Paleoclimatology. Reconstructing Climates of the Quaternary PDF
Preview Paleoclimatology. Reconstructing Climates of the Quaternary
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY THIRD EDITION PALEOCLIMATOLOGY Reconstructing Climates of the Quaternary THIRD EDITION R S. B AYMOND RADLEY UniversityofMassachusetts,Amherst,Massachusetts AMSTERDAM (cid:129) BOSTON (cid:129) HEIDELBERG (cid:129) LONDON NEW YORK (cid:129) OXFORD (cid:129) PARIS (cid:129) SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO (cid:129) SINGAPORE (cid:129) SYDNEY (cid:129) TOKYO Academic Press is an imprint of Elsevier AcademicPressisanimprintofElsevier TheBoulevard,LangfordLane,Kidlington,OxfordOX51GB,UK Radarweg29,POBox211,1000AEAmsterdam,TheNetherlands 225WymanStreet,Waltham,MA02451,USA 525BStreet,Suite1800,SanDiego,CA92101-4495,USA Copyright#2015RaymondS.Bradley.PublishedbyElsevierInc.Allrightsreserved. FirstEdition:Copyright#1985ElsevierInc.Allrightsreserved. SecondEdition:Copyright#1999ElsevierInc.Allrightsreserved. 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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Bradley,RaymondS.,1948- Paleoclimatology:reconstructingclimatesoftheQuaternary/byRaymondS.Bradley.– Thirdedition. pagescm Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN978-0-12-386913-5 1.Paleoclimatology–Quaternary.2.Geology,Stratigraphic–Quaternary.I.Title. QC884.B6142014 551.609’01–dc23 2013040342 BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary ForinformationonallAcademicPresspublications visitourwebsiteatstore.elsevier.com PrintedandboundinChina 14 15 16 17 18 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN:978-0-12-386913-5 Dedication To Jane v Acknowledgments As with earlier editions, I benefited Steve Roof, John Smol, and Mathias Vuille greatly from discussions with colleagues for their helpful comments on various draft who are often far more deeply immersed in sections,oradviceonparticularissues.Many a particular aspect of paleoclimatology than thanks to Stefan Kropelin, who once again I am. I want to especially thank Lonnie providedagreatselectionofphotographsfor Thompson who took the time to read many thecover.RajarshiRoychowdhurydidawon- early drafts of this extensively revised edi- derful job assembling all the figures, which tionandwhogavemeveryusefulfeedback. wasmuchappreciated.Manythankstoallof I am also grateful to An Zhisheng, Larry you.Iknowthebookisalotbetterasaresult Benson, Mark Besonen, Isla Castan˜eda, John ofyourefforts.Iftherearestillerrorsoromis- Chappell,FranciscodaCruz,Jr.,P.Thompson sions, they are of course my responsibility Davis, Scott Elias, Kristine DeLong, Donna (andprobablyindicatethatIdidnotdowhat Francis, Mark Leckie, Juerg Luterbacher, was suggested)! Nevertheless, I hope you Mart´ın Medina-Elizalde, Bill McCoy, findthatthefinalproductjustifiedyourtime. xi Front Cover Photograph HOLOCENE ROCK ART FROM Superposed layers show “flying” camels THE NORTHWESTERN FLANKS whichwereintroducedonlyabout2000years OF THE ENNEDI HIGHLANDS, ago into an increasingly arid environment EASTERN SAHARA, CHAD evidencedbyplentifulsnakes.Thepaintings hence vividly illustrate human adaption to TheEnnedihighlandsintheremotedesert thegradualdesiccationofthe“green”Sahara (cid:1) 0 (cid:1) 0 of Northeast Chad (17 22N-21 09E) have about 8000 years ago, to the planet’s largest beencalledthe“GardenEdenoftheSahara.” hyperarid desert. These changes are docu- The triangularly shaped sandstone plateau mented in a complete Holocene record of features spectacular cliffs and rock forma- subannually varved deposits of proximate tions and is dissected by a labyrinth of can- Lake Yoa, Ounianga Kebir. yons some of which include ecological Photograph courtesy by Stefan Kro¨pelin, niches with remnant crocodiles. Numerous University of Cologne. rock shelters contain some of the best pre- served painted rock art on Earth. An ideal References sequence of superposed layers starts with engravings of archaic round-headed people Kro¨pelin,S.,2004.NewpetroglyphsitesintheSouthern roaming peacefully with herds of rhinos or LibyanDesert(Sudan-Chad).Sahara.15,111–117. giraffes, indicating a fully developed Kro¨pelin, S., Verschuren, D., Le´zine, A.-M., savanna landscape. They are overlain by Eggermont, H., Cocquyt, C., Francus, P., imposing paintings of domestic cattle and Cazet, J.-P., Fagot, M., Rumes, B., Russell, J.M., Darius, F., Conley, D.J., Schuster, M., detailed scenesofthevillagelifeofthelater Suchodoletz, H.v., Engstrom, D.R., 2008. Climate- prehistoric pastoralist population. Subse- drivenecosystemsuccessionintheSahara:Thepast quent layers include galloping horsemen 6000years.Science.320,765–768. which may be attributed to the Iron Age. xiii Foreword Earth is a constantly changing dynamic considered for robust interpretations. The entity,composedofmultiplecomplexphys- field of paleoclimatology is continually ical, chemical, and biological systems that becoming more interdisciplinary as practi- interact on a spectrum of time and spatial tionersstrivetounderstandandincorporate scales. To comprehend the Earth System as aneverincreasingnumberofhighlyspecial- a whole, we must understand the nature of ized proxy climate and environmental these complex subsystems, both now and indicators. in the past, and identify the important link- Inconcertwiththesedevelopmentsinthe