Browsing by Author "Frisia, S"
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- ItemAssessment of climatic influences on 14C activity in a Holocene stalagmite from Flores, Indonesia(University of Newcastle, 2010-06-30) Griffiths, ML; Drysdale, RN; Hua, Q; Hellstrom, JC; Frisia, S; Gagan, MK; Zhao, JX; Ayliffe, LKIn the last decade, a number of speleothem studies have used radiocarbon dating to address a range of paleoclimate problems. These have included the use of the bomb pulse to anchor chronologies over the last 60 years (Mattey et al 2008), the combining of U-series and radiocarbon measurements to improve the radiocarbon calibration curve (Beck et al. 2001), and linking atmospheric radiocarbon variations with climate changes (McDermott et al. 2008). Central to a number of these studies is how to constrain, or interpret variations in, the amount of radioactively dead carbon (i.e. the dead carbon fraction, or DCF) that contributes to a speleothem radiocarbon measurement. In this study, we use radiocarbon measurements, stable isotope and trace element geochemistry, and U-series ages to examine DCH variations between 2.4 and 2.8 ka in a previously studied (Griffiths et al. 2009; 2010) speleothem from Liang Luar, Flores, Indonesia.
- ItemComparing the stability and chemistry of soil organic carbon protected via pyrogenesis, aggregation and mineral-association(International Union of Soil Science, 2014-06-23) Hobley, E; Willgoose, GR; Frisia, S; Jacobsen, GEWe investigated the influence of soil texture and mineralogy on soil organic carbon (SOC) stability in two native soils of different texture and mineralogy from the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia. To do this, a heavy-textured (clayey) soil and coarse-textured (sandy) soil were sampled at various depths to bedrock. The bulk samples were then fractionated into different particle-sizes and SOC content and stability measured using elemental analysis and radiocarbon analysis. Diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier Transform spectroscopy was applied to infer molecular chemistry and variability in the soils, and investigate to SOC chemical structures associated with shifts in radiocarbon content of the soils. In both soils, the highest SOC content was found in the finest fraction, indicating that particle-size is a dominant control on SOC retention, independent of soil texture. In contrast, the mechanisms of SOC stabilization varied between the two soils, which we attribute to the differences in mineralogy and texture. In the coarse-textured soil, the chemical recalcitrance of charcoal was found to be the dominant stabilization mechanism in most of the soil profile, and the chemical recalcitrance of other aromatic structures may have contributed to SOC stability in subsoils. In the clayey soil, the most important stabilization mechanism throughout the soil profile was aggregation, which was centuries older than the mineral-associated organic matter in the soil. SOC was highly correlated with radiocarbon content and depth in both soils, so that SOC turnover may be limited by substrate availability at depths near bedrock in the soils. Comparing the radiocarbon ages of the two soils, the most stable carbon was (1) C stored in charcoal, followed by (2) C occluded within aggregates consisting of highly-charged clay minerals, (3) C associated with highly-charged clay minerals and Fe/Mn oxides, and (4) C associated with lowly-charged silicates or sandy aggregates. Our results indicate that there is a disconnect between SOC storage and SOC stability. Our findings have implications for SOC sequestration schemes, namely that trade-offs exist between enhancing SOC storage and enhancing SOC stability, and that texture and mineralogy should be considered when tailoring these schemes within an ecosystem.
