Isotopic investigations of speleothem CR1 from Cristal Cave in southeastern Brazil have established a high-resolution record of climate change extending 4,100 years prior to sample collection in 2007. A total of 14 subsamples were collected from CR1 for U/Th age determination. ICP-MS analysis yielded very precise ages with analytical errors (2σ) averaging ± 13 years. An initial growth rate of .062 mm y-1 for the first 2860 years is followed by a rate of .08 mm y-1 for the remaining growth period allowing for sampling of δ18O at sub-decadal resolution. Stable isotope analyses show a large range of δ18O values between -7.5 ‰ to -4 ‰. The data show a trend of steadily decreasing values over the past 4,000 y BP. The exception to this trend is the last 150 years BP when some of the least negative and most variable values for the record are observed. Variations in speleothem δ18O in southern Brazil have been shown to reflect changes in rainfall δ18O, which in turn indicate changes in rainfall source or rainfall amount (Cruz et al., 2006). In Southeastern Brazil, δ18O is controlled mainly by moisture source location, in particular South American monsoonal versus extratropical sources (Cruz et al., 2005). The relative contribution of monsoonal and extratropical moisture help to define the δ18O of regional precipitation via the mean location and southward extent of Hadley cell convective activity associated with the South American summer monsoon (Cruz et al., 2005). For example, decreases in precipitation δ18O are often interpreted as a decreased contribution of winter versus summer precipitation (Cruz et al., 2005). Assuming that the modern (observed) relationship between the seasonality and moisture source location effect occurring in southeastern Brazil have functioned for the past ~ 4,100 years, trends of more negative values towards modern day are likely due to increased summer precipitation and/or an overall increase in total yearly precipitation. The more enriched values of the past 100 years suggest a recent decrease in summer and/or total rainfall.

No description available.

Hydroclimate evolution in the northern Caribbean region has been investigated by several studies, but they offer contradicting results and none of them cover a full glacial-interglacial transition to examine orbital climate forcing. Here we present refined U-Th dating and oxygen isotope (δ18O) data from a stalagmite named Katún collected from Rio Secreto cave in the Yucatan Peninsula that discontinuously spans the time interval between 198 thousand years (kyr) before present (BP) to 320 kyr BP. Stalagmite δ18O is interpreted to reflect precipitation amount variability as established by previous studies from this cave. On orbital timescales, we identified marine isotope stages (MIS) 7, 8, and 9 in the Katún stalagmite δ18O record. The average stalagmite δ18O value during MIS 7 and 9 interglacial intervals is ~-4.5‰, suggesting wetter conditions than the glacial MIS 8 with an average δ18O value of ~-3‰. The stalagmite δ18O record exhibits higher amplitude δ18O and thus precipitation variability, and an increase in the frequency and intensity of drought events during the drier glacial interval. The record suggests a strong link between atmospheric greenhouse gases, CO2 andCH4, and precipitation variability in the Caribbean, which affects hydroclimate via changes in tropical Atlantic sea surface and air temperature. We propose that changes in North Atlantic high latitude climate are connected to regional hydroclimate, as evidenced by concurrent Caribbean precipitation and atmospheric methane variability, similar to Greenland D-O events. The broader implication of this study is that human activities may alter the fundamental relationship between Caribbean hydroclimate and greenhouse gases, which have likely sustained tropical wetlands and modulated methane production for millennia.

Research regarding the distribution and structure of fungal communities in caves is lacking. The current study examines fungal communities in Kartchner Caverns, a mineralogically diverse cave located in the Whetstone Mountains, Arizona, USA. The first study examines culturable fungal diversity from speleothem surfaces. Twenty-one fungal genera represented by 43 genotypes and 53 distinct morphological taxonomic units (MTU) were recovered from 15 speleothems. Analysis of DGGE profiles indicated a significant effect of sampling site on community structure. The second study examined fungal diversity from speleothem and rock wall surfaces using the 454 FLX Titanium sequencing platform using the rDNA internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) as a genetic marker. Fungal diversity was estimated and compared between speleothem and rock wall surfaces and its variation with distance from the natural entrance of the cave was quantified. Effects of environmental factors and nutrient concentrations in speleothem drip water at different sample sites on fungal diversity were also examined. Sequencing revealed 2219 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 95% similarity. Speleothems supported a higher fungal richness and diversity than rock walls, but community membership and the taxonomic distribution of fungal OTUs did not differ significantly. OTU richness and diversity were negatively correlated with distance from the natural cave entrance. Community membership and taxonomic distribution of fungal OTUs differed significantly between the front and back of the cave. There was no observed effect of drip water nutrient concentration on fungal community structure. The third study examined fungal community structure from bat guano over the course of a year. There was no significant difference in fungal OTU richness, diversity, or community membership and taxonomic affiliations among sampling times. There were no significant differences in nutrient concentrations of guano samples among sampling times. Nutrient concentration did have a significant effect on community structure, especially the level of nitrogen and calcium.

