scholarly journals Palynological insights into global change impacts on Arctic vegetation, fire, and pollution recorded in Central Greenland ice

The Holocene ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1189-1197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra O Brugger ◽  
Erika Gobet ◽  
Thomas Blunier ◽  
César Morales-Molino ◽  
André F Lotter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Arctic Vegetation ◽  
Ranunculus Acris

Arctic environments may respond very sensitively to ongoing global change, as observed during the past decades for Arctic vegetation. Only little is known about the broad-scale impacts of early and mid 20th-century industrialization and climate change on remote Arctic environments. Palynological analyses of Greenland ice cores may provide invaluable insights into the long-term vegetation, fire, and pollution dynamics in the Arctic region. We present the first palynological record from a Central Greenland ice core (Summit Eurocore ’89, 72°35’N, 37°38’W; the location of Greenland Ice Core Project GRIP) that provides novel high-resolution microfossil data on Arctic environments spanning AD 1730–1989. Our data suggest an expansion of birch woodlands after AD 1850 that was abruptly interrupted at the onset of the 20th century despite favorable climatic conditions. We therefore attribute this Betula woodland decline during the 20th century to anthropogenic activities such as sheep herding and wood collection in the sub-Arctic. First signs of coal burning activities around AD 1900 coincide with the onset of Arctic coal mining. The use of coal and fire activity increased steadily until AD 1989 resulting in microscopic-size pollution of the ice sheet. We conclude that human impact during the 20th century strongly affected (sub)-Arctic environments. Moreover, ecosystems have changed through the spread of adventive plant species (e.g. Ranunculus acris, Rumex) and the destruction of sparse native woodlands. We show for the first time that optical palynology allows paleoecological reconstructions in extremely remote sites >500 km from potential sources, if adequate methods are used.

scholarly journals An 800 year high-resolution black carbon ice-core record from Lomonosovfonna, Svalbard

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitri Osmont ◽  
Isabel A. Wendl ◽  
Loïc Schmidely ◽  
Michael Sigl ◽  
Carmen P. Vega ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Snow Albedo ◽  
Decadal Scale

Abstract. Produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel and biomass, black carbon (BC) contributes to Arctic warming by reducing snow albedo and thus triggering a snow-albedo feedback leading to increased snow melting. Therefore, it is of high importance to assess past BC emissions to better understand and constrain their role. However, only few long-term BC records are available from the Arctic, mainly originating from Greenland ice cores. Here, we present the first long-term and high-resolution refractory black carbon (rBC) record from Svalbard, derived from the analysis of two ice cores drilled at the Lomonosovfonna ice field in 2009 (LF-09) and 2011 (LF-11) and covering 800 years of atmospheric emissions. Our results show that rBC concentrations strongly increased from 1860 on due to anthropogenic emissions and reached two maxima, at the end of the 19th century and in the middle of the 20th century. No increase in rBC concentrations during the last decades was observed, which is corroborated by atmospheric measurements elsewhere in the Arctic but contradicts a previous study from another ice core from Svalbard. While melting may affect BC concentrations during periods of high temperatures, rBC concentrations remain well-preserved prior to the 20th century due to lower temperatures inducing little melt. Therefore, the preindustrial rBC record (before 1800), along with ammonium (NH4+), formate (HCOO−) and specific organic markers (vanillic acid (VA) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (p-HBA)), was used as a proxy for biomass burning. Despite numerous single events, no long-term trend was observed over the time period 1222–1800 for rBC and NH4+. In contrast, formate, VA and p-HBA experience multi-decadal peaks reflecting periods of enhanced biomass burning. Most of the background variations and single peak events are corroborated by other ice-core records from Greenland and Siberia. We suggest that the paleofire record from the LF ice core primarily reflects biomass burning episodes from Northern Eurasia, induced by decadal-scale climatic variations.

scholarly journals Amplified bioproductivity during Transition IV (332 000–342 000 yr ago): evidence from the geochemical record of Lake El'gygytgyn

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 5341-5358 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Cunningham ◽  
H. Vogel ◽  
V. Wennrich ◽  
O. Juschus ◽  
N. Nowaczyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biogenic Silica ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Geochemical Parameters ◽  
Lake El’Gygytgyn ◽  
Arctic Russia

Abstract. To date, terrestrial archives of long-term climatic change within the arctic region have widely been restricted to ice cores from Greenland and, more recently, sediments from Lake El'gygytgyn in Northeast Arctic Russia. Sediments from this lake contain a paleoclimate record of glacial-interglacial cycles during the last three million years. Low resolution studies at this lake have suggested that changes observed during Transition IV are of greater amplitude than any observed since. In this study, geochemical parameters are used to infer past climatic conditions thus providing the first high resolution analyses of Transition IV from a terrestrial arctic setting. These results demonstrate that a significant shift in climate was subsequently followed by a rapid increase in biogenic silica production. Following this sharp increase, bioproductivity remained high, but variable, for over a thousand years. This study reveals differences in the timing and magnitude of change within the ratio of silica to titanium (Si/Ti) and biogenic silica (BSi) records that would not be apparent in lower resolution studies. This has significant implications for the increasingly common use of Si/Ti data as an alternative to traditional BSi measurements.

scholarly journals An 800-year high-resolution black carbon ice core record from Lomonosovfonna, Svalbard

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 12777-12795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitri Osmont ◽  
Isabel A. Wendl ◽  
Loïc Schmidely ◽  
Michael Sigl ◽  
Carmen P. Vega ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Snow Albedo ◽  
Decadal Scale

Abstract. Produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuel and biomass, black carbon (BC) contributes to Arctic warming by reducing snow albedo and thus triggering a snow-albedo feedback leading to increased snowmelt. Therefore, it is of high importance to assess past BC emissions to better understand and constrain their role. However, only a few long-term BC records are available from the Arctic, mainly originating from Greenland ice cores. Here, we present the first long-term and high-resolution refractory black carbon (rBC) record from Svalbard, derived from the analysis of two ice cores drilled at the Lomonosovfonna ice field in 2009 (LF-09) and 2011 (LF-11) and covering 800 years of atmospheric emissions. Our results show that rBC concentrations strongly increased from 1860 on due to anthropogenic emissions and reached two maxima, at the end of the 19th century and in the middle of the 20th century. No increase in rBC concentrations during the last decades was observed, which is corroborated by atmospheric measurements elsewhere in the Arctic but contradicts a previous study from another ice core from Svalbard. While melting may affect BC concentrations during periods of high temperatures, rBC concentrations remain well preserved prior to the 20th century due to lower temperatures inducing little melt. Therefore, the preindustrial rBC record (before 1800), along with ammonium (NH4+), formate (HCOO−) and specific organic markers (vanillic acid, VA, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-HBA), was used as a proxy for biomass burning. Despite numerous single events, no long-term trend was observed over the time period 1222–1800 for rBC and NH4+. In contrast, formate, VA, and p-HBA experience multi-decadal peaks reflecting periods of enhanced biomass burning. Most of the background variations and single peak events are corroborated by other ice core records from Greenland and Siberia. We suggest that the paleofire record from the LF ice core primarily reflects biomass burning episodes from northern Eurasia, induced by decadal-scale climatic variations.

scholarly journals Paleocene-Eocene volcanic segmentation of the Norwegian-Greenland seaway reorganized high-latitude ocean circulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jussi Hovikoski ◽  
Michael B. W. Fyhn ◽  
Henrik Nøhr-Hansen ◽  
John R. Hopper ◽  
Steven Andrews ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
High Latitude ◽  
Seismic Reflection ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Early Eocene ◽  
Subaerial Exposure ◽  
Thermal Maximum ◽  
Volcanic Facies

