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Sediment lithology and stable isotope composition of organic matter in a core from a cirque in the Krkonoše Mountains, Czech Republic

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Abstract

This study presents detailed lithostratigraphy and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic variations in a 520-cm-long sediment core from a cirque basin in the Labský důl Valley, Krkonoše Mountains, Czech Republic. Detailed study of the core reveals five major periods of sedimentation during the last 7600 years: silt and sand deposition during ~7.6–5.1 ka cal BP, Sphagnum peat accumulation during ~5.1–4.0 ka cal BP, sandy silt and sand during ~4.0–2.8 ka cal BP, raised peat bog during ~2.8–2.0 ka cal BP (Sphagnum peat), and sedimentation of sandy silt since ~2.0 ka cal BP. The δ13C values of the organic matter in the core vary in the range typical for C3 plants, from −24.35 to −27.68‰, whereas the δ15N values vary from −2.65 to +4.35‰. Core sections having ash contents ≥70% have δ15N > 1‰ and δ13C < −26‰, whereas those having ≤70% ash content have δ15N < 1‰ and δ13C > −26‰. Strong linear correlations are observed between δ13C and δ15N values as well as between C:N ratios and δ15N values in the horizons with ash content >10%, primarily for sand and silt horizons. On the other hand, poor correlations between δ13C and C:N ratio, as well as δ15N and C:N ratio, were observed in Sphagnum peat layers (45–125 and 185–265 cm). We conclude that the primary stable isotope variations are not preserved in the layers where significant correlation between δ15N and C:N ratio is observed. The relatively small δ13C variation in the uppermost Sphagnum peat layer suggests stable temperature during ~2.8–2.0 ka cal BP.

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Acknowledgments

Funding was provided by grant nos. 205/06/0587 and MSM0021620831 to Z. Engel. Thanks are due to two anonymous reviewers and M. Brenner, Editor in Chief for their insightful reviews and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Faculty of Science, The Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43, Praha 2, Czech Republic

    Zbyněk Engel

  2. West Australian Biogeochemistry Centre, John de Laeter Centre of Mass Spectrometry, School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway (M090), Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Grzegorz Skrzypek

  3. Department of Geology, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA

    Grzegorz Skrzypek & Debajyoti Paul

  4. Department of Civil Engineering (Geosciences), Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, UP, India

    Debajyoti Paul

  5. Laboratory of Isotope Geology and Geoecology, Institute of Geological Sciences, The University of Wrocław, Cybulskiego 30, 50-205, Wrocław, Poland

    Wojciech Drzewicki

  6. Czech Geological Survey, Leitnerova 21, 658 69, Brno, Czech Republic

    Daniel Nývlt

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Engel, Z., Skrzypek, G., Paul, D. et al. Sediment lithology and stable isotope composition of organic matter in a core from a cirque in the Krkonoše Mountains, Czech Republic. J Paleolimnol 43, 609–624 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-009-9356-1

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