- ItemEnvironmental and site factors controlling the vertical distribution and radiocarbon ages of organic carbon in a sandy soil(Springer, 2013-04-16) Hobley, E; Willgoose, G; Frisia, S; Jacobsen, GESoil organic carbon (SOC) content and radiocarbon concentration were measured in three particle-size fractions and charcoal fragments at four depths to bedrock in a sandy soil from SE Australia. SOC content declined with depth for all fractions. The enrichment factors of SOC showed that the finest particles are most important for SOC storage throughout the soil profile, and their importance for SOC storage increased with depth. In the topsoil, all particle-size fractions contained modern SOC. In contrast, charcoal from this depth gave radiocarbon ages of 85–165 years Before Present (BP). This difference was more pronounced at 30–60 cm, where the charcoal was dated at 2,540 years BP, over 12 times as old as the youngest fraction at that depth. These results confirm charcoal as a highly stable form of SOC. The radiocarbon data in the topsoil and near bedrock indicate that neither microaggregation nor mineral association is important for SOC stability in this soil. At intermediate sampling depths, the mid-sized fraction was the oldest. We believe that this is the result of charcoal accumulation in this fraction, inducing a shift in radiocarbon age. However, near bedrock (100–120 cm), radiocarbon concentration did not differ significantly between fractions, despite greater SOC retention in smaller fractions. In addition, radiocarbon ages at 100–120 cm indicate that charcoal is not present at this depth. We propose that environmental and soil conditions (substrate limitation, water and oxygen availability, and temperature) are responsible for the stabilization of SOC at this depth, where SOC concentrations were very low (0.1–0.3 %). Our results demonstrate that, although fine particles retain more SOC than coarse ones, they do not stabilize SOC in this sandy soil. Instead, environmental (bushfires and climate) and site factors (soil texture and soil mineralogy) control the distribution and stability of SOC throughout the soil profile. © 2013, Springer-Verlag.
- ItemEstablishing robust chronologies for two young stalagmites from the tropical south Pacific using radiocarbon(Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, 2021-11-17) Faraji, M; Hua, Q; Borsato, A; Frisia, SIn the last couple of decades, speleothems have provided terrestrial paleoclimate reconstructions covering almost all latitudes and a with temporal resolutions varying from seasonal to millennial scales. The most important property of speleothems is their capability to be dated via radiometric methods. The most commonly used dating method is based on U-series disequilibrium. When this method is not applicable, for example, because of multiple sources of 230Th, robust chronologies can be acquired via integrating the counting of annual physical and chemical laminae in two dimensional maps. This approach may also entail uncertainties related to the exact age of the youngest parts of the speleothem, commonly assumed to be actively growing at the time of removal. An alternative/complementary method for obtaining accurate age models and/or further constrain the age of speleothems that grew in the last circa 100 years is using the radiocarbon “bomb-pulse”. However, when comparing the radiocarbon age of speleothems with other contemporaneous terrestrial samples which absorb carbon from atmospheric CO2, speleothems show older than expected ages. That is due to the contribution of ‘radioactively dead’ carbon, known as Dead Carbon Fraction (DCF), derived from 14C-depleted material from bedrock and aged soil organic matter. Yet, a thorough understanding of DCF variations in speleothems potentially generates reliable chronologies. Relatively young Tropical Pacific stalagmites are commonly difficult to date with the U-series, and radiocarbon is, potentially, the best dating method. We studied stalagmites Pu17 and Nu16, retrieved from Pouatea and Nurau caves in Atiu, the second largest island from the southern group of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. Both were studied with the aim to construct robust radiocarbon chronologies and attain information about the hydrogeology of the caves. These caves are expected to provide an excellent opportunity for radiocarbon dating because the rock burden above caves is thin (4 to 8 m), characterized by high porosity, and a limited and patchy soil cover is. This ensures rapid transmission of surface climate parameters into the cave. Rapid transmission of rain signal into the cave reduces the interaction between rainwater and bedrock, thus, minimizing the contribution of bedrock-derived dead carbon, which is crucial for constructing accurate and robust chronologies. Forty samples from the top portions of Pu17 and Nu16 were analysed for 14C using the VEGA AMS Facility at ANSTO. By modelling the soil carbon pools, we evaluated the age distribution of soil carbon above the cave. Results indicate a young epikarst carbon pool (younger than 22 years) for both Pu17 and Nu16, which translates into less than 4% DCF contribution. Radiocarbon chronologies of the two stalagmites show a sharp and relatively early bomb peak at ca. 1970 CE. The radiocarbon bomb-pulse allows to anchor chemical lamina counting and obtain accurate chronologies for modern speleothem and thus obtain robust paleorainfall records for the climate vulnerable south Pacific Island communities. © The Authors
