Paleoclimate reconstruction by oxygen isotope analysis of sedimentary cellulose

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25610146
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Geology
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: YAMAMOTO Masanobu 北海道大学, 地球環境科学研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60332475)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SEKI Osamu 北海道大学, 低温科学研究所, 准教授 (30374648)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: セルロース / 酸素同位体 / 降水 / 泥炭 / 気候変動 / 完新世

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We established the method of oxygen isotope analysis for cellulose in plant remains in peats. We isolated different plant remains in each sample, degrade lignin, and measured oxygen isotopes of extracted cellulose. The oxygen isotopic ratio of Sphagnum cellulose shifts lighter from 3000 to 2000 years ago, suggesting changes in rain oxygen isotopes. The difference between Sphagnum and plan remains were maximum at 2000 years ago, suggesting minimum in relative humidity. These results are consistent with environmental changes reconstructed from pollen assemblages.

Free Research Field

古気候学