AbstractThe paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic development of the Norwegian–Greenland seaway remains poorly understood, despite its importance for the oceanographic and climatic conditions of the Paleocene–Eocene greenhouse world. Here we present analyses of the sedimentological and paleontological characteristics of Paleocene–Eocene deposits (between 63 and 47 million years old) in northeast Greenland, and investigate key unconformities and volcanic facies observed through seismic reflection imaging in offshore basins. We identify Paleocene–Eocene uplift that culminated in widespread regression, volcanism, and subaerial exposure during the Ypresian. We reconstruct the paleogeography of the northeast Atlantic–Arctic region and propose that this uplift led to fragmentation of the Norwegian–Greenland seaway during this period. We suggest that the seaway became severely restricted between about 56 and 53 million years ago, effectively isolating the Arctic from the Atlantic ocean during the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum and the early Eocene.

scholarly journals High-time resolved radon-progeny measurements in the Arctic region (Svalbard Islands, Norway): results and potentialities

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Salzano ◽  
Antonello Pasini ◽  
Antonietta Ianniello ◽  
Mauro Mazzola ◽  
Rita Traversi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Atmospheric Stability ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Radon Emanation ◽  
Radon Progeny ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Scientific Challenge ◽  
The Arctic Region

Abstract. The estimation of radon progeny in the Arctic region represents a scientific challenge due to the required low limit of detection in consideration of the limited radon emanation associated with permafrost dynamics. This preliminary study highlighted, for the first time, the possibility to monitor radon progeny in the Arctic region with a higher time resolution. The composition of the radon progeny offered the opportunity to identify air masses dominated by long-range transport, in presence or not of near-constant radon progeny instead of long and short lived progenies. Furthermore, the different ratio between radon and thoron progenies evidenced the contributions of local emissions and atmospheric stability. Two different emanation periods were defined in accordance to the permafrost dynamics at the ground and several accumulation windows were recognized coherently to the meteo-climatic conditions occurring at the study site.

scholarly journals Amplified bioproductivity during Transition IV (332 000–342 000 yr ago): evidence from the geochemical record of Lake El'gygytgyn

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 679-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Cunningham ◽  
H. Vogel ◽  
V. Wennrich ◽  
O. Juschus ◽  
N. Nowaczyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sharp Increase ◽  
Biogenic Silica ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Geochemical Parameters ◽  
Lake El’Gygytgyn ◽  
Arctic Russia

Abstract. To date, terrestrial archives of long-term climatic change within the Arctic have widely been restricted to ice cores from Greenland and, more recently, sediments from Lake El'gygytgyn in northeast Arctic Russia. Sediments from this lake contain a paleoclimate record of glacial-interglacial cycles during the last three million years. Low-resolution studies at this lake have suggested that changes observed during Transition IV (the transition from marine isotope stage (MIS) 10 to MIS 9) are of greater amplitude than any observed since. In this study, geochemical parameters are used to infer past climatic conditions thus providing the first high-resolution analyses of Transition IV from a terrestrial Arctic setting. These results demonstrate that a significant shift in climate was subsequently followed by a rapid increase in biogenic silica (BSi) production. Following this sharp increase, bioproductivity remained high, but variable, for over a thousand years. This study reveals differences in the timing and magnitude of change within the ratio of silica to titanium (Si/Ti) and BSi records that would not be apparent in lower resolution studies. This has significant implications for the increasingly common use of Si/Ti data as an alternative to traditional BSi measurements.

scholarly journals The Wage System of the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen Trapping Artels in the 19th – Beginning of the 20th century

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 286-296
Author(s):  
Daniil S. Zaozerskiy
Keyword(s):  
Small Group ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
State Archive ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
Main Form ◽  
Wage System ◽  
Fixed Wage ◽  
Arctic Exploration