- ItemEvidence for Holocene changes in Australian-Indonesian monsoon rainfall from stalagmite trace element and stable isotope ratios(Elsevier, 2010-03-15) Griffiths, ML; Drysdale, RN; Gagan, MK; Frisia, S; Zhao, JX; Ayliffe, LK; Hantoro, WS; Hellstrom, JC; Fischer, MJ; Feng, YX; Suwargadi, BWTrace element and stable isotope ratios from an active stalagmite (LR06-B1) recovered from Liang Luar Cave on the island of Flores (eastern Indonesia) are used to reconstruct the position of the austral summer inter-tropical convergence zone and Australian-Indonesian summer monsoon variability during the Holocene. Uranium-series dating of the stalagmite shows that it commenced growth 12,640 years ago , with hiatuses spanning 8,560 to 6,420 and 3,670 to 2,780 years ago. Stalagmite Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios correlate significantly with one another, and with δ18O and δ13C, throughout the record. This suggests that the Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios are dominated by prior calcite precipitation, a process whereby degassing in the vadose zone during periods of low recharge causes deposition of calcite and disproportionate loss of Ca2+ ions (relative to Mg2+ and Sr2+) ‘upstream’ of the stalagmite. The degree of initial 234U/238U disequilibrium also appears to have been controlled by recharge to the overlying aquifer. Together with the Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and δ18O values, the initial uranium isotope activity ratios ([234U/238U]I) imply a generally drier early Holocene, coincident with a lower sea level and lower Southern Hemisphere summer insolation. Comparison of speleothem δ18O time-series from Flores and Borneo shows that they vary in unison for much of the Holocene. However, there is a significant decrease in the Borneo δ18O record ~6,000 to 4,000 years ago that does not occur in the Flores record. This anomaly may be related to a change in the Australian-Indonesian summer monsoon circulation in response to a protracted positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole. Under this scenario, stronger upwelling off of western Indonesia would, based on present-day effects, result in reduced summer convective activity over Flores and a subsequent northward shift of the intertropical convergence zone. © 2010, Elsevier Ltd.
- ItemExploring the dating of “dirty” speleothems and cave sinters using radiocarbon dating of preserved organic matter(Elsevier, 2017-04) Blyth, AJ; Hua, Q; Smith, AM; Frisia, S; Borsato, A; Hellstrom, JCSpeleothems and other carbonate deposits such as tufa containing high proportions of detrital material can be difficult to chemically date due to detrital thorium levels causing a high level of error in conventional U-Th disequilibrium dating. Here we investigate the use of an alternative technique centring on radiocarbon dating of organic matter preserved within the detrital fraction. Non-acid soluble humic, particulate and detritally absorbed organic matter was recovered from eight samples from a flowstone sinter formed within a roman aqueduct at Trento in Italy with a maximum age of 100 CE (1850 cal yr BP), and two repeat samples from a dripstone formed within the 20th Century on a wire fence at Lilly-Pilly Cave, Buchan Caves Reserve in Victoria, Australia. In the aqueduct samples the median calibrated 14C ages ranged from 2232 to 2889 cal yr BP, with 95.4% probability age range in the youngest and oldest samples of 2153–2337 and 2342–3449 cal yr BP respectively. The median age of the more modern dripstone was 336 cal yr BP, with a 95.4% probability age range of 148–486 cal yr BP. These results provide very approximate ball-park estimates of the age of the sample, but are consistently too old when compared to the known maximum ages of formation. It is hypothesised that this offset is due to a combination of the nature of the organic carbon transported from the source organic matter pools, and reworking of both modern and old organic carbon by in situ microbial communities. ©2017 Elsevier B.V
- ItemFast high-resolution synchrotron micro-XRF mapping of annually laminated stalagmites(Copernicus GmbH, 2019-04-11) Borsato, A; Frisia, S; Hellstrom, JC; Treble, PC; Johnson, K; Howard, DL; Greig, AAnnual lamination in trace elements content allows to improve speleothem chronology as well as to extract paleoclimate information about fluctuations of the seasonal signal through time. Given the relatively slow growth and textural heterogeneity intrinsic in most speleothems, only high-resolution mapping techniques provide a viable approach to resolve trace elements variability at annual to sub-annual scale. Synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence microscopy (SR-μXRF) is, to date, the ideal technique as it provides quantitative, non-destructive fast scanning of large