Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T06:11:21.576Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Variations of Isotopic Composition of Carbon in the Karst Environment from Southern Poland, Present and Past

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Anna Pazdur ,
Tomasz Goslar ,
Mirosława Pawlyta ,
Helena Hercman  and
Michał Gradziński
Anna Pazdur
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, Silesian Technical University, Krzywoustego 2, PL-44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Tomasz Goslar
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, Silesian Technical University, Krzywoustego 2, PL-44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Mirosława Pawlyta
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, Silesian Technical University, Krzywoustego 2, PL-44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Helena Hercman
Affiliation:
Polish Academy of Science, Institute of Geological Sciences, Twarda 51/55, PL-00-818 Warszawa, Poland
Michał Gradziński
Affiliation:
Jagiellonian University, Institute of Geological Sciences, Oleandry 2a, PL-30-063 Cracow, Poland
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

We describe a comprehensive study of carbon isotopes in several karst springs and their environs in a contemporary karst environment in the region of the Cracow-Wieluñ Upland and Western Tatra Mountains, Southern Poland. We collected samples of water, plants and carbonate deposited on aquatic plants, and obtained 13C values and 14C concentrations. We also investigated a group of the youngest calcium carbonates from caves where deposition is still being observed or ceased no more than a few hundred years ago. The determination of a 14C dilution factor (q) in these carbonates allows us to determine the “true” radiocarbon ages of old speleothems from caves in the area under investigation and enables the use of old speleothems as suitable material for extending the 14C calibration time scale, the “Absolute” age having been determined by U/Th or amino acid racemization (AAR) dating methods. Measurements of δ13C and 14C concentrations were made on dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) extracted from water samples. Calculated values of q range from 0.55 to 0.68 and δ13C values range from −10% to −13% versus VPDB with mean values equal to 0.65 and −12%, respectively. Results indicate that the dissolution process of limestone bedrock is a closed system with the dominating contributor being biogenic carbon dioxide.

Isotopic composition of carbon in contemporary plants collected at the karstic springs at 3 localities is highly diverse, with different species distinctly varying in both q and δ13C values. Extremely light values of 13C (under −40%), observed in Algae and Hyloconium splendens, are correlated with 14C concentrations that are much lower than 100 pMC. Small systematic changes of isotopic composition were found in plants of the same species collected along streams at various distances from the spring. The youngest calcium carbonates from different caves show a relatively high scatter of both δ13C values and 14C concentration. The lower reservoir effect for 14C is observed in samples with higher value of δ13C, indicating equilibrium conditions in the sedimentation of carbonate. Pazdur et al. (1995b) presented 14C dating results and paleoclimatic interpretation of 170 14C analyses of 89 speleothems from 41 caves obtained through 1994. Investigations continued until early 1997, during which time a speleothem, JWi2, was dated by 14C, U/Th and AAR dating methods, and its stable isotope composition (δ13C and δ18O) analyzed in detail (reported here). Carbon isotope analyses indicate very large differences among results obtained by U/Th, AAR, and 14C dating methods.

