Chronology and climate forcing of the last four interglacials
The last four interglacials (intervals during which global ice volume was similar to, or less than, that of our current warm stage) correspond to the warmest parts of the marine oxygen isotope stages marine isotopic age (MIS) 5, 7, 9, and 11. These interglacials followed the 100-kyr rhythm of eccentricity, but each had different insolation regimes, different durations, different ice volumes, and different sea-level heights. However, atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations were similar and reached values, which, largely, were close to those of the current interglacial (Holocene or MIS 1) before the industrial revolution led to the artificial enrichment of the atmosphere's greenhouse gas concentrations via the burning of fossil fuels. This chapter summarizes the state of knowledge on each of the climatic warm intervals.
(. vol. 7, pp. 597-614, 09/04/2026)
MPI-M, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UCL, DESY, LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, DISAT, UNIMI, MARUM, KU Leuven, TU Darmstadt, INSU - CNRS, CEP, UNIBE, JGU, DEPE-IPHC, IPHC, UNISTRA, Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA), IN2P3, CNRS
Holocene long- and short-term climate changes off Adélie Land, East Antarctica
Diatom data from a marine sediment core give insight on Holocene changes in sea-surface conditions and climate at high southern latitudes off Adélie Land, East Antarctica. The early to mid-Holocene was warmer than the late Holocene with a transition at ∼4000 calendar years B. P. Sea ice was less present and spring-summer growing season was greater during the warm period relative to the cold one, thus limiting sea ice diatom production and favoring more open ocean diatom to develop. The long-term Holocene climatic evolution in East Antarctica is explained by a combination of a delayed response to local seasonal insolation changes coupled to the long memory of the Southern Ocean. Abrupt variations of the diatom relative abundances, indicating rapid climate changes, are superimposed to the Holocene long-term trends. Spectral analyses calculate robust frequencies at ∼1600 a (where “a” is years), ∼1250 a, ∼1050 a, ∼570 a, ∼310 a, ∼230 a, ∼150–125 a, ∼110 a, ∼90 a, and ∼66 a. Such periods are very close to solar activity cyclicities, except for the periods at ∼310 a and ∼1250 a, which are close to internal climate variability cyclicities. Wavelet analyses estimate the same periods but indicate nonstationary cyclicities. Rapid climate changes at high southern latitudes may therefore be explained by a combination of external (solar) and internal (thermohaline circulation) forcings.
(Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. vol. 8, pp. 1 à 15 pages, 09/04/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LGGE, OSUG, UJF, Grenoble INP, INSU - CNRS, IRSTEA, USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry], CNRS, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, HNHP, MNHN, CNRS
About the potential role of dust aerosols on the meningitis disease in Western Africa”
(pp. xx, 09/04/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, CRC, UB, CNRS
Low-latitude "dusty events" vs. high-latitude "icy Heinrich events
It has been proposed that tropical events could have participated in the triggering of the classic, high-latitude, iceberg-discharge Heinrich events (HE). We explore low-latitude Heinrich events equivalents at high resolution, in a piston core recovered from the tropical northwestern African margin. They are characterized by an increase of total dust, lacustrine diatoms and fibrous lacustrine clay minerals. Thus, low-latitude events clearly reflect severe aridity events that occurred over Africa at the Saharan latitudes, probably induced by southward shifts of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone. At a first approximation, it seems that there is more likely synchronicity between the high-latitude Heinrich Events (HEs) and low-latitude events (LLE), rather than asynchronous behaviours.
(Quaternary Research. vol. 68, n° 0033-5894, pp. 379-386, 09/04/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, PBDS, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LOG, INSU - CNRS, ULCO, CNRS, IRD [Ile-de-France]
Actions de diffusion de la culture scientifique et d'incitations aux sciences
The CSNSM contributes to the popularization of knowledge through various actions such as conferences for teenagers and students, redaction of books or papers for the general public, web sites, answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
(09/04/2026)
CSNSM, UP11, IN2P3, CNRS, DRECAM, CEA, LPN, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, IPNO, UP11, IN2P3, CNRS, IBCP, UCBL, CNRS, LHEEA, ECN, CNRS
Inocula from activated sludge for ready biodegradability testing : Homogenization by preconditioning
(Chemosphere. vol. 68, n° 0045-6535, pp. 1447-1454, 09/04/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LEFE, INEE-CNRS, CNRS, UT3, Comue de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Comue de Toulouse
Dansgaard-Oeschger climatic variability revealed by fire emissions in southwestern Iberia
Paleoenvironmental records in Europe describing paleofires extending back to the Last Interglacial have so far been unavailable. Here we present paleofire results from the combined petrographic and automated image analysis of microcharcoal particles preserved in marine core MD95-2042 retrieved off southwestern Iberia and covering the last climatic cycle. The variability of microcharcoal concentrations reveals that the variability of fire emissions is mainly imprinted by the 23 000 yrs precessional cycle. A focus on the Last Glacial Period further shows that paleofires follow the variability of Dansgaard-Oeschger oscillation and Heinrich events and, therefore, parallel the variability of atmospheric temperatures over Greenland detected in ice cores. There is no evidence for fire increase related to human activity. The variability of fire emission by-products for the Last Glacial Period is interpreted in terms of changes in biomass availability. Low fire activity is associated with periods of drought which saw the development of semi-desert vegetation that characterised stadial periods. Fire activity increased during wetter interstadials, related to the development of open Mediterranean forests with more woody fuel availability.