samples at the necessary high spatial resolution (0.5 – 5 μm). Here we present SR-μXRF investigation of U/Th dated stalagmites from caves in different geographic and climate setting including semi-arid (Flinders Ranges, South Australia), temperate (Central Italy) and tropical humid (Cook Islands, Northern Laos) climates. SR-μXRF analyses were coupled with high-resolution petrographic observation and LA-ICP-MS elemental analyses in order to verify the XRF elemental quantification and to test the relationship between fabric and trace element incorporation. All the analysed stalagmites revealed faint to sharp annual lamination in Sr, and, occasionally, in other elements such as Br, Cu and Zn. In climate setting characterised by strong seasonal contrast stalagmites often exhibit fabric changes at annual to centennial scale that are reflected in the internal porosity as well as in the incorporation of trace elements. Fabric control and spatial heterogeneity is also evident in the intensity of the annual cycles and, in some cases, the amplitude of Sr cycles vary considerably from one line scan to the adjacent ones. This poses the question of the significance and reproducibility of trace element analyses in speleothems characterised by fabric heterogeneity. © Author(s) 2019. CC Attribution 4.0 license.
- ItemFire-induced shifts in stalagmite organic matter mapped using synchrotron infrared microspectroscopy(Elsevier, 2024-09) McDonough, LK; Campbell, M; Treble, PC; Marjo, CE; Frisia, S; Vongsvivut, JP; Klein, AR; Kovacs-Kis, V; Baker, AAUnderstanding organic matter (OM) in cave mineral deposits (speleothems) is essential for interpreting land use and climatic changes, and the incorporation of trace elements associated with organic compounds. However, the sources and composition of OM in speleothems are poorly understood due to challenges associated with measuring OM at low concentrations and the destructive nature of most speleothem OM analysis techniques. Synchrotron Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy is a promising non-destructive technique that can be used to investigate stalagmite OM composition. We use FTIR to analyse vegetation, soil, calcium carbonate and ash end-members and demonstrate the use of Synchrotron infrared microspectroscopy (IRM) mapping to detect temporal changes in the OM composition of a stalagmite from a shallow cave in south-west Western Australia. Our analysis reveals predominant FTIR peaks in the stalagmite linked to amides and CH2 groups, suggesting potential microbial contributions, with smaller proportions of aromatic, CH3 and Cdouble bondO groups. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed that this OM is likely hosted in sets of nanopores spaced hundreds of nanometers apart, aligned along calcite crystallographic orientations. Furthermore, we assess the impact of known wildfire events as discrete short term environmental changes on the stalagmite’s OM composition. The temporal variability in OM functional group composition after fires implies complex fire-soil-vegetation-microbial interactions. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of Synchrotron IRM mapping in providing insights into the short and long-term environmental influences on stalagmite OM composition. Expanding this research to other regions and climates could further enhance the interpretation of OM changes in speleothem-based palaeoclimate reconstructions. © Crown Copyright © 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- ItemIncreasing Australian-Indonesian monsoon rainfall linked to early Holocene sea-level rise.(Nature Publishing Group, 2009-09) Griffiths, ML; Drysdale, RN; Gagan, MK; Zhao, JX; Ayliffe, LK; Hellstrom, JC; Hantoro, WS; Frisia, S; Feng, YX; Cartwright, I; Pierre, ES; Fischer, MJ; Suwargadi, BWThe Australian-Indonesian summer monsoon affects rainfall variability and hence terrestrial productivity in the densely populated tropical Indo-Pacific region. It has been proposed that the main control of summer monsoon precipitation on millennial timescales is local insolation(1-3), but unravelling the mechanisms that have influenced monsoon variability and teleconnections has proven difficult, owing to the lack of high-resolution records of past monsoon behaviour. Here we present a precisely dated reconstruction of monsoon rainfall over the past 12,000 years, based on oxygen isotope measurements from two stalagmites collected in southeast Indonesia. We show that the summer monsoon precipitation increased during the Younger Dryas cooling event, when Atlantic meridional overturning circulation was relatively weak(4). Monsoon precipitation intensified even more rapidly from 11,000 to 7,000 years ago, when the Indonesian continental shelf was flooded by global sea-level rise(5-7). We suggest that the intensification during the Younger Dryas cooling was caused by enhanced winter monsoon outflow from Asia and a related southward migration of the intertropical convergence zone(8). However, the early Holocene intensification of monsoon precipitation was driven by sea-level rise, which increased the supply of moisture to the Indonesian archipelago. © 2009, Nature Publishing Group.
