Lake Turkana Ostracode Stable Isotope Measurements from 17 Sites, 1979

329 stable carbon and oxygen isotope measurements from individual ostracode valves collected across Lake Turkana. Kaustubh Thirumalai of the University of Arizona provides this data, which was gathered from modern sediments between May and November 1979. Pooled statistics from these analyses show strong correlations with lake hydrological parameters and reveal systematic latitudinal gradients.

Use Cases

• Modeling past regional paleohydrology based on stable isotope correlations with lake parameters.
• Analyzing spatial gradients in δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values relative to riverine inflow and evaporation.
• Investigating the relationship between nutrient-rich river inflow and organic matter δ¹³C as a productivity response.

Strengths

• 329 individual stable isotope measurements (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) are provided.
• Samples were collected from 17 distinct sites across Lake Turkana, offering spatial coverage.
• Data collection occurred during a defined period from May to November 1979.

Limitations

• Row count for the underlying raw data is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Kaustubh Thirumalai, University of Arizona

Collection Method

Sediments collected using a modified Ekman dredge; individual ostracode valves analyzed for stable isotopes.

Time Range

May-November 1979

Geography

Lake Turkana, eastern Africa (17 sites)