Volcano- and climate-driven changes in atmospheric dust sources and fluxes since the Late Glacial in Central Europe

Atmospheric dusts are an important part of the global climate
system, and play an important role in the marine and terrestrial bio-
geochemical cycles of major and trace nutrient elements. A peat bog
record of atmospheric deposition shows considerable variation in dust
deposition during the past 15 k.y., with abrupt changes in fl uxes at 12,
9.2, 8.4, 7.2, and 6 cal. kyr B.P. Using Nd isotopes and rare earth ele-
ments, it is possible to clearly distinguish between volcanic inputs and
those driven by climate change, such as the long-term aridifi cation of
the Sahara and regional erosion due to forest clearing and soil cultiva-
tion activities. Our results indicate that a major dust event in North
Africa and Europe preceded the 8.2 kyr B.P. cold event by 200 yr. This
dust event may have played an active role in the following climate
cooling of the 8.2 kyr B.P. event. Nd isotope evidence also indicates a
relatively slow change in dust regime over Europe from 7 to 5 kyr B.P.
due to Sahara expansion. These fi ndings show that the inorganic frac-
tion in high-resolution peat records can provide remarkably sensitive
indicators of dust load and sources. Our study supports the priority to
better identify the impact of dust loading during the Holocene in terms
of direct and indirect impacts on environmental and climate changes.