- ItemAn investigation of the climatic influences on 14C activity in a Holocene stalagmite from Flores, Indonesia(18th INQUA Congress, 2011-07-21) Griffiths, ML; Drysdale, RN; Hua, Q; Hellstrom, JC; Frisia, S; Gagan, MK; Zhao, JX; Fischer, MJ; Ayliffe, LKOver the past decade, a number of speleothem studies have used radiocarbon dating to address a range of palaeoclimate problems. These have included the use of the bomb pulse to anchor chronologies over the last 60 years, the combining of U-series and radiocarbon measurements to improve the radiocarbon calibration curve, and linking atmospheric radiocarbon variations with climate changes. Central to a number of these studies is how to constrain, or interpret variations in, the amount of radioactively dead carbon (i.e. the dead carbon fraction, or DCF) that contributes to a speleothem radiocarbon measurement. In this study, we use radiocarbon measurements, stable-isotope and trace-element geochemistry, and U-series ages from a previously studied speleothem from Flores, Indonesia, to examine DCF variations and its relationship with above-cave climate over the late-Holocene to modern interval. A strong association between the DCF and other hydrologically controlled proxy data clearly shows that more dead carbon is being delivered to the speleothem during periods of higher cave recharge (i.e. lower ?18O, ?13C and Mg/Ca values) and hence a stronger summer monsoon. One possible explanation is a higher contribution from the bedrock under such conditions. Although one might expect a concurrent increase in stable carbon isotope values as DCF increases (not observed here), it is possible that such an increase in ?13C may be more than offset by the effect of increased recharge on the rate of carbon dioxide degassing. But, a higher proportion of bedrock carbon is not the only possible explanation: when the monsoon is stronger, a greater proportion of less mobile ‘older carbon’ may be leached from the soil thus diluting the ‘younger carbon’ fraction. This would produce an ‘apparent’ increase in DCF. Copyright (c) 2011 INQUA 18
- ItemPast fires and post-fire impacts reconstructed from a southwest Australian stalagmite(Australasian Quaternary Association (AQUA), 2021-07-09) McDonough, LK; Treble, PC; Baker, AA; Borsato, A; Frisia, S; Nagra, G; Coleborn, K; Gagan, MK; Fakra, SC; Paterson, DJStalagmites provide records of past changes in climate, vegetation, and surface events, with cave dripwaters shown to respond to fires. It is, therefore, most likely that these cave mineral deposits capture the environmental effects of palaeo-wildfires in their chemical and physical properties, as well as the climate conditions antecedent to palaeo-fire events. We analysed multiple proxies in stalagmite (YD-S2) from a shallow cave in south-west Western Australia. Principal Component Analysis revealed that short term peaks in combinations of phosphorus, copper, aluminium, lead and zinc in the stalagmite correspond to the timing of documented fire events occurring in the modern portion of the record. One particularly significant fire event is identified at 1897 ± 5 CE and shows a clear peak in P interpreted to be derived from ash, and a peak in 𝛿18O interpreted to indicate evaporation of sub-surface water during the heat of the fire. A post-fire threshold rise in organic matter content and a shift in calcite fabric associated with higher and more variable drip rates are consistent with a post-fire changes in surface-cave hydrology resulting from heat-induced deformation of the shallow karst bedrock brought about by the intensity of this fire. The combination of climate and fire sensitive proxies in YD-S2 indicates that the 1897 ± 5 CE wildfire was preceded by a multi-decadal dry period. We also identify lower and less variable peak phosphorus concentrations in the pre-European period that are consistent with low-intensity cultural burning by Indigenous Australians. The YD-S2 record shows the potential of stalagmites in capturing the climate-fire relationship and the effects of land-management practices on wildfire frequency and intensity.