This thesis provides a detailed study of environmental magnetism in a speleothem. It focuses on a stalagmite from Pau DAlho cave (15°1220S, 56°4841W) located in Rosário dOeste, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. This speleothem grew during the past 1355 years, with average growth rate of ~168 mm/ka and encompasses two key events in the South American Summer Monsoon (SASM), the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and the Little Ice Age (LIA), major dry and wet, respectively. The rock magnetic experiments conducted, include isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) and anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) acquisition curves, thermal demagnetization of three-axis IRM acquisition, hysteresis loops, first order reversal curves (FORC) and low-temperature SQUID magnetometry experiments. The main magnetic remanence carriers in the stalagmite are magnetite and goethite, with a nearly constant relative proportion. Magnetite has remanent coercivities between 14-17 mT, and its magnetic properties are similar to those produced by pedogenic processes. Magnetic remanence is broadly correlated with carbon and oxygen isotope data throughout most of the speleothem, suggesting that precipitation and soil dynamics above the cave exert a strong control on the input of magnetic minerals into the Pau dAlho cave system. Dry periods like the MCA are associated with less stable soils that result in higher mineral fluxes carried into karst systems via groundwater, while conversely, colder and wetter periods like the LIA are associated with soils topped by denser vegetation that are more capable of retaining micrometer-scale pedogenic minerals, and thus reduce mineral fluxes into karst environments. / Esta tese fornece um estudo detalhado do magnetismo ambiental de espeleotemas. Este estudo é feito em uma estalagmite da caverna Pau D\'Alho (15 ° 12\'20 \"S, 56 ° 48\'41\" W), localizado em Rosário d\'Oeste, Mato Grosso, Brasil. Este espeleotema cresceu durante os últimos 1355 anos, com taxa média de crescimento de ~ 168 mm/ka e engloba dois eventos climáticos do Sistema de Monção Sul-americano (SMSA), a Anomalia Climática do Medieval (ACM) e a Pequena Idade do Gelo (PIG), eventos secos e molhados, respectivamente. Os experimentos de magnetismo de rocha incluem: magnetização remanecte isotermal (MRI), ciclos de histerese, magnetização remanente anisterética (MRA), desmagnetização térmica em três eixos, first order reversal curves (FORC) e experimentos de baixa temperatura. Os principais portadore magnéticos na estalagmite são magnetita e goethita, com uma proporção relativa quase constante. A magnetita tem coercividades entre 14-17 mT, e as suas propriedades magnéticas são semelhantes às produzidas por processos pedogênicos. As remanências magnéticas são amplamente correlacionadas com dados de isótopos de carbono e oxigênio durante o registro, sugerindo que a precipitação e a dinâmica do solo acima da caverna exerce um forte controle na entrada de minerais magnéticos no sistema de cavernas Pau d\'Alho. Períodos secos como o ACM estão associados a solos menos estáveis, que resultam em maiores fluxos de minerais detríticos carreados para o sistema de cavernas, ao passo que, inversamente, os períodos frios e chuvosos como a LIA estão associados a solos cobertos pela vegetação mais densa que são mais capazes de reter minerais pedogênicos de escala micrométrica, e, assim, diminuir os fluxos de minerais detríticos para o sistema de cavernas.

