A major increase in winter snowfall during the middle Holocene on western Greenland caused by reduced sea ice in Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea

Thomas, Elizabeth K.; Briner, Jason P.; Ryan-Henry, John J.; Huang, Yongsong

doi:10.1002/2016gl068513

Cited by 71 publications

(122 citation statements)

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“…Thus, sediment-based lipid δD records can provide important insights into variability of both precipitation δD values and evaporative enrichment, and ultimately to local hydrological changes. To date, 10 there are only a handful of published studies using δD values of leaf waxes and algal lipids to reconstruct past hydrological changes in the Arctic (Thomas et al, 2012(Thomas et al, , 2016Balascio et al, 2013Balascio et al, , 2017Moosen et al, 2015;Keisling et al, 2017). It is notable that the paleohydrological interpretations based upon these δD records differ among the studies.…”

Section: Extracting Hydroclimatic Information From Arctic Lakesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…This reflects the fact that different lake catchments respond differently to hydrologic changes (and over different time scales), but also highlights our incomplete understanding of the biological and environmental factors that influence hydrogen isotope variability in 15 lipids. Paleohydrologic interpretations are better constrained when lipids with δD values representing lake water (e.g., those derived from algae and macrophytes) are considered together with those representing leaf water (e.g., long-chain n-alkanes and long-chain n-alkanoic acids) (Balascio et al, 2013(Balascio et al, , 2017Rach et al, 2014;Muschitiello et al, 2015;Thomas et al, 2016). Together, δD values of these compounds can be used to quantify isotopic differences between lake water and leaf water, which can reveal changes in the duration of summer ice cover (Balascio et al, 2013), seasonality of precipitation 20 (Thomas et al, 2016), or the vegetation type contributing lipids to the lake sediments (Balascio et al, 2017).…”

Section: Extracting Hydroclimatic Information From Arctic Lakesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Paleohydrologic interpretations are better constrained when lipids with δD values representing lake water (e.g., those derived from algae and macrophytes) are considered together with those representing leaf water (e.g., long-chain n-alkanes and long-chain n-alkanoic acids) (Balascio et al, 2013(Balascio et al, , 2017Rach et al, 2014;Muschitiello et al, 2015;Thomas et al, 2016). Together, δD values of these compounds can be used to quantify isotopic differences between lake water and leaf water, which can reveal changes in the duration of summer ice cover (Balascio et al, 2013), seasonality of precipitation 20 (Thomas et al, 2016), or the vegetation type contributing lipids to the lake sediments (Balascio et al, 2017). Rach et al (2017) propose an approach using paired terrestrial and aquatic lipid δD values and plant physiological models to quantitatively reconstruct relative humidity changes through time.…”

Section: Extracting Hydroclimatic Information From Arctic Lakesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Arctic hydroclimate variability during the last 2000 years – current understanding and research challenges

Linderholm¹,

Nicolle²,

Francus³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Abstract. Along with Arctic amplification, changes in Arctic hydroclimate have become increasingly apparent. Reanalysis data show increasing trends in Arctic temperature and precipitation over the 20 th century, but changes are not homogenous 30 across seasons or space. The observed hydroclimate changes are expected to continue, and possibly accelerate, in the coming century, not only affecting pan-Arctic natural ecosystems and human activities, but also lower latitudes through changes in atmospheric and oceanic circulation. However, a lack of spatiotemporal observational data makes reliable quantification of Arctic hydroclimate change difficult, especially in a long-term context. To understand hydroclimate variability and the mechanisms driving observed changes, beyond the instrumental record, climate proxies are needed. Here we bring together 35 the current understanding of Arctic hydroclimate during the past 2000 years, as inferred from natural archives and proxies and palaeoclimate model simulations. Inadequate proxy data coverage is apparent, with distinct data gaps in most of Eurasia and parts of North America, which makes robust assessments for the whole Arctic currently impossible. Hydroclimate proxies and climate models indicate that the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) was anomalously wet, while conditions Clim. Past Discuss., doi:10.5194/cp-2017Discuss., doi:10.5194/cp- -34, 2017 Manuscript under review for journal Clim. Past Discussion started: 17 March 2017 c Author(s) 2017. CC-BY 3.0 License. 2 were in general drier during the Little Ice Age (LIA), relative to the last 2000 years. However, it is clear that there are large regional differences, which are especially evident during the LIA. Due to the spatiotemporal differences in Arctic hydroclimate, we recommend detailed regional studies, e.g. including field reconstructions, to disentangle spatial patterns and potential forcing factors. At present, it is only possible to carry out regional syntheses for a few areas of the Arctic, e.g. Fennoscandia, Greenland and western North America. To fully assess pan-Arctic hydroclimate variability for the last two 5 millennia additional proxy records are required.