- ItemPast fires and post-fire impacts reconstructed from a southwest Australian stalagmite(American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2021-12-17) McDonough, LK; Treble, PC; Baker, AA; Borsato, A; Frisia, S; Campbell, M; Nagra, G; Coleborn, K; Gagan, MK; Paterson, DJStalagmites provide records of past changes in climate, vegetation, and surface events, with cave dripwaters shown to respond to fires. It is, therefore, most likely that these cave mineral deposits capture the environmental effects of palaeo-wildfires in their chemical and physical properties, as well as the climate conditions antecedent to palaeo-fire events. We analysed multiple proxies in stalagmite (YD-S2) from a shallow cave in south-west Western Australia. Principal Component Analysis revealed that short term peaks in combinations of phosphorus, copper, aluminium, lead and zinc in the stalagmite correspond to the timing of documented fire events occurring in the modern portion of the record. One particularly significant fire event is identified at 1897 ± 5 CE and shows a clear peak in P interpreted to be derived from ash, and a peak in 𝛿18O interpreted to indicate evaporation of sub-surface water during the heat of the fire. A post-fire threshold rise in organic matter content and a shift in calcite fabric associated with higher and more variable drip rates are consistent with a post-fire changes in surface-cave hydrology resulting from heat-induced deformation of the shallow karst bedrock brought about by the intensity of this fire. The combination of climate and fire sensitive proxies in YD-S2 indicates that the 1897 ± 5 CE wildfire was preceded by a multi-decadal dry period. We also identify lower and less variable peak phosphorus concentrations in the pre-European period that are consistent with low-intensity cultural burning by Indigenous Australians. The YD-S2 record shows the potential of stalagmites in capturing the climate-fire relationship and the effects of land-management practices on wildfire frequency and intensity. Plain-language Summary Fires have the potential to be recorded in stalagmites as pulses of ash-derived elements that leach intro dripwater above the cave. These ash-derived elements can then be incorporated into stalagmites as they grow. We analysed a stalagmite from a shallow cave in south-west Western Australia which revealed increases in phosphorus and metals including copper, lead, aluminium and zinc during years when fires are documented to have occurred over the cave. We use peaks in these elements to extend the fire record back to the 1760’s and identify a particularly large fire event in 1897 ± 5. This fire event was intense enough to cause not only an increase in ash-derived elements, but also an increase in the transmission of rainfall between the surface and the cave due to fracturing of the limestone as a result of intense heating and cooling. This event occurred at the end of a known drought period and was likely enhanced by the dry conditions. We also identify evidence for lower-intensity cultural burning by Indigenous Australians in the pre-European period compared to the post-European period, suggesting that changes in land management may also be recorded in stalagmites.
