Multi-component carbon isotope evidence of early Holocene environmental change and carbon-flow pathways from a hard-water lake in northern Sweden

A 9000-year carbonate-rich sediment sequence from a small hard-water lake in northernmost Sweden was studied by means of multi-component stable carbon isotope analysis. Radiocarbon dating of different sediment fractions provides chronologic control and reveals a rather constant hard-water effect through time, suggesting lake has remained hydrologically open throughout the Holocene. Successive depletion of C-13 in fine-grained calcite and carbonate shells during the early Holocene correlate with a change in catchment vegetation from pioneer herb communities to boreal forest. The vegetational change and associated soil development likely gave rise to an increased supply of C-13-depleted carbon dioxide in groundwater recharging the lake. This process is therefore believed to be the main cause of decreasing values of delta(13)C in dissolved inorganic carbon of the lake and thereby in limnic carbonates. Strongly C-13-depleted sedimentary organic matter may be related to enhanced kinetic fractionation during photosynthetic assimilation by means of proton pumping in Characean algae. This interpretation is supported by a substantial offset between delta(13)C of DIC as recorded by mollusc shells and delta(13)C Of fine-grained calcite.