Speleothems are considered a reliable proxy for paleoclimatic reconstructions and analysis of stable carbon isotopes in speleothems is used for paleoclimatic reconstructions. However, in temperate areas that lacks C4 vegetation there are uncertainties in how to interpret changes in the δ13C signal. The aim of this study is toincrease the understanding of how the δ13C signal in speleothems from temperateareas can be interpreted. The study was divided in two parts, first a literature studythat focused on interpretations of the δ13C signal in speleothems from temperate areasand a case study in which a comparison of seven 13C records from similarenvironments in the Scandes Mountains and the Alps are made. The results from the literature study were used in the case study to draw conclusions on tree line and vegetation changes during Holocene in central northern Scandinavia. The study showed that trends in interpretation of the δ13C signal in speleothems from temperateareas are that low δ13C values are interpreted as wetter, warmer conditions with higherbio productivity, and high δ13C values are interpreted as colder, drier conditions withlower bio productivity. Further it was found in the study that vegetation changes seen in Holocene pollen data are also seen in δ13C records from Scandinavia. The δ13Csignal in temperate speleothems therefore appears to be related to changes invegetation density and to tree-line changes.

This thesis provides a detailed study of environmental magnetism in a speleothem. It focuses on a stalagmite from Pau DAlho cave (15°1220S, 56°4841W) located in Rosário dOeste, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. This speleothem grew during the past 1355 years, with average growth rate of ~168 mm/ka and encompasses two key events in the South American Summer Monsoon (SASM), the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and the Little Ice Age (LIA), major dry and wet, respectively. The rock magnetic experiments conducted, include isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) and anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) acquisition curves, thermal demagnetization of three-axis IRM acquisition, hysteresis loops, first order reversal curves (FORC) and low-temperature SQUID magnetometry experiments. The main magnetic remanence carriers in the stalagmite are magnetite and goethite, with a nearly constant relative proportion. Magnetite has remanent coercivities between 14-17 mT, and its magnetic properties are similar to those produced by pedogenic processes. Magnetic remanence is broadly correlated with carbon and oxygen isotope data throughout most of the speleothem, suggesting that precipitation and soil dynamics above the cave exert a strong control on the input of magnetic minerals into the Pau dAlho cave system. Dry periods like the MCA are associated with less stable soils that result in higher mineral fluxes carried into karst systems via groundwater, while conversely, colder and wetter periods like the LIA are associated with soils topped by denser vegetation that are more capable of retaining micrometer-scale pedogenic minerals, and thus reduce mineral fluxes into karst environments. / Esta tese fornece um estudo detalhado do magnetismo ambiental de espeleotemas. Este estudo é feito em uma estalagmite da caverna Pau D\'Alho (15 ° 12\'20 \"S, 56 ° 48\'41\" W), localizado em Rosário d\'Oeste, Mato Grosso, Brasil. Este espeleotema cresceu durante os últimos 1355 anos, com taxa média de crescimento de ~ 168 mm/ka e engloba dois eventos climáticos do Sistema de Monção Sul-americano (SMSA), a Anomalia Climática do Medieval (ACM) e a Pequena Idade do Gelo (PIG), eventos secos e molhados, respectivamente. Os experimentos de magnetismo de rocha incluem: magnetização remanecte isotermal (MRI), ciclos de histerese, magnetização remanente anisterética (MRA), desmagnetização térmica em três eixos, first order reversal curves (FORC) e experimentos de baixa temperatura. Os principais portadore magnéticos na estalagmite são magnetita e goethita, com uma proporção relativa quase constante. A magnetita tem coercividades entre 14-17 mT, e as suas propriedades magnéticas são semelhantes às produzidas por processos pedogênicos. As remanências magnéticas são amplamente correlacionadas com dados de isótopos de carbono e oxigênio durante o registro, sugerindo que a precipitação e a dinâmica do solo acima da caverna exerce um forte controle na entrada de minerais magnéticos no sistema de cavernas Pau d\'Alho. Períodos secos como o ACM estão associados a solos menos estáveis, que resultam em maiores fluxos de minerais detríticos carreados para o sistema de cavernas, ao passo que, inversamente, os períodos frios e chuvosos como a LIA estão associados a solos cobertos pela vegetação mais densa que são mais capazes de reter minerais pedogênicos de escala micrométrica, e, assim, diminuir os fluxos de minerais detríticos para o sistema de cavernas.

