Variability in stable isotopic composition of long-chain diols as a proxy for environmental conditions in lakes

 

The project in a nutshell

The stable isotopic composition of environmental water (i.e. δ²H value) is an important tracer of the hydrological cycle. In the last decades, lipid biomarker δ²H compositions have been used to reconstruct paleohydrologcial changes throughout the Earth history.

Long-chain diols are biomolecules commonly found in sedimentary archives from freshwater environments, which are produced by phototrophic microorganisms. Resistant to degradation, these biomarkers are candidates to retrace the paleo-precipitation regime over long time-scale.

This project want to test the potential of long-chain diol isomers and their δ²H values to trace precipitation and to become a new paleo-hydrological proxy.

Team members

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