(Quaternary Science Reviews. vol. 26, n° 0277-3791, pp. 1369-1383, 09/04/2026)
PACEA, UB, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, CEREGE, IRD, INRA, AMU, CdF (institution), INSU - CNRS, CNRS, ISTO, INSU - CNRS, UO, CNRS, UCL-ASTR, UCL
Clay mineral composition of river sediments in the Amazon Basin
(CATENA. vol. 71, n° 0341-8162, pp. 340-356, 09/04/2026)
LMTG, UT3, Comue de Toulouse, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, UnB
Parasite co-infection of two sympatric bivalves, the Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) and the cockle (Cerastoderma edule) along a latitudinal gradient
Among the potential biotic factors affecting population dynamics, parasitism has received relatively little attention. The purpose of this study was to inventory marine bivalve parasites and to investigate relations between different parasite communities. Five intertidal stations along the French Atlantic shore were studied between Brittany and Arcachon Bay. Two bivalves (the edible cockle, Cerastoderma edule, and the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum) were sampled and examined. The parasites included a bacterium (Vibrio tapetis), a protozoan (Perkinsus sp.), and digenetic trematode metacercariae (10 species). Perkinsus sp. prevalence and density in clams were higher than those measured in cockles (30 250 vs. 36 cells g−1 of gill wet weight, respectively) while digeneans were more common in cockles (46 metacercariae per cockle host vs. 1 per clam host). Distributions of digeneans and Perkinsus sp. were similar along the Atlantic shore. However, at each sampling station and at the individual scale, no correlation between Perkinsus sp. and digenean abundance was detected. These results suggest different ecological niches used by these two parasites within a community of bivalves but a similar response to environmental factors such as temperature and salinity. Vibrio tapetis was found at relatively high prevalence in all stations for both bivalve species (from 17% to 43% in cockles and from 23% to 50% in clams), but was associated with a low prevalence of Brown Ring Disease (BRD), a shell disease caused by this pathogen. No statistically significant relationship of these parasitic bacteria with trematodes and Perkinsus sp. was evidenced in the present study.
(Aquatic Living Resources. vol. 20, n° 0990-7440, pp. 33-42, 09/04/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LEMAR, IRD, IFREMER, UBO EPE, CNRS
Impairment of lipid storage by cadmium in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla)
Because European silver eels (Anguilla anguilla) fast during their reproductive migration to the Sargasso Sea, the successful completion of their unusual life cycle depends on quantity of lipids stored beforehand. These lipids are mainly accumulated during the growth phase stage of the animals, called yellow eel, as triglycerides in muscle. They are then catabolized to provide sufficient energy to enable migration, gonad maturation and spawning. In the laboratory, we investigated the possible impact of cadmium on the lipid storage efficiency of yellow eels in order to evaluate the possible contribution of this pollutant to the reported decline of European eel populations. Eels were exposed to dissolved cadmium at nominal concentrations of 0 and 5 µg.L-1 for one month. Cd toxicity was then examined by studying the activity and expression level of several enzymes involved in liver lipolysis and lipogenesis and by determining lipid content in muscle. Contaminated eels showed a lower body weight growth with a lower efficiency of lipid storage compared to controls. Using two complementary approaches, genetic and enzymatic, it was possible to conclude that this impairment is mainly explained by an increased utilisation of triglycerides since cadmium contamination did not trigger a reduced fatty acid synthesis. These observations suggest an increased fat consumption in presence of cadmium, which could compromise successful reproduction.
(Aquatic Toxicology. vol. 81, n° 0166-445X, pp. 304-311, 09/04/2026)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, IBGC, UB, CNRS, UR EPBX, CEMAGREF