[pt] O presente trabalho aborda as determinações de idades de espeleotemas e corais, usando o método de desequilíbrio da série urânio, mais especificamente, o método de deficiência de filhos daughter deficient DD, em particular o método 230Th/234U. Foram testadas diferentes metodologias empregando separação por extração cromatográfica e quantificação por espectrometria alfa e ICP-MS. Foram testados três procedimentos diferentes: separação em batelada empregando-se colunas com Tri-octil óxido de fosfina (TOPO) em silica- gel e a coluna TRU comercializada pela Eichrom(R), composta de octil-N,N,- isobutil carbamoil óxido de fosfina dissolvido em fosfato de tributila (TBP) e quantificação por espectrometria alfa; separação em batelada com os mesmos sistemas mas quantificação por ICP-MS e separação em linha (flow injection) com cartuchos de TRU e quantificação por ICP-MS. As metodologias desenvolvidas foram validadas empregando-se amostras de referência certificada, IAEA-327 (solo) tendo sido obtidas incertezas de 2% para o método empregando a separação em linha (flow injection) com cartuchos de TRU e quantificação por ICP-MS. As amostras de espeleotema analisadas foram coletadas no Carste de Lagoa Santa, MG, pelo grupo do Prof. Luis Piló (USP) e suas idades variaram de 15,2±2,2 kanos a >350 kanos. Estes valores estão na faixa dos valores encontrados na literatura para amostras de espeleotema coletadas pelo mesmo grupo na mesma região. A amostra de coral, coletada na Bacia de Campos (RJ) era da espécie Lophelia pertusa, foi subdividida segundo suas ramificações (primária, secundária e terciária) e o ramo principal foi datado em 9,4 ± 0,3 kanos. / [en] This paper discusses the age determination of speleothems and corals using Uranium-series- imbalance method, more specifically the daughter deficient method - DD, particularly the 230Th/234U method. Different methodologies were tested using chromatographic extraction separation and quantification by alpha spectrometry and ICP-MS. Three different procedures were tested: batch separation using columns with Tri-N-Octylphosphine Oxide (TOPO) in silica gel and TRU column commercialized by Eichrom(R) composed of octyl-N,N,-isobutyl carbamoylphosphine oxide dissolved in tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) and with quantification by alpha spectrometry; batch separation with the same systems, but with quantification by ICP-MS; and flow injection with TRU cartridges and qualification by ICP-MS. The methodologies developed were verified using certified reference samples, IAEA-327 (soil) with 2% imprecision rate for the method using flow injection with TRU cartridges and qualification by ICP-MS. The speleothem samples analyzed were collected at Carste de Lagoa Santa, in the state of Minas Gerais, by Prof. Luis Piló`s (USP) group, and their ages varied from 15,2±2,2 kyears to >350 kyears. These numbers are within the range found in the literature for speleothem samples collected by the same group in the same region. The coral sample, collected at Bacia de Campos (RJ), and from the Lophelia pertusa species, was subdivided according to its ramifications (primary, secondary and tertiary), and the main ramification dated 9,4 ± 0,3 kyears.

Climate north of the Atlas Mountain belt in NW Africa is dominated by extratropical disturbances. However, climatic controls to the south, where climate transitions from extratropical to tropical regimes, are poorly understood due to a paucity of both instrumental and palaeoclimate data. In this thesis past climate change between the High Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert is reconstructed using the stable isotopic composition and radiometric dating of speleothems. A high-resolution record from the mid-Holocene and a discontinuous record covering the past 400,000 years are developed. Supplemented by U-Th dating of a further four samples, these records indicate increased humidity in this area concomitant with the wider African Humid Period, and indicate a link between the West African Monsoon and humidity north of 30°N. Reconstructed glacial-interglacial scale increases in humidity overlap with "green Sahara" conditions and evidence a recurrent humid corridor connecting NW Africa and the central Sahara that is highly relevant to discussions of prehistoric human migrations. Evidence for a strong influence of high-latitude and solar forcing on decadal to millennial time- scales in this area is also presented. Further to this work, the potential of cadmium-to-calcite ratios as a novel proxy for palaeo-hydrology is confirmed using an annually-resolved trace element, stable isotope and calcite fabric dataset from a North Moroccan stalagmite. The first measurements of cadmium-to-calcite ratios in natural speleothem are here presented, and the palaeoclimatic significance and potential of this proxy for aiding the quantitative reconstruction of changes in calcite precipitation behaviour are demonstrated.

This thesis contributes to increased knowledge on Holocene climate and environmental variability from two complex and sparsely studied areas. Using a speleothem from Gasparee Cave, Trinidad, as a paleoclimate archive, the local expression of the 8.2 ka (thousand years before 1950) climate event and associated patterns of the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and rainfall is provided. Subsequent speleothem studies using multi-proxy analysis of stalagmites from Kapsia Cave and Alepotrypa Cave, Greece, provide records of climate, vegetation and human induced changes in the cave environment during parts of the Holocene. The speleothems from the well-studied Neolithic habitation site, Alepotrypa Cave, have produced a climate and habitation record which covers the period of 6.3-1.0 ka. The cave was inhabited between 8.0-5.2 ka and was closed by a tectonic event, which has preserved the settlement. The stable oxygen record shows the first well-dated and robust expression of the 4.2 ka dry event in the Peloponnese, places the timing of the 3.2 ka dry event within an ongoing dry period, and shows a final dry event at 1.6 ka. The North Atlantic as well as more regional drivers, such as the North Sea Caspian Pattern Index is proposed to, in a complex interplay, govern many of the climate trends and events observed. Trace element variation after the site is abandoned indicate what is interpreted as two volcanic eruptions, the Minoan eruption of Thera (Santorini) around 3.6 ka and the 2.7 ka eruption of Somma (Vesuvius). Variations in trace elements during the habitation period show clear human influence, indicating an association with specific cave activities. One of the most interesting prospects for continued work on Alepotrypa Cave is this successful marriage of speleothem studies and archeology. A framework of dates which constrain some behavior of people living in the cave is only the beginning, and there is great potential to continue finding new clues in the speleothem data. / Denna avhandling bidrar till ökad kunskap om klimatets variationer och miljön i två geografiskt skilda områden på låga breddgrader och under tidsperioder inom den Holocena epoken. Genom att använda en droppsten (stalagmit) från Gasparee-grottan, Trinidad, som ett paleoklimatarkiv, har det bland annat varit möjligt att visa att Trinidad upplevde torrare förhållanden under den snabba klimatförändring som observerats ske för 8200 år sedan på många platser i världen. Denna torrare klimatsituation i Trinidad föreslås vara ett resultat av en sydlig förflyttning av den intertropiska konvergenszonen. Övriga stalagmiter som studerats för denna avhandling kommer från Kapsia-grottan och Alepotrypa-grottan som finns på Peloponnesos-halvön i Grekland. Resultaten därifrån speglar dels klimat- och vegetationsvariatoner och dels graden av mänsklig aktivitet, under tiden för ca 8000 år sedan till för 1000 år sedan. Alepotrypa-grottan är känd för att vara en av de större Neolitiska boplatserna i Grekland. Isotop- och spårämnesanalyser av stalagmiterna har bidragit med ny kunskap om tidpunkten för mänsklig aktivitet, hur människorna påverkade grott-miljön samt hur klimatet varierat efter det att grottan, genom en tektonisk händelse, stängdes för människans inverkan. Snabba klimatförändringar, för 4200 och 3200 år sedan, observerade i andra regioner, rekonstrueras här för första gången på Peloponnesos. En snabb förändring mot torrare förhållanden observeras även för 1600 år sedan. De klimatstyrande processerna föreslås vara en kombination av storskaliga processer som den nordatlantiska oscillationen och mer regionala processer som det så kallade North Sea Caspian Pattern Index. Variationer i spårämnen i stalagmiterna efter att Alepotrypa-grottan stängdes kan kopplas till två vulkaniska utbrott, nämligen det Minoiska utbrottet av Thera på ön Santorini kring 3600 år sedan och utbrottet av Somma (Vesuvius) kring 2700 år sedan. Spårämnesvariationer under bo-perioden ger tydliga indikationer på människans påverkan på grottmiljön och som delvis kan länkas till specifika aktiviteter, som eldning av dynga i grottan. Avhandlingen är ett resultat av en framgångsrik kombination av klimatstudier och arkeologisk kunskap och utgör ett viktigt underlag för fördjupat interdisciplinärt forskningssamarbete i Alepotrypa-grottan. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript. Paper 6: Manuscript.</p>