Spatial variations in sedimentation and inferred climate changes as revealed by new XRF records from Lake Saki

Abstract

Laminated lake sediments from the Lake Saki basin provide high-resolution records of climatic variability in the Black Sea region, which is especially sensitive to changing climatic conditions. The first XRF analysis of the lake sediments was performed by Veselova (2012) and later by Morozova et al. (2015), which gave basis to establish three periods of distinct depositional processes: (i) shallow basin with a high level of hydrodynamical regime, (ii) deepening of the lake and stable hydrological conditions, and (iii) shallowing of the basin and an increase in hydrodynamical regime. Here we present a correlation of XRF datasets from two cores from the lake and discuss changes in depositional environment and inferred climate variations, as well as human impact on the lake system.