Stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes from bat guano in the Grand Canyon, USA, reveal Younger Dryas and 8.2 ka events
Christopher M. WursterWilliam P. PattersonDonald A. McFarlaneLeonard I. WassenaarKeith A. HobsonNancy BeavanMichael I. Bird
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Research Article| September 01, 2008 Stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes from bat guano in the Grand Canyon, USA, reveal Younger Dryas and 8.2 ka events Christopher M. Wurster; Christopher M. Wurster 11School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY8 6AA, Scotland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar William P. Patterson; William P. Patterson 22Saskatchewan Isotope Laboratory, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Donald A. McFarlane; Donald A. McFarlane 33Keck Science Center, The Claremont Colleges, 925 North Mills Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Leonard I. Wassenaar; Leonard I. Wassenaar 44Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Keith A. Hobson; Keith A. Hobson 44Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Nancy Beavan Athfield; Nancy Beavan Athfield 55Rafter Radiocarbon, National Isotope Centre, GNS Science, P.O. Box 31 312, Gracefield, Lower Hutt, New Zealand Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Michael I. Bird Michael I. Bird 11School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY8 6AA, Scotland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Christopher M. Wurster 11School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY8 6AA, Scotland William P. Patterson 22Saskatchewan Isotope Laboratory, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E2, Canada Donald A. McFarlane 33Keck Science Center, The Claremont Colleges, 925 North Mills Avenue, Claremont, California 91711, USA Leonard I. Wassenaar 44Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada Keith A. Hobson 44Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5, Canada Nancy Beavan Athfield 55Rafter Radiocarbon, National Isotope Centre, GNS Science, P.O. Box 31 312, Gracefield, Lower Hutt, New Zealand Michael I. Bird 11School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY8 6AA, Scotland Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 17 Mar 2008 Revision Received: 13 May 2008 Accepted: 16 May 2008 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2008 Geological Society of America Geology (2008) 36 (9): 683–686. https://doi.org/10.1130/G24938A.1 Article history Received: 17 Mar 2008 Revision Received: 13 May 2008 Accepted: 16 May 2008 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Christopher M. Wurster, William P. Patterson, Donald A. McFarlane, Leonard I. Wassenaar, Keith A. Hobson, Nancy Beavan Athfield, Michael I. Bird; Stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes from bat guano in the Grand Canyon, USA, reveal Younger Dryas and 8.2 ka events. Geology 2008;; 36 (9): 683–686. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G24938A.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract We inferred climate change through the Pleistocene-Holocene transition from δ13C and δD values of bat guano deposited from 14.5 to 6.5 ka (calendar ka) in Bat Cave, Grand Canyon, Arizona. The δ13C and δD values generally covaried, indicating that regional late Pleistocene climate was relatively cool and wet, and early Holocene climate gradually became warmer with increased summer precipitation until ca. 9 ka, at which time the onset of modern North American Monsoon–like conditions occurred. During the Younger Dryas event, δ13C values decreased, whereas δD values increased, indicating a cool and possibly drier period. We also observed a distinct isotopic anomaly during the 8.2 ka event, at which time both δ13C and δD values decreased. The δ13C values abruptly increased at 8.0 ka, suggesting a rapid change in atmospheric circulation and greater influence from convective storms originating from the south. Deposits of bat guano represent a largely untapped source of paleoenvironmental information that can provide continuous and long-term continental archives of environmental change. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.Keywords:
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Guano has an exceptionally high content of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, so it has been used widely as manure. The characteristic microscopic appearance of fresh guano is a bedded spongy or aggregated microstructure and vughy porosity. Types of guano particularly enriched in plant organic remains, like fruit-bat guano, consist of dark to black fibrous fragments of amorphous organic material. Identification of the presence of past guano deposits has several implications for the archaeological record. In caves, massive guano deposits related to intensive bat roosting are regarded as a general indication of human absence. Furthermore, guano-related alteration features can provide valuable stratigraphic information. The presence of recognizable guano crusts and other guano deposits indicates stable surface exposure with lack of sedimentation. Future studies should focus on studying several phosphatic features, although the vast amounts of different bird species nesting in caves makes this endeavor quite difficult.
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Whereas bat guano is gaining viability in accurately reconstructing local paleoenvironmental and climatic conditions, overall reviews of methods for analyzing and collecting bat guano cores have received less attention. Guano cores have been collected from several locations (e.g., United States, Romania, Philippines, and southeast Asia), and the processing and collection methods are quite similar despite a lack of standardized techniques. Physical, chemical, and elemental analyses on guano samples have focused on the interpretation of precipitation changes over time, with additional applications from stable isotope analysis being used for other paleoenvironmental conditions. We obtained three bat guano cores from Alabama and Tennessee to evaluate the collecting and processing techniques of guano. Climatic temperature changes were not analyzed in this study. The purpose of this investigation was to summarize multiple techniques and approaches used to process and analyze bat guano cores with a focus on reconstructing paleoclimate in cave environments throughout the globe. From these three cores, we describe challenges and make recommendations for improving guano analysis.
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Commercial mining of bat guano for agricultural fertilizer only became possible in Kenya through discovery of major deposits in the lava tunnel caves of Mt. Suswa and the North Chyulu Hills in the early 1960's. This paper provides historical information leading up to the guano mining, describes the cave deposits, outlines the mining under-takings, and provides information on the guano producing bats and insect faunas. The results of guano analyses, details of the tonnages extracted and sold to recipients between 1966 to 1984, and some benefits which resulted from its use on crops are given. A brief outline of attempts to conserve the areas and caves is also included.
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The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the usefulness of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in bat guano as proxies for paleoclimate changes. We show a 2500-year record of environmental change in Romania using δ 13 C, δ 15 N, and (C:N) derived from precisely 14 C-dated bat guano cores recovered from Gaura cu Musca (GM), Zidita (ZC), and Magurici (MC) caves
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