Holocene Climatic Changes in the Negev Desert (Israel): Pollen and Stable Isotopes (<sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) Records from Atzmaut and Ramon I Zoogenic Deposits

Two zoogenic deposits from the central part of the Negev Desert (Israel) were investigated by stable isotopes (carbon <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and nitrogen <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) and pollen analyses. The merger of these data and results of...

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Main Author: Anna Babenko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Quaternary
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/7/4/45
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author Anna Babenko
author_facet Anna Babenko
author_sort Anna Babenko
collection DOAJ
description Two zoogenic deposits from the central part of the Negev Desert (Israel) were investigated by stable isotopes (carbon <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and nitrogen <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) and pollen analyses. The merger of these data and results of radiocarbon dating of Atzmaut and Ramon I deposits enabled us to reconstruct climate and vegetation changes in the Negev Desert over the past 8500 years. Decrease of the δ<sup>13</sup>C value in plant remains is a sensitive indicator of paleoclimatic conditions in the region. The decline of the δ<sup>13</sup>C value over the past 8500 years almost fully coincides with an increase of the total pollen concentration, the proportion of Poaceae pollen in the profile of zoogenic deposits and wetter periods. Thus, four humid periods are identified, from the middle of the 4th millennium to the end of 3rd millennium BC, the 1st half of the 2nd millennium BC, from the 2nd half of the 1st millennium BC to the 1st half of the 1st millennium AD and the middle of the 2nd millennium AD. The δ<sup>15</sup>N value of plant remains is a less sensitive indicator of climate dynamics and represents the most significant change of precipitation in the region by the end of the 3rd millennium BC.
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spelling doaj-art-ffcc2f6337b245c6ab876d27cf698f3f2025-08-20T02:43:54ZengMDPI AGQuaternary2571-550X2024-10-01744510.3390/quat7040045Holocene Climatic Changes in the Negev Desert (Israel): Pollen and Stable Isotopes (<sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) Records from Atzmaut and Ramon I Zoogenic DepositsAnna Babenko0Laboratory of Nature Sciences in Archaeology, The Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dm. Ul’yanova Street 19, Moscow 117292, RussiaTwo zoogenic deposits from the central part of the Negev Desert (Israel) were investigated by stable isotopes (carbon <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and nitrogen <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) and pollen analyses. The merger of these data and results of radiocarbon dating of Atzmaut and Ramon I deposits enabled us to reconstruct climate and vegetation changes in the Negev Desert over the past 8500 years. Decrease of the δ<sup>13</sup>C value in plant remains is a sensitive indicator of paleoclimatic conditions in the region. The decline of the δ<sup>13</sup>C value over the past 8500 years almost fully coincides with an increase of the total pollen concentration, the proportion of Poaceae pollen in the profile of zoogenic deposits and wetter periods. Thus, four humid periods are identified, from the middle of the 4th millennium to the end of 3rd millennium BC, the 1st half of the 2nd millennium BC, from the 2nd half of the 1st millennium BC to the 1st half of the 1st millennium AD and the middle of the 2nd millennium AD. The δ<sup>15</sup>N value of plant remains is a less sensitive indicator of climate dynamics and represents the most significant change of precipitation in the region by the end of the 3rd millennium BC.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/7/4/45Holocenestable isotope analysispollenzoogenic depositNegevIsrael
spellingShingle Anna Babenko
Holocene Climatic Changes in the Negev Desert (Israel): Pollen and Stable Isotopes (<sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) Records from Atzmaut and Ramon I Zoogenic Deposits
Quaternary
Holocene
stable isotope analysis
pollen
zoogenic deposit
Negev
Israel
title Holocene Climatic Changes in the Negev Desert (Israel): Pollen and Stable Isotopes (<sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) Records from Atzmaut and Ramon I Zoogenic Deposits
title_full Holocene Climatic Changes in the Negev Desert (Israel): Pollen and Stable Isotopes (<sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) Records from Atzmaut and Ramon I Zoogenic Deposits
title_fullStr Holocene Climatic Changes in the Negev Desert (Israel): Pollen and Stable Isotopes (<sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) Records from Atzmaut and Ramon I Zoogenic Deposits
title_full_unstemmed Holocene Climatic Changes in the Negev Desert (Israel): Pollen and Stable Isotopes (<sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) Records from Atzmaut and Ramon I Zoogenic Deposits
title_short Holocene Climatic Changes in the Negev Desert (Israel): Pollen and Stable Isotopes (<sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C and <sup>15</sup>N/<sup>14</sup>N) Records from Atzmaut and Ramon I Zoogenic Deposits
title_sort holocene climatic changes in the negev desert israel pollen and stable isotopes sup 13 sup c sup 12 sup c and sup 15 sup n sup 14 sup n records from atzmaut and ramon i zoogenic deposits
topic Holocene
stable isotope analysis
pollen
zoogenic deposit
Negev
Israel
url https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/7/4/45
work_keys_str_mv AT annababenko holoceneclimaticchangesinthenegevdesertisraelpollenandstableisotopessup13supcsup12supcandsup15supnsup14supnrecordsfromatzmautandramonizoogenicdeposits