2016-2018
NUMBER OF ROOMS USED
4
PROJECT DURATION
24 MONTHS
GOALS
To highlight, in a controlled environment, the relationship between the oxygen isotopic composition (¹⁷O-excess) of phytoliths (amorphous silica particles produced, among others, by fescue grass, used here as a model plant) and the relative humidity of atmospheric air. This relationship will be used to date sediments based on the isotopic signature of the silica they contain.
Researchers
Anne Alexandre ; Christine Vallet-Coulomb ; Corine Sonzoni ; Sandrine Pauchet ; Clément Piel ; Clément Outrequin
Publication
Alexandre, A. et al. Effects of grass leaf anatomy, development and light/dark alternation on the triple oxygen isotope signature of leaf water and phytoliths: insights for a new proxy of continental atmospheric humidity. Biogeosciences Discussions 1–17 (2019).
Outrequin, C. et al. The triple oxygen isotope composition of phytoliths, a new proxy of atmospheric relative humidity: controls of soil water isotope composition, temperature, CO2 concentration and relative humidity. Climate of the Past 17, 1881–1902 (2021).
Alexandre, A. et al. The triple oxygen isotope composition of phytoliths as a proxy of continental atmospheric humidity: insights from climate chamber and climate transect calibrations. Biogeosciences Discussions 15, 3223–3241 (2018).
