Stable Carbon Isotope Ratios of Rock Varnish Organic Matter: A New Paleoenvironmental Indicator
- 22 March 1985
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 227 (4693) , 1472-1474
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.227.4693.1472
Abstract
Stable carbon isotope ratios of organic matter in rock varnishes of Holocene age from western North America and the Middle East show a strong association with the environment. This isotopic variability reflects the abundance of plants with different photosynthetic pathways in adjacent vegetation. Analyses of different layers of varnish on late Pleistocene desert landforms indicate that the carbon isotopic composition of varnish organic matter is a paleoenvironmental indicator.Keywords
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