NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory

Meetings arising from DIPPI-C (Development of Isotopic Proxies for Palaeoenvironmental Interpretation: A Carbon Perspective)

An inter-disciplinary working group specialising in the analysis and interpretation of carbon based proxies in the natural environment bring together palaeoclimatologists, geochemists, biochemists, plant physiologists, ecologists and soil scientists that utilise bulk carbon isotopes; compound specific carbon isotopes; and biomarker distributions to develop a timely and rigorous inter-disciplinary review of the science underpinning these molecular and isotopic proxies in the environment.

2011 Schedule

WORKING GROUP LAUNCH EVENT

DIPPI-C will be officially launched at AGU Fall Meeting 2011, San Francisco.

The DIPPI-C convenors are chairing "Modern insights into the palaeo-carbon cycle: A δ¹³C and biomarker perspective I-III" (sessions B13K, B14D and B21E) on Monday 5th December (PM) and Tuesday 6th December (AM).

In addition, the DIPPI-C working group launch event will be held on Wednesday 7th December (10 - 12 am) in the Marriott Hotel, San Francisco (room details to follow).

2012 Schedule

1st DIPPI-C workshop/meeting to be held at Durham University, UK on 8th - 10th May 2012

AOGS, Singapore on 13th - 17th August 2012: session proposal submitted

2013 Schedule

2nd DIPPI-C workshop/meeting to be held at The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR in Autumn 2013

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Special Session - Isotopes and Biogenic Silica: understanding lake sediment archives

Palaeolimnology is built on proxies of environmental processes, all of which have different sensitivities and provide different perspectives into environmental changes. Biogenic silica from lake sediments has become an important host of information regarding catchment silica cycling and stable isotopes of various elements are now being used to reconstruct climate and biogeochemical cycles. The IBiS group is working towards understanding the silica cycle and exploiting the use of isotopes in various forms of biogenic silica to help with environmental reconstruction, especially though not exclusively, from lake sediments. Over the last few years the IBiS working group have aimed to advance techniques in isotope analysis, in addition the community initiated international calibration exercises for both O and Si isotopes. Most recently researchers have moved towards electron microscope imaging and whole-rock geochemistry to enable mass balance approaches to remove contamination effects from the δ¹⁸O_diatom record. With the resolution of many fundamental methodological issues, researchers are now exploiting biogenic silica for O, Si, C and N isotope records to provide environmental reconstructions over the very recent past (last few hundreds) of years to Quaternary time scales.

These records have enabled unique insights into climate dynamics from regions where other proxies are not available or insensitive, and the long term functioning of major biogeochemical cycles. We welcome contributions from all working on isotopes and biogenic silica from lake sediment archives and especially contemporary studies that enable calibration of the sediment record.

For more information contact Phil Barker or Melanie Leng.

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