Multi-proxy studies in palaeolimnology

Concepts

Natural SciencesEarth SciencesPaleoclimatologyPaleoecologyPaleoenvironmental ReconstructionEnvironmental ReconstructionFossil Pollen AnalysisGeochemical ProxiesPalaeoenvironmental ReconstructionPaleoenvironmental InterpretationPollen AnalysisBiotic ResponseCatchment HistoryLake HistoryMicrofossil ProxiesPaleoenvironmental ProxiesPlant Macrofossil AnalysisPlant-macrofossil AssemblagesSubfossil Pollen Analysis

TL;DR

Multi‑proxy studies are increasingly common in palaeolimnology, relying on physical and biotic proxies such as pollen and plant macrofossils to reconstruct lake and catchment histories. The essay outlines eight essential requirements and challenges for conducting multi‑proxy studies and proposes future directions for using them to understand biotic responses to environmental change. The authors review methodological challenges such as loss‑on‑ignition changes and transfer‑function use, and outline key procedural steps including research question definition, site selection, coring, data storage, chronology, result presentation, numerical tools, and data interpretation.

Abstract

Multi-proxy studies are becoming increasingly common in palaeolimnology. Eight basic requirements and challenges for a multi-proxy study are outlined in this essay – definition of research questions, leadership, site selection and coring, data storage, chronology, presentation of results, numerical tools and data interpretation. The nature of proxy data is discussed in terms of physical proxies and biotic proxies. Loss-on-ignition changes and the use of transfer functions are reviewed as examples of problems in the interpretation of data from multi-proxy studies. The importance of pollen analysis and plant macrofossil analysis in multi-proxy studies is emphasised as lake history cannot be interpreted without knowledge of catchment history. Future directions are outlined about how multi-proxy studies can contribute to understanding biotic responses to environmental change.