agesamongthem.Earthisnowexperiencing field, the first two editions of Professor many changes, some large and more rapid Raymond Bradley’s book, Paleoclimatology, than others. To attempt predictions of how haveproven tobeanindispensableresource the Earth System may change in the future forearthscientistsatallstagesoftheircareers, requiresanassessmentoftheconditionsthat from undergraduate students to seasoned precededthepresent,aperspectivethatcan professionals. The second edition isnot only only be gained from the records of past cli- requiredreadinginmygraduatepaleoclima- mate. Studies of the past also reveal just tologycoursebutitalsooccupiesaprominent how quickly some components of the Earth and easily accessible place in my research Systemshaverespondedtospecificexternal library. For almost the last three decades, (e.g., solar) and internal (e.g., atmospheric Paleoclimatology has provided readers with a chemistry) forcing factors. Knowledge of broad perspective on the development and these changes and understanding their key interpretation of a wide variety of climate drivers are critical to efforts to anticipate records,includingexplanationsofbothestab- and plan for futureenvironmental changes. lishedandstate-of-the-arttechniquesusedto Weareveryfortunatethattodaywehave reconstruct Quaternary climates. The text, a rich body of knowledge and numerous which isaccompanied by numerousillustra- diverse natural systems that record many tions, is sufficiently concise and instructive types of climatic and environmental infor- for established researchers and educators mationacrossaspectrumoftemporalscales. but is also easy for scientific novices to Additionally, we now have rich array of comprehend. technologiesthatallowustotapinformation The third edition, Paleoclimatology: Recon- ateversmallerconcentrationsandfromboth structing Climatesof the Quaternary,has been common and rare archives. However, to extensively updated, but maintains its mis- reconstruct the nature, magnitude, and tim- sionofbroadappealacrossthevarioussub- ing of these changes, paleoclimatologists disciplinesofearthscience.Onecanquickly must also understand the biological and appreciate the comprehensive natureof this physicalprocessesthatgoverntheformation bookbybrowsingthroughthebibliography, of these diverse proxy records. As impor- which contains almost 2500 references. tantly, the strengths and limitations of each Speakingasalong-practicingpaleoclimatol- proxy indicator must be known and ogist,Ioftenbecomeimmersedinthedetails xv xvi FOREWORD of my specialty area and lose track of the calibration techniques are used. Abundant extremely important work of colleagues in examples of records derived from these other fields that are equally essential to archives are provided from around understand the larger scale processes that the world. constituteourclimatesystem.Aswithother In addition to revising and updating the scientific fields, climatologists cannot use a chapters in the second edition, he expands “silver bullet” approach when working on the discussions of proxy records that were and presenting their research. They must previously grouped together. Specifically, understandandreferenceliteratureanddata discussions on loess, speleothems, and lake from other areas. The beauty of Professor sediments, which were previously grouped Bradley’s book is that it compiles and orga- in a chapter called “Non-Marine Geological nizesmassesofbothinterconnectedanddis- Evidence,”nowappearinseparatechapters parate information (silver buckshot) in a in the third edition. holistic way that helps us understand the In the chapter on ice cores, which is my complexities and interdependencies in the specialty, Professor Bradley provides a climate system. coherentandunderstandableprimeronsta- Thisthirdeditionisoneofthebestwritten ble isotopes in precipitation that includes referencebooksinthefield,usingprosethat information on their calibration for paleo- is easy to understand and explanations of temperature reconstruction. The discussion difficult concepts that are presented as only of the records is more comprehensive than an experienced lecturer and teacher of Pro- many other treatments of the subject, as it fessor Bradley’s caliber can do. The text is includesrecordsfrombothhighandlowlat- logicallyarranged,beginningwithanoverall itudesanddealswithamultitudeoficecore reviewofthereconstructionofpaleoclimate parameters. The longest chapter is devoted records and a discussion of the climate sys- tomarinesedimentrecords.Thisisappropri- tem and forcing mechanisms. This is fol- ate given the hugeamountof diverse litera- lowed by a considerably detailed overview ture. Other chapters cover tree rings, corals, of dating techniques, which is critical since insects and biological evidence, and pollen. the key to understanding any climatic or The final chapter covers the information environmentalrecordliesinrobusttimecon- available from historical documentation. trol.ProfessorBradleyprovidesanexcellent I first met Professor Raymond Bradley in up-to-date overview of the strengths and 1983 ata NATO/NSFWorkshop onAbrupt weaknesses of the varioustechniques, rang- Climatic Change in Biviers, France. For ingfromclassicalandwidelyusedmethods 30years,ourpathshavecrossedmanytimes such as radiocarbon dating to more special- at professional meetings, seminars, and