Paleoclimate reconstruction in the Levant region from the geochemistry of a Holocene stalagmite from the Jeita cave, Lebanon

Sophie Verheyden; Fadi H. Nader; Hai J. Cheng; Lawrence R. Edwards; Rudy Swennen

doi:10.1016/j.yqres.2008.05.004

Paleoclimate reconstruction in the Levant region from the geochemistry of a Holocene stalagmite from the Jeita cave, Lebanon

Sophie Verheyden, Fadi H. Nader, Hai J. Cheng, Lawrence R. Edwards, Rudy Swennen

Earth and Environmental Sciences-Twin Cities

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

123 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dated oxygen and carbon isotopic profiles from a Holocene stalagmite (11.9-1.1 ka) from the Jeita cave, Lebanon, are compared to variations in crystallographic habit, stalagmite diameter and growth rate. The profiles show generally high δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values during the late-glacial period, low values during the early Holocene, and again high values after 5.8 ka. On the basis of the good correlation between the morphological and crystallographic aspect of the stalagmite and its isotopic records, as well as the isotopic response of speleothems from central and northern Israel, we relate high δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values to drier conditions. Between 6.5 and 5.8 ka an increase in isotopic values, a decrease in growth rate and stalagmite diameter suggest a transition from wet conditions in the early Holocene towards drier conditions in the mid-Holocene. The transition occurred in two steps, first a progressive change to drier conditions started at 6.5 ka but was interrupted by a short (∼ 100 years) return to wetter conditions, followed by an equally rapid (< 200 years) change to drier conditions.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	368-381
Number of pages	14
Journal	Quaternary Research
Volume	70
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2008.05.004
State	Published - Nov 2008

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was primarily funded by the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research (LNCSR). We thank Dr. Nabil Haddad, director of MAPAS (operator of Jeita Grotto showcave) for his continuous support and generous hospitality, B. Idriss (AUB) helped with field and lab-work, M. Ijreiss (AUB) with technical support, and A. Koumaiha and W. Nasr Jad with graphic support. Members of the Spéléo-Club du Liban also helped during the fieldwork inside the cave and providing maps and data. We thank Sami Karkabi for fruitful discussion and guidance. The authors are grateful to the comments and suggestions of S. Robinson, an anonymous referee and editor E. Steig, who have improved this contribution.

Keywords

Holocene
Jeita
Lebanon
Levant
Oxygen isotopes
Paleoclimate
Speleothems

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "Paleoclimate reconstruction in the Levant region from the geochemistry of a Holocene stalagmite from the Jeita cave, Lebanon",

abstract = "Dated oxygen and carbon isotopic profiles from a Holocene stalagmite (11.9-1.1 ka) from the Jeita cave, Lebanon, are compared to variations in crystallographic habit, stalagmite diameter and growth rate. The profiles show generally high δ18O and δ13C values during the late-glacial period, low values during the early Holocene, and again high values after 5.8 ka. On the basis of the good correlation between the morphological and crystallographic aspect of the stalagmite and its isotopic records, as well as the isotopic response of speleothems from central and northern Israel, we relate high δ18O and δ13C values to drier conditions. Between 6.5 and 5.8 ka an increase in isotopic values, a decrease in growth rate and stalagmite diameter suggest a transition from wet conditions in the early Holocene towards drier conditions in the mid-Holocene. The transition occurred in two steps, first a progressive change to drier conditions started at 6.5 ka but was interrupted by a short (∼ 100 years) return to wetter conditions, followed by an equally rapid (< 200 years) change to drier conditions.",

keywords = "Holocene, Jeita, Lebanon, Levant, Oxygen isotopes, Paleoclimate, Speleothems",

author = "Sophie Verheyden and Nader, {Fadi H.} and Cheng, {Hai J.} and Edwards, {Lawrence R.} and Rudy Swennen",

note = "Funding Information: This research was primarily funded by the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research (LNCSR). We thank Dr. Nabil Haddad, director of MAPAS (operator of Jeita Grotto showcave) for his continuous support and generous hospitality, B. Idriss (AUB) helped with field and lab-work, M. Ijreiss (AUB) with technical support, and A. Koumaiha and W. Nasr Jad with graphic support. Members of the Sp{\'e}l{\'e}o-Club du Liban also helped during the fieldwork inside the cave and providing maps and data. We thank Sami Karkabi for fruitful discussion and guidance. The authors are grateful to the comments and suggestions of S. Robinson, an anonymous referee and editor E. Steig, who have improved this contribution. ",

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AU - Edwards, Lawrence R.

AU - Swennen, Rudy

N1 - Funding Information: This research was primarily funded by the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research (LNCSR). We thank Dr. Nabil Haddad, director of MAPAS (operator of Jeita Grotto showcave) for his continuous support and generous hospitality, B. Idriss (AUB) helped with field and lab-work, M. Ijreiss (AUB) with technical support, and A. Koumaiha and W. Nasr Jad with graphic support. Members of the Spéléo-Club du Liban also helped during the fieldwork inside the cave and providing maps and data. We thank Sami Karkabi for fruitful discussion and guidance. The authors are grateful to the comments and suggestions of S. Robinson, an anonymous referee and editor E. Steig, who have improved this contribution.

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AB - Dated oxygen and carbon isotopic profiles from a Holocene stalagmite (11.9-1.1 ka) from the Jeita cave, Lebanon, are compared to variations in crystallographic habit, stalagmite diameter and growth rate. The profiles show generally high δ18O and δ13C values during the late-glacial period, low values during the early Holocene, and again high values after 5.8 ka. On the basis of the good correlation between the morphological and crystallographic aspect of the stalagmite and its isotopic records, as well as the isotopic response of speleothems from central and northern Israel, we relate high δ18O and δ13C values to drier conditions. Between 6.5 and 5.8 ka an increase in isotopic values, a decrease in growth rate and stalagmite diameter suggest a transition from wet conditions in the early Holocene towards drier conditions in the mid-Holocene. The transition occurred in two steps, first a progressive change to drier conditions started at 6.5 ka but was interrupted by a short (∼ 100 years) return to wetter conditions, followed by an equally rapid (< 200 years) change to drier conditions.

KW - Holocene

KW - Jeita

KW - Lebanon

KW - Levant

KW - Oxygen isotopes

KW - Paleoclimate

KW - Speleothems

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SN - 0033-5894

VL - 70

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JO - Quaternary Research

JF - Quaternary Research

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ER -

Paleoclimate reconstruction in the Levant region from the geochemistry of a Holocene stalagmite from the Jeita cave, Lebanon

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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