Abstract
The region comprising of East Central Europe, South East Europe and Turkey contributed to the SISAL (Speleothem Isotopes Synthesis and AnaLysis) global database with stable carbon and oxygen isotope time-series from 18 speleothems from 14 caves. The currently available oldest record from the studied region is the ABA-2 flowstone record (Abaliget Cave; Hungary) reaching back to MIS 6. The temporal distribution of the compiled 18 records from the region points out a ~20 kyr-long period, centering around 100 ka BP, lacking speleothem stable isotope data. The regional subset of SISAL_v1 records displays a continuous coverage for the past ~90 kyr for both δ13C and δ18O, with a mean temporal resolution of ~12 yr for the Holocene, and >50 yr for the pre-Holocene period. The highest temporal resolution both for the Holocene and the pre-Holocene was achieved in the So-1 record (Sofular Cave; Turkey). The relationship between modern day precipitation δ18O (amount weighted annual and winter season mean values; 1961–2017) and climatological parameters was evaluated. The strong positive correlation found in East Central Europe reinforces the link between modern day precipitation δ18O, temperature and large-scale circulation (North Atlantic Oscillation) expected to be preserved in the speleothem δ18O record; while a negative relationship was documented between precipitation amount and oxygen isotope compositions in South East Europe. Variations of δ13C values are primarily interpreted as reflecting dry/wet periods across the region. Elevation gradients from three non-overlapping periods of the last ~5 kyr indicated elevation gradients around −0.26‰ per 100 m−1 for calcite δ18O.
Highlights
Southeastern Europe is the cradle of karst research [1,2,3]
Trace element variability in speleothems from the region provided a basis for paleohydroclimate implications [10,11,12], and supported the identification of historical flood events [13]
The first studies aimed to infer changes in paleoenvironmental conditions based on stable isotope composition of Late Pleistocene speleothems were carried out in Wierna Cave, southern Poland [17]
Summary
Southeastern Europe is the cradle of karst research [1,2,3]. The Kras Plateau in Slovenia gave its name to the entire discipline, and the very first karst research [4] and speleological [5] institutes were established in this region. The first studies aimed to infer changes in paleoenvironmental conditions based on stable isotope composition of Late Pleistocene speleothems were carried out in Wierna Cave, southern Poland [17]. This aim was first achieved in Lithophagus Cave, Romania [19]. Fluid inclusion stable isotope data are available in the region provided excess information for paleoclimatological studies; see Section 6. Special attention is given to the Holocene, for which we evaluate the available δ18 Ospel records and compare them with stable hydrogen isotope compositions (δ2 H) of speleothem fluid inclusions in the region. 5-1 ka BP (Before Present, with the present referring to 1950 of the Common Era) period, provided the opportunity to explore the spatial pattern of δ18 Ospel data
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