Lateglacial-Middle Holocene stable isotope records in two coeval stalagmites from the Bihor Mountains, NW Romania

Oxygen and carbon stable isotope records of two stalagmites from NW Romania provide a continuous climatic record between 14.8 and 5.6 ka BP. The chronology is established by 21 TIMS uranium series ages. Uncertain ties in the isotope chronology range between ±20 and ±100 yr. The δ18 O values are positively correlated with temperature, whereas δ13 C fluctuations suggest changes in soil CO2 production. Lateglacial deposition of both stalagmites started at ~14.8 ka BP. The delta 18 O records subsequently show a slow decline in temperatures until 12.6 ka BP. Three warmer periods with increased soil productivity occurred at 14.5-13.9 ka BP, 13.6-13.2 ka BP, and 12.9-12.6 ka BP. Lower delta 18 O and high δ13 C values between 12.6 and 11.4 (11.7) ka BP in dicate a cold and dry climate during the Younger Dryas (GS-1). During the Early Holocene, three short cold intervals are marked on the δ 18 O profiles at 11.0-10.6, 10.5-10.2 and 9.4-9.1 ka BP. For the remainder of the Holocene sequence, the δ18 O records show less variation between 9 and 7.8 ka BP and gradual warming from 7.6-5.6 ka BP. The speleothem records correlate with the Green land ice core records and with other proxies through out Europe and the North Atlantic region.