Major excursions in sulfur isotopes linked to permafrost change in Eurasia during the last 50,000 years

2025/08/01 by Rhiannon E. Stevens, Hazel Reade, Kerry L. Sayle +10 · 2 voices · 7 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research #Climate change and permafrost #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies

paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s41561-025-01760-x

Abstract

Abstract We identify a major sulfur isotope excursion in Eurasian faunal bone collagen from the last 50,000 years, here termed the Late Pleniglacial Sulfur Excursion. Our analysis suggests this is linked to changing permafrost conditions, presenting the utility of faunal collagen δ 34 S as a proxy for permafrost dynamics, a critical component of the global carbon cycle. Our findings complicate the use of archaeological faunal sulfur isotopes for mobility and palaeodietary studies.

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• Diverse feasting networks at the end of the Bronze Age in Britain (c. 900-500 BCE) evidenced by multi-isotope analysis. [europepmc]
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Discussions

• Now with correct link: doi.org/10.1038/s415... [bsky, 23 points, 2 comments]
• Stevens, R.E., Reade, H., Sayle, K.L. et al. Major excursions in sulfur isotopes linked to permafrost change in Eurasia during the last 50,000 years. #stableisotopes Nat. Geosci. 18, 961–965 (2025). d [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]

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