Paleo Slide Set: Climate and the Classic Maya Civilization
Comparison of the oxygen isotope record of ostracods with the microparticle concentration data.

This slide compares the oxygen isotope record of ostracods from Punta Laguna with the microparticle 
concentration data from the Quelccaya ice core in Peru. Increased dust in the Quelccaya ice core may 
indicate increased aridity in the Andean Altiplano. Within the error of the radiocarbon age model for 
Punta Laguna, the driest events in the Punta Laguna record correlate approximately with peaks in 
microparticle concentration. Correlation of these dry events on opposite sides of the equator suggests 
that these changes may be related to large-scale changes in atmospheric and oceanic circulation. 

Photo Credits:
David A. Hodell 
Department of Geology, University of Florida