Termination of Little Ice Age in Northeastern Anatolia, A multi-proxy paleolimnology study of undisturbed sediments, Lake Aygır (Kars, NE Anatolia)

Abstract

Sedimentary, geochemical and stable isotope analyses of a sediment core (core AY) recovered from Lake Aygır (NE Anatolia) provide evidence of the climatic shifts during the last ~500 yrs. Sediments in Lake Aygır are composed of silty clay with a modeled ~0.16 cm/yr sedimentation rate. Multi-proxy analyses of the downcore distribution of detritally-deposited proxy elements, total calcium carbonate, organic carbon and stable isotopes reveal climatic records of the Industrial Epoch (IE; 18th-19th centuries) and the termination of the Little Ice Age (LIA; AD 1350 to 1850), represented by fluctuating Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Ca, Sr and relatively low detrital precursors (Fe, Ti, K, Rb, Zr), indicating low chemical weathering and dry conditions. The upper part of the core (192 cal yrs BP to present), identified with high detrital input, contains an increasing trend of Fe, Ti, K, Rb, and Zr together with high δ 18 O and δ 13 C values, indicating warmer conditions during the IE.