Abstract
Altamira cave air CO2 concentration, and both cave and air δ13C values seasonally vary indicating the cave behaves as a CO2 reservoir or source in winter and summer, respectively. During the ‘CO2-reservoir phase’ the δ13C of the cave air is lower, because it is influenced by the infiltration of soil-derived organic carbon-rich waters. In the ‘CO2-source phase’ the δ13C of the cave air is heavier due to the ventilation of the cave and the mix with the air from the external atmosphere and soil. The 13C/12C analyses confirmed the importance of the external soil as the CO2 source for the underground system as well as the effect of ventilation on system equilibrium.
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Sánchez-Moral, S., Cuezva, S., Fernández-Cortés, A., Benavente, D., Cañaveras, J. (2010). Effect of Ventilation on Karst System Equilibrium (Altamira Cave, N Spain): an Appraisal of Karst Contribution to the Global Carbon Cycle Balance. In: Andreo, B., Carrasco, F., Durán, J., LaMoreaux, J. (eds) Advances in Research in Karst Media. Environmental Earth Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12486-0_72
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12486-0_72
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