ized and less “publicly” familiar methods workshops. I have also had the pleasure of such as luminescence, dating, amino-acid, workingwithhimonmanuscriptsandbook lichenometry, and dendrochronology. projects. His interests include climatology, The majority of the book provides over- paleoclimatology, global change, and the views of the various archives used for cli- Arctic environment. Professor Bradley is a matic and environmental reconstruction. member of the Real Climate blog and has Foreachofthearchives,theauthorsumma- made sustained and significant contribu- rizesthevariousparametersrecordedbyand tions to discussions on global warming. He extractedfromeachtypeofproxy,aswellas hasatruepassionforthepaleoclimatecom- howthetimecontrolisestablished,andwhat munity and has worked diligently and xvii FOREWORD effectively on programs (such as PAGES) warming since the mid-20th century,” we which strive to bring together the paleocli- urgentlyneedtounderstandthenaturalfac- mateandthemodelingcommunitiestoforge torsthatforcedclimatevariabilityinthepast. a more robust understanding of global cli- Thisbodyofknowledgeprovidesthecritical mate variability in the present, past, and baseline and corpus of knowledge that will future. underpin more robust predictions of the We are just beginning to realize how cli- future impact of human activities. Professor mate change has emerged as a powerful Raymond Bradley has provided the field of causalagentintheevolutionofcivilizations, paleoclimatology an excellent spatial and including those that exist today. One of the temporal summary of where we are along majorchallengestopredictingfutureclimate the continuum to a deeper understanding is to determine the specific causes of both of Earth’s past andpresent climate. pastandpresentchanges.Inlightofthegen- eralconclusionofthelatestIntergovernmen- LonnieG.Thompson tal Panel on Climate Change that “it is Byrd Polar ResearchCenter extremely likely that human interference The Ohio State University hasbeenthedominantcauseoftheobserved Columbus Preface to the Third Edition The first edition of Quaternary Paleoclima- volumeofspecialistsmightpresent.Ihopethat tology was published in 1985 when the field those who turn to their particular areas of of paleoclimatology was still in its infancy expertisewilldosowiththeoverallobjectives and there was a reasonable chance that you ofthebookinmind;itwassimplynotpossible could read most of the relevant papers. The to provide a comprehensive review of every field grew rapidly over the next decade, subfieldandstilltrytomaintainanup-to-date and so I wrote a much more extensive and overviewoftherestofpaleoclimatology.The updated version, Paleoclimatology: Recon- final product is thus a compromise between structing Climates of the Quaternary, which completeness, expediency, and (eventually) waspublishedin1999.Overthelastdecade, exhaustion. Nevertheless, IhopeIhavedone the field has grown even faster so that it is justicetomosttopics,andthatthenewrefer- nowalmostimpossibletokeeptrackofevery ences I have included will enable interested aspect of the subject. As just one example, readerstoquicklyaccesstheimportantlitera- more than 3500 papers with the keywords ture.Thereisnosubstituteforreadingtheorig- “ice cores” have been published since inalscientificpapers. 1999—anumbergreaterthantheentirefield Mygoalinwritingthiseditionwastopro- ofpaleoclimatologyintheearly1980s.Inev- vide a comprehensive overview of the field itably, this means that research is becoming of paleoclimatology and the record of cli- ever more specialized so that it is increas- matic changes during the Quaternary. New ingly difficult to gain a broad perspective records are being obtained all the time, and on the field, and to appreciate the pros and new analytical techniques are being devel- cons of particular proxies being used in oped and applied, giving us new and excit- paleoclimatic reconstruction. Consequently, ing insights into how climates have I think a book like this can serve an even changed over time. I have tried to capture more useful purpose than the first and sec- some of these developments in the book. ond editions, for all those interested in All sections have been comprehensively understanding past climates. My goal from revised and updated, but in particular, the thebeginninghasbeentoenablenonspecialists book includes new material on dating inanyonesubfieldofpaleoclimatologytolearn (including updates on calibration of the enoughofthebasicsinothersubfieldstoallow radiocarbon timescale and surface exposure themtoreadandappreciatetheliteraturethey dating) extensively revised chapters on ice might not otherwise understand. Hopefully, coresandmarinesedimentsandoceancircu- this will promote better communication of lationinthepast,newchaptersonloess,spe- ideaswithinthecommunityofpaleoclimatolo- leothems, lake sediments, and corals and gistsandbeyond.AsInotedinthePrefaceof greatly revised chapters on insects, pollen thepreviousedition,Ibelievethereareadvan- analysis, tree rings, and historical records. tages in having one lens through which this To keep the task somewhat manageable, I rapidly evolving field is viewed, rather than decided not to include a separate chapter a spectrum of perspectives that an edited on paleoclimate models, but to keep the xix
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