A quantitative comparison of microfossil extraction methods from ice cores

Brügger, Sandra O.; Gobet, Erika; Schanz, Federica R.; Heiri, Oliver; Schwörer, Christoph; Sigl, Michael; Schwikowski, Margit; Tinner, Willy (2018). A quantitative comparison of microfossil extraction methods from ice cores. Journal of glaciology, 64(245), pp. 432-442. International Glaciological Society 10.1017/jog.2018.31

[img]
Preview
Text
2018_JGlaciol_64_432.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY).

Download (583kB) | Preview

Microfossil records from ice archives allow vegetation, fire and land-use activity reconstructions on broad spatial scales. Samples typically contain low microfossil concentrations. Therefore, large ice volumes are often needed for palynology. Hence, it is crucial to extract maximum microfossil numbers through appropriate physical-chemical treatments. We compare six methods covering the main water reduction procedures: evaporation, filtration and centrifugation with snow samples. Adding a known number of Lycopodium marker spores prior to sample treatment and a second marker (Eucalyptus) after laboratory processing allows a quantitative microfossil loss assessment during pollen extraction. We applied the best-performing method (average loss of 22%) to high-alpine firn cores from Colle Gnifetti glacier for validation with a natural archive containing extremely low microfossil concentrations. We conclude that samples processed with different microfossil extraction protocols may give different results for pollen concentrations, percentages and ratios between different pollen types, especially if vesiculate conifer pollen is an important pollen assemblage component. We recommend a new evaporation-based method which delivers the smallest and least variable losses among the tested approaches. Since microfossil losses are inevitable during laboratory procedure, adding markers prior to sample processing is mandatory to achieve reliable microfossil concentration and influx estimates.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

10 Strategic Research Centers > Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR)
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences (DCBP)
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Palaeoecology
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS)

UniBE Contributor:

Brügger, Sandra Olivia, Gobet, Erika, Heiri, Oliver, Schwörer, Christoph, Schwikowski, Margit, Tinner, Willy

Subjects:

500 Science > 540 Chemistry
500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology
500 Science > 580 Plants (Botany)

ISSN:

0022-1430

Publisher:

International Glaciological Society

Language:

English

Submitter:

Peter Alfred von Ballmoos-Haas

Date Deposited:

12 Jun 2018 08:41

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:14

Publisher DOI:

10.1017/jog.2018.31

Uncontrolled Keywords:

ice biology; paleoclimate; Eucalyptus marker; glacier; Lycopodium marker; palynology; pollen

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.117127

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/117127

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback