Potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in Lake Baikal, Russia

Biogenic Silica (BSi) has been one of the most important proxies for determining the palaeoclimate from Lake Baikal over glacial-interglacial cycles. Concentrations (calculated through a 1% Na2CO3 wet-alkaline digestion) at a site in the north basin, however, reveal consistently low values during MI...

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Main Authors: Swann, George E.A., Mackay, Anson W.
Format: Article
Published: Springer 2006
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2008/
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author Swann, George E.A.
Mackay, Anson W.
author_facet Swann, George E.A.
Mackay, Anson W.
author_sort Swann, George E.A.
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Biogenic Silica (BSi) has been one of the most important proxies for determining the palaeoclimate from Lake Baikal over glacial-interglacial cycles. Concentrations (calculated through a 1% Na2CO3 wet-alkaline digestion) at a site in the north basin, however, reveal consistently low values during MIS 3 compared to greater than tenfold changes in diatom concentrations and biovolumes from c. 53.3–51.5 kyr BP. With similar glacial trends present at other low sedimentation sites, we suggest that significant amounts of BSi are removed from diatoms during glacials due to a relative increase in diatom dissolution at the sediment–water interface. This contrasts with existing results from other, higher sedimentation, sites such as those within the Selenga Delta, which display a strong relationship between diatoms and BSi. Site selection is therefore essential when searching for Heinrich and other glacial millennial-scale events in Lake Baikal, and we recommend that both BSi and diatom concentrations be calculated together in future studies.
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spelling nottingham-20082020-05-04T20:30:18Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2008/ Potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in Lake Baikal, Russia Swann, George E.A. Mackay, Anson W. Biogenic Silica (BSi) has been one of the most important proxies for determining the palaeoclimate from Lake Baikal over glacial-interglacial cycles. Concentrations (calculated through a 1% Na2CO3 wet-alkaline digestion) at a site in the north basin, however, reveal consistently low values during MIS 3 compared to greater than tenfold changes in diatom concentrations and biovolumes from c. 53.3–51.5 kyr BP. With similar glacial trends present at other low sedimentation sites, we suggest that significant amounts of BSi are removed from diatoms during glacials due to a relative increase in diatom dissolution at the sediment–water interface. This contrasts with existing results from other, higher sedimentation, sites such as those within the Selenga Delta, which display a strong relationship between diatoms and BSi. Site selection is therefore essential when searching for Heinrich and other glacial millennial-scale events in Lake Baikal, and we recommend that both BSi and diatom concentrations be calculated together in future studies. Springer 2006 Article PeerReviewed Swann, George E.A. and Mackay, Anson W. (2006) Potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in Lake Baikal, Russia. Journal of Paleolimnology, 36 (1). pp. 81-89. ISSN 0921-2728 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10933-006-0005-7 doi:10.1007/s10933-006-0005-7 doi:10.1007/s10933-006-0005-7
spellingShingle Swann, George E.A.
Mackay, Anson W.
Potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in Lake Baikal, Russia
title Potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in Lake Baikal, Russia
title_full Potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in Lake Baikal, Russia
title_fullStr Potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in Lake Baikal, Russia
title_full_unstemmed Potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in Lake Baikal, Russia
title_short Potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in Lake Baikal, Russia
title_sort potential limitations of biogenic silica as an indicator of abrupt climate change in lake baikal, russia
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2008/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2008/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2008/