Reconstruction of the paleotemperature and precipitation in the Pleistocene according to the isotope composition of humus and carbonates in loess on the Russian Plain

• Published in: Eurasian soil science Vol. 41; no. 9; pp. 937 - 945
• Main Authors: Ryskov, Ya. G., Velichko, A. A., Nikolaev, V. I., Oleinik, S. A., Timireva, S. N., Nechaev, V. P., Panin, P. G., Morozova, T. D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01.09.2008; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Carbonates; Decomposing organic matter; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Genesis and Geography of Soils; Geochemistry; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Humus; Isotopes; Loess; Paleoclimate; Paleoclimate science; Plants; Pleistocene; Precipitation; Soil sciences; Temperature; EURASIAN Soil Science; Atmospheric Precipitation; Russian Plain; Soil Carbonate; Loess Plateau
• ISSN: 1064-2293; 1556-195X
• DOI: 10.1134/S1064229308090044

The isotope composition of carbon and oxygen in humus and carbonates has been studied in the Pleistocene loess and soil of the Russian Plain in order to reconstruct the paleoclimatic parameters during the time of their formation. It is established that most of the buried soils were formed upon the mean annual temperature exceeding the modern temperature by 1–2°C. The climate aridity (the portion of C4 plants in the ecosystem) varied from 0 to 25%. It is shown that the isotope composition of carbon and oxygen in the humus and carbonates may be a reliable indicator of the paleoclimate (i.e., the paleotemperature, paleoprecipitation, and aridity dynamics). An isotope procedure of culling soil samples unsuitable for paleoclimatic reconstruction is proposed.