Ménot, Guillemette; Garcin, Yannick (2026): GDGTs of lacustrine sediment core M4 from Mbalang Cameroon [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.992013 (DOI registration in progress)
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Published: 2026-06-29
Abstract:
This file contains the biomarker data from the paper Ménot et al., 2025 Organic Geochemistry (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2025.104982). African low-latitude regions tend to be underrepresented in global continental temperature reconstructions, limiting both our understanding and the reliability of predictions of past and future changes in temperature and precipitation in those parts of the world. The lack of continuous sedimentary archives and quantitative temperature proxies further complicates this issue, especially outside Eastern Africa. Here, we use data collected in Cameroon lakes to assess branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (brGDGT)-based temperature proxies and examine potential confounding variables impacting temperature reconstructions. By analyzing GDGT distributions in soil watershed, water column, and surface sediment samples from a total of 11 Cameroon lakes, we could verify that the degree of methylation of brGDGTs (through the MBT′5Me) can serve as a reliable indicator for reconstructing mean annual air temperatures. Additionally, we could confirm that surface water conductivity represents a controlling factor for the brGDGT assemblage in surface sediments of crater lakes. Moreover, we provide the first reconstruction of Mid- to Late-Holocene GDGT-based air temperatures for a crater lake in Cameroon (Central Africa), revealing a temperature decrease of 2.5 °C over the last 7000 years, which agrees with recently published records for East Africa but exceeds current model predictions. These discrepancies highlight the need for additional studies to focus on this geographically underrepresented area.
Related to:
Ménot, Guillemette; Ansanay-Alex, Salomé; Schwab, Valérie F; Todou, Gilbert; Séné, Olivier; Onana, Jean-Michel; Gleixner, Gerd; Sachse, Dirk; Garcin, Yannick (2025): Mid- to Late-Holocene branched GDGT-based air temperatures from a crater lake in Cameroon (Central Africa). Organic Geochemistry, 204, 104982, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2025.104982
Funding:
Parameter(s):
| # | Name | Short Name | Unit | Principal Investigator | Method/Device | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEPTH, sediment/rock | Depth sed | m | Ménot, Guillemette | see reference(s) | Geocode |
| 2 | AGE | Age | ka BP | Ménot, Guillemette | see reference(s) | Geocode |
| 3 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (peak area) | brGDGT peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | sum | |
| 4 | Isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (peak area) | iso GDGT peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | sum | |
| 5 | Crenarchaeol (peak area) | Cren peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 6 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIa (peak area) | brGDGT IIIa peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 7 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIa' (peak area) | brGDGT IIIa' peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 8 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIa'' (peak area) | brGDGT IIIa'' peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 9 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIb (peak area) | brGDGT IIIb peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 10 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIb' (peak area) | brGDGT IIIb' peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 11 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIb'' (peak area) | brGDGT IIIb'' peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 12 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIc (peak area) | brGDGT IIIc peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 13 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIc' (peak area) | brGDGT IIIc' peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 14 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIa (peak area) | brGDGT IIa peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 15 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIa' (peak area) | brGDGT IIa' peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 16 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIb (peak area) | brGDGT IIb peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 17 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIb' (peak area) | brGDGT IIb' peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 18 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIc (peak area) | brGDGT IIc peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 19 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIc' (peak area) | brGDGT IIc' peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 20 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, Ia (peak area) | brGDGT Ia peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 21 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, Ib (peak area) | brGDGT Ib peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 22 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, Ic (peak area) | brGDGT Ic peak area | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 23 | Isoprenoid acyclic glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, fractional abundance | iso GDGT-0 | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | total | |
| 24 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, fractional abundance | brGDGT | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | total | |
| 25 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIa, fractional abundance | brGDGT IIIa | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 26 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIa', fractional abundance | brGDGT IIIa' | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 27 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIa'', fractional abundance | brGDGT IIIa'' | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 28 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIb, fractional abundance | brGDGT IIIb | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 29 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIb', fractional abundance | brGDGT IIIb' | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 30 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIb'', fractional abundance | brGDGT IIIb'' | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 31 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIc, fractional abundance | brGDGT IIIc | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 32 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIIc', fractional abundance | brGDGT IIIc' | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 33 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIa, fractional abundance | brGDGT IIa | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 34 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIa', fractional abundance | brGDGT IIa' | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 35 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIb, fractional abundance | brGDGT IIb | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 36 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIb', fractional abundance | brGDGT IIb' | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 37 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIc, fractional abundance | brGDGT IIc | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 38 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, IIc', fractional abundance | brGDGT IIc' | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 39 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, Ia, fractional abundance | brGDGT Ia | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 40 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, Ib, fractional abundance | brGDGT Ib | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 41 | Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, Ic, fractional abundance | brGDGT Ic | Ménot, Guillemette | High Performance Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS), Agilent 1200 | ||
| 42 | Branched and isoprenoid tetraether index | BIT | Ménot, Guillemette | see reference(s) | ||
| 43 | Methylation index of 5-methyl branched tetraethers | MBT'5ME | Ménot, Guillemette | see reference(s) | ||
| 44 | Isomer ratio of 6-methyl branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers | IR6me | Ménot, Guillemette | see reference(s) | ||
| 45 | Cyclization ratio of branched tetraethers prime | CBT' | Ménot, Guillemette | see reference(s) | ||
| 46 | Cyclization ratio of branched tetraethers of 5-methyl branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether | CBT5ME | Ménot, Guillemette | see reference(s) |
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0)
Status:
Curation Level: Enhanced curation (CurationLevelC)
Size:
1364 data points