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Section: Extracting Hydroclimatic Information From Arctic Lakesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Extracting Hydroclimatic Information From Arctic Lakesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Extracting Hydroclimatic Information From Arctic Lakesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Arctic hydroclimate variability during the last 2000 years – current understanding and research challenges

Linderholm¹,

Nicolle²,

Francus³

et al. 2017

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…Their results show variations of up to 5.5°C since 5.6 cal. Using compound-specific D/H isotope analysis of n-alkyl leaf wax lipids, Thomas et al (2016) inferred a major increase in winter snowfall in the Disko Bugt area in West Greenland during the Middle Holocene (now Northgrippian) and Balascio et al (2013) reconstructed Holocene evaporation history in Flower Valley Lake, southeast Greenland. In another study from the same area, Colcord et al (2015) used the MBT/cyclization of branched tetraethers (CBT) palaeothermometer to reconstruct temperatures since 2.5 cal.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Holocene environmental history in high‐Arctic North Greenland revealed by a combined biomarker and macrofossil approach

Kusch

Bennike

Wagner

et al. 2019

Boreas

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Rethemeyer, J. 2019 (April): Holocene environmental history in high-Arctic North Greenland revealed by a combined biomarker and macrofossil approach. Boreas, Vol. 48, pp. 273-286. https://doi.org/10.1111/bor.12377. ISSN 0300-9483. In this study, we use a combined biomarker and macrofossil approach to reconstruct the Holocene climate history recorded in Trifna Sø, Skallingen area, eastern North Greenland. Chronological information is derived from comparison of lithological, biogeochemical and macrofossil characteristics with a well-dated record from nearby Lille Sneha Sø. Following local deglaciation around c. 8 cal. ka BP, the local peak warmth occurred between c. 7.4 and 6.2 cal. ka BP as indicated by maximum macrofossil abundances of warmth-demanding plants (Salix arctica and Dryas integrifolia) and invertebrates (Daphnia pulex and Chironomidae). Warm conditions were dominated by terrestrial organic matter (OM) sedimentation as implied by the alkane-based P aq ratio, but increased aquatic productivity is indicated when temperature was highest around 6.5 cal. ka BP. The n-C 29 /n-C 31 alkane ratio shows that vegetation in the catchment was dominated by shrubs after deglaciation, but shifted towards relatively more grassy/herbaceous vegetation during peak warmth. After 5.4 cal. ka BP, the disappearance of warmth-demanding plant and invertebrate macrofossils indicates cooling in the Skallingen area. This cooling was characterized by a significant shift towards dominance of aquatic OM sedimentation in Trifna Sø as implied by high P aq ratios. Cooling was also associated with a shift in vegetation type from dwarf-shrub heaths towards relatively more herbaceous vegetation in the catchment, stronger erosion and more oligotrophic conditions in the lake. Our data show that mean air temperatures inferred using branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) do not seem to accurately reflect the local climatic history. Irrespective of calibration, methylation of branched tetraethers (MBT) palaeothermometry cannot be reconciled with the macrofossil evidence and seems to be biased by either changing brGDGT sources (in situ vs. soil-derived) or changing species assemblages and/or an unknown physiological response to changing environmental conditions at high latitude. constraints on temperature changes. The closest terrestrial, non-ice-core record of absolute temperature change comes from Last Chance Lake in central East Greenland, approximately 1000 km farther south.

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“…Because lake water δ 18 O and δD values are stored in substances such as carbonates (e.g., von Grafenstein et al ; Anderson and Leng ) and leaf waxes (e.g., Sachse et al ; Thomas et al ), respectively, the lake water mass balance and climate conditions of the past can also be inferred by measuring the δ 18 O and δD in these substances in lake sediments. This practice has allowed reconstructing changes of various climate variables in the past, such as temperature (e.g., Stuiver ; Eicher and Siegenthaler ), and rates of evaporation (Lister et al ) and precipitation (e.g., Leng and Marshall ; Thomas et al ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of principal component analysis to extract environmental information from lake water isotopic compositions

Kopec

Feng

Posmentier

et al. 2018

Limnology & Oceanography

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Lake water hydrogen (δD) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopic ratios have been widely used to study the hydrologic cycle. In a given region, δD and δ18O values from multiple lakes are often correlated and define a local evaporation line (LEL). The slope of and extension of each lake along this line contain information of many variables with entangled effects of important lake fluxes (e.g., evaporation). We present a new method to extract regional and local (a particular lake) environmental information based on principal component analyses (PCAs) of the δD‐δ18O relationships. Water of up to 30 lakes in West Greenland was sampled every summer for 5 yr, and measured for δD and δ18O values. For a given year, PCA yields values of the first (Enrichment) and second (Deviance) principal components for each lake. In addition, we obtain the slope of the line along the first eigenvector, which is similar, but not identical, to the LEL. We refer to this line as the regional isotopic enrichment line (RIEL), and demonstrate that the RIEL slope changes interannually with the dominant atmospheric circulation patterns affecting regional humidity, specifically the North Atlantic Oscillation and frequency of sea breezes. The Deviance of a lake correlates strongly with its longitude and surface area, both of which influence local humidity and isotopic ratios of vapor. Conversely, Enrichment carries little extractable environmental information because it is controlled by many variables of competing effects. This method can be widely applied to both modern hydrological studies and paleoclimate reconstructions using lake sediments.

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A major increase in winter snowfall during the middle Holocene on western Greenland caused by reduced sea ice in Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea

Cited by 71 publications

References 35 publications

Arctic hydroclimate variability during the last 2000 years – current understanding and research challenges

Arctic hydroclimate variability during the last 2000 years – current understanding and research challenges

Holocene environmental history in high‐Arctic North Greenland revealed by a combined biomarker and macrofossil approach

Use of principal component analysis to extract environmental information from lake water isotopic compositions

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