability but also the rapid events of climate change as well as a strong anthropogenic action in superimposition of the regional climatic changes over the last 5000 years. This work shows the importance of understanding the tool used and the functioning of the natural system in which it is studied, essential prerequisites for obtaining a credible climate reconstruction

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