Complex distribution of ancient carbon between tributaries of the Upper Lena seen in radiocarbon dates of modern fish
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19312741 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Corrie Hyland (0000-0003-3531-1880, University of Oxford, corresponding author), Karolina Cameron-Werens (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Christophe Snoeck (0000-0003-3770-4055, Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Aleksander Shchetnikov (Institute of the Earth’s Crust), Pavel Tarasov (0000-0003-0408-2210, Freie Universität Berlin), Andrzej Weber (0000-0001-9336-9672, University of Alberta), R J Schulting (0000-0002-4444-766X, University of Oxford) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 490-520 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Radiocarbon (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0033-8222 • E-ISSN: 1945-5755 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/rdc.2026.10219 |
| OpenAlex | W7162787361 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 96 |
The results of radiocarbon dating of modern fish bone collagen from the Upper Lena River have identified a large and highly variable freshwater reservoir effect, with a maximum offset age of 2389 ± 19 14 C yr BP. Variable contributions from both dissolved bedrock carbonate and permafrost soil melt were identified as the drivers for these reservoir offsets using a combination of bulk and amino acid specific stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes, as well as the novel application of strontium isotope ratios ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) to the study of reservoir effects. Strontium isotope ratios were used as a means of identifying the contributions of dissolved limestone and dolostone carbonate to the fish tissues in comparison to their associated radiocarbon ( 14 C) offset ages. An updated model for δ 13 C and 14 C age offsets in fish bone collagen was produced to interpret the potential combined contributions of old carbon from both permafrost soil melt and carbonates from bedrock erosion. The wide range of 14 C offset ages identified in this study poses challenges to producing robust corrections for both modern and archaeological reservoir effects in human populations. Specifically, there is a need to address the potentially wide range of 14 C ages which fish could represent, rather than using reservoir effect correction models which function best with uniform endmember contributions of old carbon
Aragonite · Bedrock · Carbonate · Fish bone · Isotopes of carbon · Permafrost · Radiocarbon dating · Silt · Tributary · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
The freshwater reservoir effect in radiocarbon dating
Global vegetation change through the Miocene/Pliocene boundary
The geochemistry of C14 in fresh-water systems
Strontium isotopes as tracers of ecosystem processes
The Natural C 14 Contents of Materials From Hard-Water Lakes
Calcined bone provides a reliable substrate for strontium isotope ratios as shown by an enrichment experiment
Postmortem preservation and alteration of in vivo bone collagen isotope ratios in relation to palaeodietary reconstruction
Climate warming restructures food webs and carbon flow in high-latitude ecosystems
Freshwater Reservoir Effects in the Eurasian Steppe Zone and Their Influence on the Radiocarbon Ages of Bone Samples
Statistics and characteristics of permafrost and ground‐ice distribution in the Northern Hemisphere
Strontium Isotopes from the Earth to the Archaeological Skeleton
Holocene vegetation and climate variability in North Pre-Baikal region, East Siberia, Russia
Mobility of middle Holocene foragers in the Cis-Baikal region, Siberia
Lateglacial–Holocene environments and human occupation in the Upper Lena region of Eastern Siberia derived from sedimentary and zooarchaeological data from Lake Ochaul
Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Variability of Bone Collagen to Determine the Number of Isotopically Distinct Specimens
The isotopic composition of carbon and nitrogen in individual amino acids isolated from modern and fossil proteins
Prehistoric dietary adaptations among hunter-fisher-gatherers from the Little Sea of Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russian Federation
Bone Collagen Quality Indicators for Palaeodietary and Radiocarbon Measurements
A Summary of Radiocarbon Measurements of Fluvial and Colluvial Deposits in Catchments of South-Central Ontario, Canada
Freshwater Reservoir Effect on Redating of Eurasian Steppe Cultures
Modern Freshwater Reservoir Offsets in the Eurasian Steppe
Highly Variable Freshwater Reservoir Offsets Found along the Upper Lena Watershed, Cis-Baikal, Southeast Siberia
Using 14 C as a Tracer of Carbon Accumulation and Turnover in Soils
Analyzing Radiocarbon Reservoir Offsets Through Stable Nitrogen Isotopes and Bayesian Modeling
Sample Preparation Methods Used at the Australian National University Radiocarbon Facility
Freshwater Reservoir Offsets Investigated Through Paired Human-Faunal 14 C Dating and Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Analysis at Lake Baikal, Siberia
Using δ 2 H in Human Bone Collagen to Correct for Freshwater 14 C Reservoir Offsets
Current Pretreatment Methods for AMS Radiocarbon Dating at the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (Orau)
Discussion Reporting of 14 C Data
C Dating and Stable Carbon Isotopes of Soil Organic Matter in Forest–Savanna Boundary Areas in the Southern Brazilian Amazon Region
An Introduction to the Isotopic Studies of Ancient Human Remains
Radio Carbon Dating
Radiocarbon Dating in Eastern Arctic Archaeology
Isotopic Evidence for Garden Hunting and Resource Depression in the Late Woodland of Northeastern North America
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |