Browsing by Subject "Water stable isotopes"

The Arctic region is experiencing an intensification in the hydrological cycle due to climate change. Lakes in the Arctic respond quickly to environmental changes and act as archives to past climates. Naturally occurring stable isotopes of water, specifically the isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen, provide a valuable tool for investigating local hydrological conditions and reconstructing past climates. In this study, stable isotopes of water in Värriö, Northeastern Finland, were analyzed to gain insights into the local hydrology and assess the use of palaeoclimatological methods for reconstructing past climates. Precipitation, groundwater, and lake water were analyzed to characterize the local isotope hydrology. To assess the reconstruction of past climate conditions, a set of modern chironomid head capsules were collected and analyzed for their isotopic composition. Chironomid head capsules are commonly used to reconstruct past climate conditions. The results indicated that precipitation in Värriö is sourced from the Barents Sea to a considerable extent, which has implications for the isotopic composition of surface waters. The isotopic composition of lake water in Kuutsjärvi was found to reflect the precipitation isotopic composition well due to a lack of evaporative enrichment. The study also noted the seasonal effects of spring thaw on the lake, and the contribution of groundwater as a controller of these effects. The analysis of chironomid head capsules in this study yielded values that differed from present-day conditions. The possible reason for the offset in values was explored, but not identified. This highlights the importance of accurate calibration of chironomid head capsule values and knowledge of chironomid ecology when using this method for palaeoclimatological research. Overall, this study demonstrates the utility of stable isotopes of water for characterizing local hydrological conditions and reconstructing past climates.