Abstract
Most long palaeoclimatic records based on isotope studies have come from deep-sea cores; however, in order to obtain information on regional climatic variations, it is essential to study continental deposits. The chief limitation has been the lack of well-preserved datable geological records, with the exception of cave formations. We report here values for the stable carbon isotope ratio, 13C/12C, and the elemental carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio of the organic fraction of the palaeomagnetically and radiometrically dated Pleistocene Karewa lake sediments from Kashmir, India. Together, the two ratios, which are anticorrelated, provide an excellent marker of the source of organic matter in the lake. The Karewa sediments indicate at least three major episodes of shallower than normal levels. These episodes of shallow lake levels, and hence a cold, dry climatic regime, are broadly correctable with deep-sea records.
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Krishnamurthy, R., Bhattacharya, S. & Kusumgar, S. Palaeoclimatic changes deduced from 13C/12C and C/N ratios of Karewa lake sediments, India. Nature 323, 150–152 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/323150a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/323150a0
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