The potential of gypsum speleothems for paleoclimatology: application to the Iberian Roman Human Period

Gázquez, F., Bauska, T. K., Comas-Bru, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7882-4996, Bassam, G., Calaforra, J.-M. and Hodell, D. A. (2020) The potential of gypsum speleothems for paleoclimatology: application to the Iberian Roman Human Period. Scientific Reports, 10 (1). 14705. ISSN 2045-2322 doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-71679-3

Abstract/Summary

Carbonate cave deposits (speleothems) have been used widely for paleoclimate reconstructions; however, few studies have examined the utility of other speleothem-forming minerals for this purpose. Here we demonstrate for the first time that stable isotopes (17O, 18O and D) of structurally-bound gypsum (CaSO4∙2H2O) hydration water (GHW) can be used to infer paleoclimate. Specifically, we used a 63 cm-long gypsum stalactite from Sima Blanca Cave to reconstruct the climate history of SE Spain from ~800 BCE to ~800 CE. The gypsum stalactite indicates wet conditions in the cave and humid climate from ~200 BCE to 100 CE, at the time of the Roman Empire apogee in Hispania. From ~100 CE to ~600 CE, evaporation in the cave increased in response to regional aridification that peaked at ~500-600 CE, roughly coinciding with the transition between the Iberian Roman Humid Period and the Migration Period. Our record agrees with most Mediterranean and Iberian paleoclimate archives, demonstrating that stable isotopes of GHW in subaerial gypsum speleothems are a useful tool for paleoclimate reconstructions.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/92360
Identification Number/DOI	10.1038/s41598-020-71679-3
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Department of Geography and Environmental Science
Publisher	Nature Publishing Group
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