Paleoclimate reconstruction for the East African Rift from geochemical studies of mammalian teeth

• Applicant: Professor Dieter F. Mertz, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Palaeontology
• Term: from 2006 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 18857975

Fossil tooth enamel of hippopotamidae from three localities in the East African rift (Lake Albert, Lake Turkana, Olorgesailie) will be studied for stable isotopes (O, C), radiogenic isotopes (Sr, Nd, Pb) and trace elements. Screening for signs of alteration in tooth enamel using several mineralogical and geochemical methods will be a central task in this project. S18O-and 613C-values will be used to J O reconstruct 5 O-values and temperatures of palaeo-meteoric waters and habitat vegetation to constrain the palaeoclimate and its changes over time. Radiogenic isotopes and trace elements will be measured to test for correlations between these and the stable isotope palaeoclimate proxies with the aim to develop new proxies and to link tooth enamel composition with changing soil chemistry during a changing climate in East Africa. Results from the three localities will be correlated and combined to yield constraints on the hypothesis that the uplift of the Rwenzori Mountains influenced the climate in East Africa.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 703: Rift Dynamics, Uplift and Climate Change in Equatorial Africa: Interdisciplinary Research Linking Asthenospere, Lithosphere, Biosphere and Atmosphere
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. Ottmar Kullmer; Professor Dr. Friedemann Schrenk