- ItemPost-glacial coupling of the Australasian monsoon and teleconnections to the North Atlantic: new insights from Indonesian speleothems(GNS Science, 2009-05-15) Griffiths, ML; Drysdale, RN; Gagan, MK; Zhao, JK; Ayliffe, LK; Hellstrom, JC; Hantoro, WS; Frisia, S; Feng, YX; Cartwright, I; St Pierre, E; Fisher, M; Suwargadi, BThe Australasian monsoon system orchestrates rainfall variability and terrestrial productivity in the densely populated region of the tropical Indo-Pacific. A clear understanding of the dominant mechanisms governing its variability has been difficult to resolve, partly because we currently lack high-resolution proxy records of past monsoon behaviour, particularly for the southern tropics. Here we provide a radiometrically dated reconstruction of Australian-Indonesian summer monsoon (AISM) rainfall based on oxygen isotopes and trace element data in stalagmites from southern Indonesia. The multi-proxy records are tied to age-depth models constructed from 62 TIMS and MC-ICP-MS U-series ages, covering the period 0 to 12.6 ka B.P. The record shows that the AISM was anti-phased with the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) on orbital to millennial-centennial timescales over the past 12.6 ka. At the orbital-scale, local summer insolation was an important driver of opposing changes in AISM and EASM rainfall. However, a slight mismatch between the AISM and insolation from 9 to 11 ka B.P. is concurrent with the sharp rise in eustatic sealevel, which apparently increased the supply of northwesterly summer monsoon moisture to the Indonesian maritime continents. At millennial-centennial timescales, the oxygen isotope and trace element records show that periods of weakened North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and cooling, including the Younger Dryas cold stage, are in phase with sharp increases in AISM rainfall. The connection between the AISM and a cooler North Atlantic is probably due to enhanced outflow from the Asian winter monsoon and associated southward migration of the intertropical convergence zone. These interhemispheric connections were dominant until ~6.5 ka, when the El Niño-Southern Oscillation became the governing influence on AISM variability.
- ItemRecharge variability in Australia's southeast alpine region derived from cave monitoring and modern stalagmite δ18O records(Elsevier, 2022-11-01) Tadros, CV; Markowska, M; Treble, PC; Baker, AA; Frisia, S; Adler, L.; Drysdale, RNOxygen isotopic (δ18O) variations in stalagmite records have the potential to provide new insights about past climates beyond the instrumental record. This paper presents the first high-resolution oxygen isotope time series of three coeval stalagmite records from the alpine region of south-eastern Australia covering the period 1922–2006 CE. We use extended surface and cave monitoring datasets, petrographic investigation, modelled recharge time series and farmed calcite precipitates to assess the controls on speleothem δ18O and investigate the coherence between three records from Harrie Wood Cave. The drip water response to recent interannual rainfall variability shows that cave drip water Cl−, δ18O and drip rate display a clear response to an increase in rainfall recharge. It is demonstrated that stalagmites from the same drip sites also record variability in interannual recharge, where an increase in δ18O values is observed with lower recharge, while a decrease in δ18O values correspond to higher recharge amounts. The three stalagmite δ18O records are in broad agreement, showing common responses to relatively higher recharge between 1945 and 1995 CE and the low recharge periods between 1937 and 1945 CE (World War II drought) and late 1996 to 2006 CE (beginning of the Millennium Drought). However, differences in the magnitude of the relative response of each stalagmite δ18O record varies. Based on evidence from our cave monitoring study and farmed calcites, we conclude that the differences between the three stalagmite records is attributed to variability in the contribution of preferential flows during recharge events and the store reservoir volume supplying the drip site. When the δ18O decreases in response to enhanced recharge, the speleothem δ13C also decreases, and this is interpreted to reflect a soil respiration response to changes in soil moisture availability due to recharge. Hence, stalagmite δ18O from the Australian alpine region can be applied to reconstruct periods of relatively higher and lower rainfall recharge and thus extend our knowledge of the timing and relative magnitude of droughts as well as past periods of higher recharge in this region. Crown Copyright © 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