Introduction. The Arkhangelsk North natural and climatic conditions promoted to develop shipbuilding, fishing, hunting and other activities, for which artels were organizing. The Pomors also united in artels for profitable trapping on Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen in the 19th – beginning of the 20th century. The usage of the artel principles of labour organization can be explained by the difficult circumstances of the hunting activities. It was impossible to work by oneself or by a small group of 2–7 trappers. The studying of the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen trapping artels is necessary for further understanding of the process of the Arctic exploration by Russia in the 19th – beginning of the 20th century. The purpose of the article is to study the wage system of the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen trapping artels in the 19th – beginning of the 20th century. Materials and Methods. The materials for this article were archive sources of the Arkhangelsk oblast State archive, published sources on the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen artels and articles in the local periodicals. The historical-systematic and historical-genetic methods were used in the article. Results. During the 19th – beginning of the 20th century the principle when trappers united in artels continued to exist. The main form of the payment was to divide the catch into shares. Discussion and Conclusions. The main difference between artel trapping of people from the Arkhangelsk province districts consisted in terms of sailing to the archipelagoes and the beginning of the hunt. The decrease of number of trappers in artels determined by economic opportunities of the sponsors (the masters). Also, it was determined by decrease of the number of industry animals. Both unfixed (by shares) and fixed wage systems existed in the Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen artels. The quantity of shares exceeded the number of artel members. The master defined value of share before the beginning of the hunt. Also, he provided necessary provision and weapons for artel members with both unfixed and fixed wages. The most common way of sharing of catch meant that the master had been earning two thirds of it and the trappers had been earning the rest one third. This way of sharing was used before the beginning of the 20th century.

scholarly journals CEREBRAL ENERGY METABOLISM IN YOUNG PEOPLE DURING ADAPTATION TO THE CONDITIONS OF THE ARCTIC REGION

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-13
Author(s):  
N Anikina ◽  
A Gribanov ◽  
I Kozhevnikova ◽  
M Pankov ◽  
S Bagretsov
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Metabolism ◽  
Young People ◽  
Left Hemisphere ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Regulatory Mechanisms ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Cerebral Energy Metabolism ◽  
The Arctic Region

Aim. The article deals with determining the features of cerebral energy metabolism in young people at different stages of adaptation in the Arctic region. Materials and methods. The level of permanent brain direct current potentials (DCP) was measured in 146 young people: 93 born and permanently living in the Arctic region and 53 migrants living in new climatic conditions for the first months. The study was conducted by using a “Neuro-KM” 12-channel hardware-software complex for the topographic mapping of brain electrical activity. DCP were recorded in the unipolar leads according to the 10-20 international system. Statistical processing of the data obtained was carried out with the software package SPSS-20 for Windows. Results. In young people permanently living in the Arctic region, we revealed functional asymmetry of the brain with right-hemisphere dominance in almost all leads. In migrants living in the climatic conditions of the Arctic region for the first months, we established high values of energy consumption and partial asymmetry of cerebral energy metabolism. Conclusion. Body functioning in the usual habitat is characterized by a stereotypical set of regulatory mechanisms. During adaptation, new ways of responding to changes in the environment are formed. The dominance of the right or left hemisphere occurs depending on the type of tasks. The analysis of interhemispheric asymmetry of energy consumption performed by using the method of brain mapping allows assessing the degree of dominance. The dominance of energy consumption in the left hemisphere may indicate a possible failure of adaptation mechanisms. Positive interhemispheric gradients indicate the correct performance of CNS regulatory mechanisms during adaptation to new environmental conditions

scholarly journals Historical black carbon deposition in the Canadian High Arctic: a <i>></i>250-year long ice-core record from Devon Island

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 12345-12361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian M. Zdanowicz ◽  
Bernadette C. Proemse ◽  
Ross Edwards ◽  
Wang Feiteng ◽  
Chad M. Hogan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Carbon ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Coal Burning ◽  
Ice Cap ◽  
Devon Ice Cap ◽  
Ice Core Record

