Holocene Hydrological Variability of Lake Ladoga, Northwest Russia, As Inferred from Diatom Oxygen Isotopes
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bs_bs_banner Holocene hydrological variability of Lake Ladoga, northwest Russia, as inferred from diatom oxygen isotopes SVETLANA S. KOSTROVA , HANNO MEYER , HANNAH L. BAILEY, ANNA V. LUDIKOVA , RAPHAEL GROMIG , GERHARD KUHN , YURI A. SHIBAEV, ANNA V. KOZACHEK, ALEXEY A. EKAYKIN AND BERNHARD CHAPLIGIN Kostrova, S. S., Meyer, H., Bailey, H. L., Ludikova, A. V., Gromig, R., Kuhn, G., Shibaev, Y. A., Kozachek, A. V., Ekaykin, A. A. & Chapligin, B.: Holocene hydrological variabilityof Lake Ladoga, northwest Russia,as inferred from diatom oxygen isotopes. Boreas. https://doi.org/10.1111/bor.12385. ISSN 0300-9483. This article presents a new comprehensive assessment of the Holocene hydrological variability of Lake Ladoga, 18 northwest Russia. The reconstruction is based on oxygen isotopes of lacustrine diatom silica (d Odiatom) preserved in sediment core Co 1309, and is complemented by a diatom assemblage analysis and a survey of modern isotope hydrology.The data indicate that Lake Ladoga has existed as a freshwater reservoir since at least 10.8 cal. ka BP.The 18 18 d Odiatom values range from +29.8 to +35.0&, and relatively higher d Odiatom values around +34.7& between c. 7.1 18 and 5.7 cal. ka BP are considered to reflect the Holocene Thermal Maximum. A continuous depletion in d Odiatom since c. 6.1 cal. ka BP accelerates after c. 4 cal. ka BP, indicating Middle to Late Holocene cooling that culminates 18 during the interval 0.8–0.2 cal. ka BP, corresponding to the Little Ice Age. Lake-level rises result in lower d Odiatom 18 values, whereas lower lake levels cause higher d Odiatom values. The diatom isotope record gives an indication for a 18 rather early opening of the Neva River outflow at c. 4.4–4.0 cal. ka BP. Generally, overall high d Odiatom values around +33.5& characterize a persistent evaporative lake system throughout the Holocene. As the Lake Ladoga 18 d Odiatom record is roughly in line with the 60°N summer insolation, a linkage to broader-scale climate change is likely. Svetlana S. Kostrova ([email protected]), Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Research Unit Potsdam, Telegrafenberg A45, Potsdam 14473, Germany, and Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry, Siberian Branch of Russian Academyof Sciences, Favorsky str.1a, Irkutsk 664033, Russia; Hanno Meyer and Bernhard Chapligin, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Research Unit Potsdam, Telegrafenberg A45, 14473 Potsdam, Germany; Hannah L. Bailey, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Universityof Oulu,Oulu90014, Finland,andAlfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for PolarandMarineResearch, Research Unit Potsdam, Telegrafenberg A45, 14473 Potsdam, Germany; Anna V. Ludikova, Institute of Limnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Sevastyanova str.9, St. Petersburg 196105, Russia; Raphael Gromig, Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, Zuelpicher Str. 49a, Cologne 50674, Germany; Gerhard Kuhn, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Alten Hafen 26, Bremerhaven 27568, Germany; Yuri A. Shibaev and Anna V. Kozachek, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Bering str. 38, St. Petersburg 199397, Russia; AlexeyA.Ekaykin,ArcticandAntarcticResearchInstitute,Beringstr.38,St.Petersburg199397,Russia,andInstituteof Earth Sciences, St. Petersburg State University,Universitetskaya nab., 7–9, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia; received 30th October 2018, accepted 17th January 2019. Lake Ladoga in northwest Russia is the largest fresh- in this study; Bjorck€ 2008; Gorlach et al. 2017; Gromig water body in Europe (Fig. 1). Long-term studies of the et al. in press). At about 10.7–10.3 cal. ka BP (Bjorck€ lake and its catchment are mostly based on lithology 2008),theAncylustransgressionledtotheriseoftheLake (Subetto et al. 1998; Aleksandrovskii et al. 2009), pollen Ladoga water level, the flooding of the northern part of (Arslanov et al. 2001; Wohlfarth et al. 2007), diatoms the Karelian Isthmus and Lake Ladoga turned into an (Davydova et al. 1996; Saarnisto & Gronlund€ 1996; eastern deep-water bay of the former Lake Ancylus. The Dolukhanov et al. 2009), organic carbon and mineral regression of the Baltic Sea at c. 10.2 cal. ka BP (e.g. magnetic parameters (Subetto et al. 2002) of lake and Bjorck€ 2008) was accompanied by a decrease in the Lake mire deposits (Subetto 2009; Shelekhova & Lavrova Ladoga water level and from c. 10–9 cal. ka BP (Bjorck€ 2011; Subetto et al. 2017). These studies have revealed 2008; Saarnisto 2012) Lake Ladoga began to exist as that the Holocene climate and environment around the independent freshwater reservoir draining to the northwest lake