PALEOMADA · Paleoenvironmental reconstruction in Madagascar
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2019-03-01 → 2021-02-28
- EU contribution
- €160,800
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Paleoenvironmental reconstruction in Madagascar
Climate and environmental changes are among important challenges facing our society today. Inhabitants of our planet Earth may suffer from the negative impact of climate changes if preventative measures are not taken. This is the motivation behind project PALEOMADA, which stands for PALEOenvironmental reconstruction in MADAgascar. Our understanding of past climate changes depends on linking together paleoclimate records from several locations worldwide, including Madagascar, to test and evaluate climate models. Paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental studies are among fundamental scientific disciplines that can help us understand the causes and the nature of the changes before the instrumental records. Knowledge from paleoclimate studies, in turn, can be used to refine global or local climate models to better predict climate in the near future. Madagascar is an excellent location for paleoenvironmental study because of its unique topography, climate, and environment. However, it is among understudied regions worldwide, and even though substantial paleoenvironmental conclusions have been drawn from separate investigation of speleothem proxies and lake sediments proxies, such conclusions have not yet been fully validated. Validation requires data calibration from modern monitoring and information cross-check across a range of complementary proxies between speleothems and lake sediments. PALEOMADA is a multidisciplinary approach, and it consists of combining state-of-the-art modern and paleo approach to produce a more robust paleoenvironmental interpretation in NW Madagascar using speleothems and lake sediments. The objective of PALEOMADA is to (1) calibrate paleo-proxy data, i.e., using knowledge of modern biogeochemical processes as a tool to reconstruct paleoenvironmental changes, and (2) cross-check paleoenvironmental interpretations on a range of geochemical signatures between speleothems and lake sediments.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Madagascar is an excellent location for paleoenvironmental study because of its unique topography, climate, and environment. However, it is among understudied regions worldwide, and even though substantial paleoenvironmental conclusions have been drawn from separate investigation of speleothem proxies (e.g., from Anjohibe Cave) and lake sediments proxies (e.g. from Lake Mitsinjo), such conclusions have not yet been fully validated. Validation requires data calibration from modern monitoring and information cross-check across a range of complementary proxies between speleothems and lake sediments. PALEOMADA (PALEOenvironmental reconstruction in MADAgascar) is a multidisciplinary approach, and it consists of combining state-of-the-art modern and paleo approach to produce a more robust paleoenvironmental interpretation in NW Madagascar using speleothems and lake sediments. Its objective will build on two important premises: (1) Calibration of paleo-data, i.e., using knowledge of modern biogeochemical processes as a tool to reconstruct paleoenvironmental changes, and (2) Cross-validation among different complementary archives, i.e., checking paleoenvironmental interpretations from speleothem proxies using proxies from lake sediments, and vice versa. PALEOMADA clearly provides a two-way transfer of knowledge and skills between me and the host institution because it will combine my expertise (speleothem and paleoclimate reconstruction) and my supervisor’s expertise (biogeochemistry and application of stable isotope tools in tropical aquatic systems). PALEOMADA additionally involves an international network collaboration, specifically with the Department of Geology of the University of Madagascar, which ensures its success, and it offers several training opportunities at KU Leuven to strengthen my skills and knowledge to become a mature and independent researcher.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN · LeuvenCoordinatorBelgium
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union