Climatic variability in the eastern United States over the past millennium from Chesapeake Bay sediments

Research Article| January 01, 2000 Climatic variability in the eastern United States over the past millennium from Chesapeake Bay sediments T. Cronin; T. Cronin 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar D. Willard; D. Willard 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A. Karlsen; A. Karlsen 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S. Ishman; S. Ishman 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S. Verardo; S. Verardo 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar J. McGeehin; J. McGeehin 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. Kerhin; R. Kerhin 2Maryland Geological Survey, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar C. Holmes; C. Holmes 3U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S. Colman; S. Colman 4U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A. Zimmerman A. Zimmerman 5Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information T. Cronin 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA D. Willard 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA A. Karlsen 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA S. Ishman 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA S. Verardo 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA J. McGeehin 1U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 20192, USA R. Kerhin 2Maryland Geological Survey, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA C. Holmes 3U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, USA S. Colman 4U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA A. Zimmerman 5Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 10 May 1999 Revision Received: 12 Aug 1999 Accepted: 17 Aug 1999 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2000) 28 (1): 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)282.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 10 May 1999 Revision Received: 12 Aug 1999 Accepted: 17 Aug 1999 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation T. Cronin, D. Willard, A. Karlsen, S. Ishman, S. Verardo, J. McGeehin, R. Kerhin, C. Holmes, S. Colman, A. Zimmerman; Climatic variability in the eastern United States over the past millennium from Chesapeake Bay sediments. Geology 2000;; 28 (1): 3–6. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)282.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Salinity oscillations caused by multidecadal climatic variability had major impacts on the Chesapeake Bay estuarine ecosystem during the past 1000 yr. Microfossils from sediments dated by radiometry (14C, 137Cs, 210Pb) and pollen stratigraphy indicate that salinity in mesohaline regions oscillated 10–15 ppt during periods of extreme drought (low fresh-water discharge) and wet climate (high discharge). During the past 500 yr, 14 wet-dry cycles occurred, including sixteenth and early seventeenth century megadroughts that exceeded twentieth century droughts in their severity. These droughts correspond to extremely dry climate also recorded in North American tree-ring records and by early colonists. Wet periods occurred every ∼60–70 yr, began abruptly, lasted <20 yr, and had mean annual rainfall ∼25%–30% and fresh-water discharge ∼40%–50% greater than during droughts. A shift toward wetter regional climate occurred in the early nineteenth century, lowering salinity and compounding the effects of agricultural land clearance on bay ecosystems. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.