Abstract. Black carbon aerosol (BC), which is emitted from natural and anthropogenic sources (e.g., wildfires, coal burning), can contribute to magnify climate warming at high latitudes by darkening snow- and ice-covered surfaces, and subsequently lowering their albedo. Therefore, modeling the atmospheric transport and deposition of BC to the Arctic is important, and historical archives of BC accumulation in polar ice can help to validate such modeling efforts. Here we present a > 250-year ice-core record of refractory BC (rBC) deposition on Devon ice cap, Canada, spanning the years from 1735 to 1992. This is the first such record ever developed from the Canadian Arctic. The estimated mean deposition flux of rBC on Devon ice cap for 1963–1990 is 0.2 mg m−2 a−1, which is at the low end of estimates from Greenland ice cores obtained using the same analytical method ( ∼ 0.1–4 mg m−2 a−1). The Devon ice cap rBC record also differs from the Greenland records in that it shows only a modest increase in rBC deposition during the 20th century. In the Greenland records a pronounced rise in rBC is observed from the 1880s to the 1910s, which is largely attributed to midlatitude coal burning emissions. The deposition of contaminants such as sulfate and lead increased on Devon ice cap in the 20th century but no concomitant rise in rBC is recorded in the ice. Part of the difference with Greenland could be due to local factors such as melt–freeze cycles on Devon ice cap that may limit the detection sensitivity of rBC analyses in melt-impacted core samples, and wind scouring of winter snow at the coring site. Air back-trajectory analyses also suggest that Devon ice cap receives BC from more distant North American and Eurasian sources than Greenland, and aerosol mixing and removal during long-range transport over the Arctic Ocean likely masks some of the specific BC source–receptor relationships. Findings from this study suggest that there could be a large variability in BC aerosol deposition across the Arctic region arising from different transport patterns. This variability needs to be accounted for when estimating the large-scale albedo lowering effect of BC deposition on Arctic snow/ice.

Modern atmospheric monitoring using pollen analysis of ice cores: a case study from the Elbrus Western Plateau, Caucasus, Russia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vlada Batalova ◽  
Vladimir Mikhalenko ◽  
Stanislav Kutuzov ◽  
Lyudmila Shumilovskikh ◽  
Karim Shukurov
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Pollen Analysis ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
Testate Amoebae ◽  
Forest Belt ◽  
Russian Science ◽  
Flexible Tool ◽  
Atmospheric Monitoring

&lt;p&gt;The report highlights the results of first ice-core palynology studies from the Elbrus Western Plateau. The title of the highest point in Europe and the geographical location of Elbrus determine the diversity of natural conditions and, as a result, palynological spectra, which act as markers of seasonal vegetation, climate dynamics, fires and anthropogenic activities in the Mediterranean, southern European Russia, the Middle East, and North Africa.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The 24-m ice core from the Elbrus Western Plateau collected in 2017 (5115 m a.s.l., 43&lt;sup&gt;&amp;#1086;&lt;/sup&gt;20&amp;#8242;53,9&amp;#8242;&amp;#8242; N, 42&lt;sup&gt;&amp;#1086;&lt;/sup&gt;25&amp;#8242;36&amp;#8242;&amp;#8242; E) covers the period 2012-2017. Pollen analysis revealed a significant number of biological markers contained in the ice core, including pollen and spores, fungi, algae, testate amoebae, feather barbules, microcharcoal, and black carbon.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The obtained results show that taxonomic diversity and concentration of biomarkers in the ice core were determined by the seasons of the year and their inherent convective flows. Pollen assemblages are characterized by predominance of native Caucasian plant species. Among them pollen values of Picea forming the high-altitude forest belt in the Western Caucasus significantly exceed pollen frequency of Pinus growing near the upper timber line on Elbrus Mt in the Central Caucasus that suggests a westerlies of air masses and transfer of microparticles. A high abundance of non-pollen palynomorphs in pollen assemblages demonstrates a high potential for studying of human impact on mountain ecosystems. The first pollen data from the ice core evidences a promising resource of the high-altitude temperate glaciers as a flexible tool for atmospheric monitoring of microparticle transfer and fixing its seasonality and biotic relationships.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project &amp;#8470; 17-17-01270.&lt;/p&gt;

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