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 41 , Issue 1 , 1999 , pp. 81 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Baker, A, Smart, PL, Ford, DC. 1993. Northwest European palaeoclimate as indicated by growth frequency variations of secondary calcite deposits. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 100:291–301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Digerfeldt, G. 1988. Reconstruction and regional correlation of Holocene lake-level fluctuations in Lake Bysjon, South Sweden. Boreas 17:165–82.Google Scholar
Eichinger, L. 1983. A contribution to the interpretation of 14C groundwater ages considering the example of a partially confined aquifer. Radiocarbon 25(2):347–56.Google Scholar
Ford, TD, Cullingford, CHD. 1976. The science of speleology. London: Academic Press. p 593, 302.Google Scholar
Ford, D, Williams, P. 1994. Karst geomorphology and hydrology. London: Chapman and Hal. p 338, 340.Google Scholar
Gascoyne, M. 1992. Palaeoclimate determination from cave calcite deposits. Quaternary Sciences Reviews 11:609–23.Google Scholar
Geyh, MA, Hennig, GJ. 1986. Multiple dating of a long flowstone profile. Radiocarbon 28(2A): 503–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geyh, MA, Schleicher, H. 1990. Absolute age determination: physical and chemical dating methods and their applications. Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag. p 162–80.Google Scholar
Goslar, T, Arnold, M, Bard, E, Kuc, T, Pazdur, MF, Ralska-Jasiewiczowa, M, Różański, K, Tisnert, N, Walanus, A, Wicik, B, Więckowski, K. 1995. High concentration of atmospheric 14C during the Younger Dryas cold episode. Nature 377: 414–7.Google Scholar
Goslar, T, Hercman, H, Lauritzen, SE, Pazdur, A. 1997. Comparison of radiocarbon and U/Th dates of speleothems. Manuscript.Google Scholar
Gradziński, M, Szulc, J, Smyk, B. 1997. Microbial agents of moonmilk calcification. In: Jeannin, PY, editor. Proceedings of the 12th international congress of speleology 1997. p 275–8.Google Scholar
Harmon, RS, Thompson, P, Schwarcz, HP, Ford, DC. 1978. Late Pleistocene palaeoclimate of North America as inferred from stable isotope studies of speleothems. Quaternary Research 9:54–70.Google Scholar
Hennig, GJ, Grun, R, Brunnacker, K. 1983. Speleothems, travertines and palaeoclimate. Quaternary Research 20:1–29.Google Scholar
Hercman, H. 1991. Reconstruction of geological environment of the Western Tatra Mts based on isotopic dating of speleothems. Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Śląskiej, Seria Matematyka-Fizyka, Z. 66. Geochronometria 8,:1–139.Google Scholar
Horvatinčić, N, Srdoč, D, Solar, J, Tvrdikova, H. 1989. Comparison of the 14C activity of groundwater and recent tufa from karst areas in Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Radiocarbon 31(3):884–92.Google Scholar
Julg, A, Lafont, R, Perinet, G. 1987. Mechanism of collagen racemization in fossil bones: application to absolute dating. Quaternary Science Reviews 6(1):25–8.Google Scholar
Keith, ML, Weber, JN. 1964. Carbon and oxygen isotope composition of selected limestones and fossils. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 28:1787–816.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Magny, M. 1992. Holocene lake-level fluctuations in Jura and the northern subalpine ranges, France. Boreas 21:319–34.Google Scholar
Magny, M. 1993. Solar influences on Holocene climatic changes illustrated by correlations between past lake-level fluctuations and atmospheric 14C record. Quaternary Research 40:1–9.Google Scholar
Marcenko, E, Srdoč, D, Golubic, S, Pezdic, J, Head, MJ. 1989. Carbon uptake in aquatic plants deduced from their natural 13C and 14C content. Radiocarbon 31(3):785–94.Google Scholar
McCoy, WD. 1987. The precision of amino acid geochronology and paleothermometry. Quaternary Science Reviews 6(1): 43–54.Google Scholar
Mook, WG. 1976. The dissolution-exchange model for dating groundwater with 14 C. Interpretation of environmental and isotope data in groundwater hydrology. Vienna: IAEA. p 213–25.Google Scholar
Mook, WG. 1980. Carbon-14 in hydrogeological studies. In: Fritz, P, Fontes, J-C, editors. Handbook of environmental isotope geochemistry, the terrestrial environment. A. Vol 1. Amsterdam: Elsevier. p 49–74.Google Scholar
Mook, WG, Bommerson, JC, Staverman, WH. 1974. Carbon isotope fractionation between dissolved bicarbonates and gaseous carbon-dioxide. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 22: 169–76.Google Scholar
Morse, JW, Mackenzie, FT. 1990. Carbonates as sedimentary rocks in subsurface processes. In: Morse, JW, Mackenzie, FT, editors. Geochemistry of sedimentary carbonates. Amsterdam: Elsevier. p 373–446.Google Scholar
Olsson, IU. 1986. Radiometric methods. In: Berglund, B, editor. Handbook of Holocene palaeoecology and palaeohydrology. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. p 273–312.Google Scholar
Pazdur, A. 1988. The relations between carbon isotope composition and apparent age of freshwater tufaceous sediments. Radiocarbon 30(1):7–18.Google Scholar
Pazdur, A, Fontugne, MR, Goslar, T, Pazdur, MF. 1995. Lateglacial and Holocene water-level changes of the Gośiąż Lake, Central Poland, derived from carbon isotopes studies of laminated sediment. Quaternary Science Reviews 14:125–35.Google Scholar
Pazdur, A, Pazdur, MF, Pawlyta, J, Górny, A, Olszewski, M. 1995b. Palaeoclimatic implications of radiocarbon dating of speleothems from the Cracow-Wieluń Upland, Southern Poland. Radiocarbon 37(2):103–10.Google Scholar
Pazdur, A, Pazdur, MF, Starkel, L, Szulc, J. 1988. Stable isotopes of the Holocene calcareous tufa from southern Poland as palaeoclimatic indicator. Quaternary Research 30:177–89.Google Scholar
Pearson, FJ Jr, Hanshaw, BB. 1970. Sources of dissolved carbonate species in groundwater and their effects on carbon-14 dating. Isotope Hydrology. Vienna: IAEA. p 271–86.Google Scholar
Pearson, FJ Jr. 1992. Effects of parameter uncertainty in modelling 14C in groundwater. In: Taylor, RE, Long, A, Kra, RS, editors. Radiocarbon after four decades: an interdisciplinary perspective. New York: Springer-Verlag. p 262–75.Google Scholar
Schwarcz, HP. 1986. Geochronology and isotope geochemistry of speleothems. In: Fritz, P, Fontes, J-C, editors. Handbook of environmental isotope geochemistry, the terrestrial environment. B. Vol 2. Amsterdam: Elsevier. p 271–304.Google Scholar
Shore, JS, Cook, GT, Dougmore, AJ. 1995. The 14C content of modern vegetation samples from the flanks of the Katla Volcano, southern Iceland. Radiocarbon 37(2):525–9.Google Scholar
Srdoč, D, Horvatinčić, N, Obelić, B, Krajcar-Bronić, I, O'Malley, P. 1986. The effects of contamination of calcareous sediments on their radiocarbon ages. Radiocarbon 28(2A):510–4.Google Scholar
Srdoč, D, Horvatinčić, N, Obelić, B, Sliepcevic, A. 1983. Radiocarbon dating of tufa in palaeoclimatic studies. Radiocarbon 25(2):421–7.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M, Polach, H. 1977. Discussion: reporting of 14C data. Radiocarbon 19(3):355–63.Google Scholar
Turi, B. 986. Stable isotope geochemistry of travertines. In: Fritz, P, Fontes, J-C, editors. Handbook of environmental isotope geochemistry, the terrestrial environment. B. Vol 2. Amsterdam: Elsevier. p 207–38.Google Scholar
Usdowski, E, Hoefs, J, Menschel, G. 1979. Relationship between 13C and 18O fractionation and changes in major element composition in a recent calcite-depositing spring: a model of chemical variations with inorganic CaCO3 precipitation. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 42:267–76.Google Scholar
Vogel, JC. 1970. Carbon-14 dating of groundwater. Isotope Hydrology. Vienna: IAEA. p 225–39.Google Scholar
Willkom, H, Erlenkeuser, H. 1973. 14C measurements on water plants and sediments of lakes. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Radiocarbon Dating, Wellington, New Zealand. p 312–23.Google Scholar