and its ecosystem underwent significant changes, viathe Hejnjoki threshold into the Baltic Seathrough the mainly caused by long- and short-term variations in air palaeo-VuoksiRiver (Timofeevet al. 2005; Dolukhanov temperature and atmospheric precipitation patterns, as et al. 2009; Saarnisto 2012). As a result of a continuous wellas byglacio-isostatic movementsof theEarth’s crust. glacio-isostatic uplift and a change in the flow direction Additionally,thesestudieshavedisclosed severalstages (change of the outflow of the Lake Saimaa system in of the lake’s development from the Ladoga being a gulf Finland to the southeast), at c. 5.7 cal. ka BP water of the palaeo-Baltic basin to an independent lacustrine started entering Lake Ladoga from the northwest via reservoir(e.g.Subetto2009).Theformationofthecurrent River Vuoksi (Saarnisto & Gronlund€ 1996; Dolukhanov lake water system began after deglaciation around 14 cal. et al. 2009; Subetto 2009; Saarnisto 2012). The water ka BP (calibrated calendar ages are used consistently level in Lake Ladoga further increased and reached the DOI 10.1111/bor.12385 © 2019 Collegium Boreas. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd 2 Svetlana S. Kostrova et al. BOREAS Fig. 1. A. Schematic maps showing the Lake Ladoga region with typical trajectories for cyclones modified from Shver et al. (1982) and Matlik€ & Post (2008). Locations of Lake Saarikko (southeast Finland), Lake 850 (Swedish Lapland), Lake Chuna (Kola Peninsula, northwest Russia) mentioned in the text are given (black triangles 1, 2 and 3, respectively). B. Location of Lake Ladoga (59°540–61°470N; 29°470–32°580E, 5 m a.s.l.) with the position of the Co 1309 sedimentcore(black diamond)and thewater samplingsites (black circles, numbersindicate positionsmentioned in the text); as well as location of the Losevskaya channel and modern River Burnaya (numbers 4 and 5, respectively). maximum level at c. 3.35 cal. ka BP (Saarnisto 2012; 2001; Shemesh et al. 2001; Jones et al. 2004; Rosqvist Kulkova et al. 2014; Virtasalo et al. 2014), resulting in et al. 2004; Kostrova et al. 2013; Meyer et al. 2015; the formation of the Neva River outlet in the southern Bailey et al. 2018), the precipitation/evaporation balance part of the lake (Saarnisto & Gronlund€ 1996; Subetto (Rioual et al. 2001; Kostrova et al. 2014) and palaeo- et al. 1998, 2002; Dolukhanov et al. 2009). Despite the hydrological variability (Mackay et al. 2008, 2011, 2013; fundamental synthesis, the question of the hydrological Chapligin et al. 2016; Narancic et al. 2016). 18 development of Lake Ladoga and its basin remains Here, we use d Odiatom as an independent environ- under discussion until now, especially regarding Holo- mental and/or climatic proxy to trace Holocene hydro- cene lake-level fluctuations and the formation of major logical changes in Lake Ladoga region. Our inferences outlet rivers (e.g. Subetto 2009). are accompanied by a diatom assemblage analysis of the Toaddress this knowledgegap and provide fresh insight same sedimentary succession, as well as a comprehensive into the hydrological development of Lake Ladoga, we surveyof the modern hydrological system. These data are 18 use the oxygen isotope composition of diatoms (d Odiatom). further explored in the context of existing palaeo- Diatoms, photosynthetic microalgae with an external environmental studies (Saarnisto & Gronlund€ 1996; frustule composed of biogenic silica (opal, SiO2ÁnH2O), Subetto et al. 1998, 2002; Timofeev et al. 2005; Dolu- are abundant in most aquatic systems and typically well khanov et al. 2009; Subetto 2009; Saarnisto 2012; preserved in lacustrine sediments (Round et al. 1990). Ludikova 2015) to assess if and how Holocene environ- Diatom oxygen isotopes in combination with data of mental changes at Lake Ladoga have responded to local, taxonomy analysis have become one of the most reliable regional and/or global (i.e. internal/external) drivers. sources of information about past ecological, hydrolog- ical, environmental and climate changes especially for Regional setting northern regions where ice archives are unavailable and/ or biogenic carbonates limited (Shemesh et al. 2001; Jones Lake Ladoga (latitude 59°540–61°470N, longitude 29°470– et al. 2004; Swann et al. 2010; Chapligin et al. 2012b, 32°580E, altitude 5 m a.s.l.) is a dimictic, freshwater lake 18 2016; Narancic et al. 2016). Lacustrine d Odiatom reflects located in northwest Russia, ~40 km east of St. Peters- 18 2 the oxygen isotope composition of the lake water (d Olake) burg (Fig. 1A). The lake surface areais 18 329 km , with and lake temperature (Tlake) (Leng & Barker 2006). Existing a mean and maximum water depth of 48.3 and 235.0 m, 18 d Odiatom records have been interpreted to evaluate past respectively (Rumyantsev 2015). The lake occupies an changes in air temperature (Chapligin et al. 2012b), precip-