- ItemStability and storage of soil organic carbon in a heavy-textured Karst soil from south-eastern Australia(CSIRO publishing, 2014-05-09) Hobley, E; Willgoose, GR; Frisia, S; Jacobsen, GEBoth aggregation and mineral association have been previously found to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) storage (the amount of organic C retained in a soil), and stability (the length of time organic C is retained in a soil). These mechanisms are therefore attractive targets for soil C sequestration. In this study, we investigate and compare SOC storage and stability of SOC associated with fine minerals and stored within aggregates using a combination of particle-size fractionation, elemental analysis and radiocarbon dating. In this heavy-textured, highly aggregated soil, SOC was found to be preferentially associated with fine minerals throughout the soil profile. By contrast, the oldest SOC was located in the coarsest, most highly aggregated fraction. In the topsoil, radiocarbon ages of the aggregate-associated SOC indicate retention times in the order of centuries. Below the topsoil, retention times of aggregate-SOC are in the order of millennia. Throughout the soil profile, radiocarbon dates indicate an enhanced stability in the order of centuries compared with the fine mineral fraction. Despite this, the radiocarbon ages of the mineral-associated SOC were in the order of centuries to millennia in the subsoil (30–100 cm), indicating that mineral-association is also an effective stabilisation mechanism in this subsoil. Our results indicate that enhanced SOC storage does not equate to enhanced SOC stability, which is an important consideration for sequestration schemes targeting both the amount and longevity of soil carbon. © 2014 CSIRO Publishing
- ItemStalagmite carbon isotopes and dead carbon proportion (DCP) in a near-closed-system situation: An interplay between sulphuric and carbonic acid dissolution(Elsevier, 2017-08-01) Bajo, P; Borsato, A; Drysdale, RN; Hua, Q; Frisia, S; Zanchetta, G; Hellstrom, JC; Woodhead, JDIn this study, the ‘dead carbon proportion’ (DCP) calculated from combined U-Th and radiocarbon analyses was used to explore the carbon isotope systematics in Corchia Cave (Italy) speleothems, using the example of stalagmite CC26 which grew during the last ∼12 ka. The DCP values in CC26 are among the highest ever recorded in a stalagmite, spanning the range 44.8–68.8%. A combination of almost closed-system conditions and sulphuric acid dissolution (SAD) are proposed as major drivers in producing such a high DCP with minor contribution from old organic matter from the deep vadose zone. The long-term decrease in both DCP and δ13C most likely reflects post-glacial soil recovery above the cave, with a progressive increase of soil CO2 contribution to the total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). Pronounced millennial-scale shifts in DCP and relatively small coeval but antipathetic changes in δ13C are modulated by the effects of hydrological variability on open and closed-system dissolution, SAD and prior calcite precipitation. Hence, the DCP in Corchia Cave speleothems represents an additional proxy for rainfall amount. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd.
- ItemVertical distribution of charcoal in a sandy soil: evidence from DRIFT spectra and field emission scanning electron microscopy(Wiley Online Library, 2014-09-12) Hobley, E; Willgoose, GR; Frisia, S; Jacobsen, GEThis study uses diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier Transform (DRIFT) spectrometry and field emission scanning electron microscopy to investigate the vertical distribution of charcoal in a sandy soil from SE Australia. The soil was sampled to bedrock (120 cm) at varying depths and bulk samples were fractionated into three particle-sizes: macro- (2000–200 µm), micro- (200–60 µm) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM, < 60 µm). Charcoal was isolated from 0–30 and 30–60-cm depths. Soil charcoal was detected by using a DRIFT band centred at 1590 cm−1 and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy. Charcoal content as a proportion of soil organic carbon (SOC) was estimated with linear regressions of cumulative DRIFT bands. At 0–30 cm, charcoal content as a portion of SOC did not differ significantly between particle-size fractions, constituting 5–26% of SOC. At a depth of 30–60 cm, charcoal constituted 19–39% of SOC in the fractions. At 60–100 cm, charcoal was only detectable in the mid-sized fraction, where it constituted about 17% of SOC. These results support our previous hypothesis of charcoal enrichment in the micro-fraction inducing a greater SOC stability in this fraction as inferred from radiocarbon ages (Hobley et al., 2013). Our findings indicate that DRIFT spectra can be used to detect the presence and amount of charcoal in soil, which may prove to be a simple and low-cost alternative to more laborious and costly detection methods.© 2014, British Society of Soil Science.