Alexandra Németh

Recently forming stalagmites from the Baradla Cave and their suitability assessment for climate–proxy relationships

Determination of the long-term behavior of cave systems and their response to changing environmental conditions is essential for further paleoclimate analyses of cave-hosted carbonate deposits. For this purpose, four actively forming stalagmites were collected in the Baradla Cave where a three-year monitoring campaign was also conducted. Based on textural characteristics and radiocarbon analyses, the stalagmites are composed of annual laminae, whose counting was used to establish age–depth relationships. Fast and slowly growing stalagmites have different stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions as well as trace element contents that could be attributed to differences in drip water migration pathways. The stable isotope compositions were compared with meteorological data of the last ∼100 years indicating that carbon isotope compositions of the stalagmites may reflect changes in precipitation amount, while oxygen isotope compositions are more related to temperature variations. The combined textural–geo...

550 years in sedimentological record from a varved type lake (Bolătău, Bukovina, NE Romania) - changing storm frequency and climate fluctuation

In the present paper we introduce lake Bolătău, located in Obcina Feredeului, Eastern Carpathians (Romania), with seasonally controlled sedimentation and significant potential for generating precipitation sensitive proxy record. Two sediment cores were compared against each other in order to achieve a better understanding of the lateral discontinuity of observed microfacies and an accurate interpretation of the sedimentological data.

Fusiform vateritic inclusions observed in European eel (Anguilla Anguilla L.) sagittae

Microscopic inclusions have been observed in 7 out of 106 European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) sagittae using polarizing microscope and scanning electron microscope meanwhile the annual increments were studied to characterize the age structure of the population living in Lake Balaton. The presence of vaterite, a rare calcium carbonate polymorph was observed in these inclusions using Raman spectroscopy. Vateritic sagittae in wild fish are usually considered as symptom of physiological stress. The observed fusiform inclusions represent a new morphological type of vaterite inclusions in eel otolith. Two alternatives are hypothesized to explain their formation: 1) metabolic disorder, such as erroneous protein synthesis; 2) introduction of an alien protein into the eels inner ear. The origin and physiological significance of this new morphological type of vateritic inclusions is still an open question. Same as whether it can be found in other species or specific only to eel otoliths.

Proxy records of annual/decadal temperature- and hydroclimate variability from the Carpathian-Balkan Region for the past two millennia, a literature review

In the present paper a systematic compilation of temperature and moisture sensitive proxy records is presented for the Common Era of the Carpathian- Balkan region with the aim of creating a comprehensive database. It will hopefully facilitate an orientation and an overview among available literature, and hopefully serve as a valuable and solid basis for the climate research community. Authors welcome all contributions in the topic to further broaden the scope of the initiative.

Petrographic comparison of four recent stalagmites from Baradla Cave Hungary - implications for the paleoclimate interpretation

Baradla Cave is a world heritage site situated in the northeastern part of Hungary. The cave itself formed supposedly from the Pliocene in Mesozoic marine carbonates and today has a total length of 25 km. The climate of the area is continental most of the precipitation arrives during early-summer, however, the main infiltration period is from November to April when precipitation exceeds evapotranspiration. According to recent monitoring data, temperature in the cave varies around 9.8°C throughout the year while the pCO 2 of the cave air follows a seasonal cycle. The CO 2 mixing ratio is highest (~4200 ppm) during the summer and lowest during in winter (~1600 ppm)