United Kingdom Bithynia opercula Amino Acid Racemization Data Penkman, K.E.H.; Preece, R.C.; Bridgland, D.R.; Keen, D.H.; Meijer, T.; Parfitt, S.A.; White, T.S.; Collins, M.J. Penkman, K.E.H. Preece, R.C. Bridgland, D.R. Keen, D.H. Meijer, T. Parfitt, S.A. White, T.S. Collins, M.J. earth science/paleoclimate/others (UKAAR>LATITUDE >LONGITUDE ) Marine and ice-core records show that the Earth has experienced a succession of glacials and interglacials during the Quaternary (last ~2.6 million years), although it is often difficult to correlate fragmentary terrestrial records with specific cycles. Aminostratigraphy is a method potentially able to link terrestrial sequences to the marine isotope stages (MIS) of the deep-sea record. We have used new methods of extraction and analysis of amino acids, preserved within the calcitic opercula of the freshwater gastropod Bithynia, to provide the most comprehensive data set for the British Pleistocene based on a single dating technique. A total of 470 opercula from 74 sites spanning the entire Quaternary are ranked in order of relative age based on the extent of protein degradation, using aspartic acid/asparagine (Asx), glutamic acid/glutamine (Glx), serine (Ser), alanine (Ala) and valine (Val). This new aminostratigraphy is consistent with the stratigraphical relationships of stratotypes, sites with independent geochronology, biostratigraphy and terrace stratigraphy. The method corroborates the existence of four interglacial stages between the Anglian (MIS 12) and the Holocene in the terrestrial succession. It establishes human occupation of Britain in most interglacial stages after MIS 15, but supports the notion of human absence during the Last Interglacial (MIS 5e). Suspicions that the treeless 'optimum of the Upton Warren interstadial' at Isleworth pre-dates MIS 3 are confirmed. This new aminostratigraphy provides a robust framework against which climatic, biostratigraphical and archaeological models can be tested. STUDY NOTES: Amino acid racemization (AAR) data on Bithynia opercula samples from a variety of sites in the British Isles and selected northern European stratotypes. D/L data for aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, alanine and valine, and [Ser]/[Ala] in Bithynia opercula. NCDC-Paleoclimatology https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-access/paleoclimatology-data - Bauer Bruce Investigator : Penkman, K.E.H. Investigator : Preece, R.C. Investigator : Bridgland, D.R. Investigator : Keen, D.H. Investigator : Meijer, T. Investigator : Parfitt, S.A. Investigator : White, T.S. Investigator : Collins, M.J. 2016-04-22 ONLINE Files online, ASCII https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/20084 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/aar/penkman2011uk/penkman2011uk.xlsx https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/aar/penkman2011uk/penkman2011uk.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/aar/penkman2011uk/penkman2011uk.xlsx https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/aar/penkman2011uk/penkman2011uk.txt English https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/20084 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/aar/penkman2011uk/penkman2011uk.xlsx https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/aar/penkman2011uk/penkman2011uk.txt Kirsty E. H. Penkman, Richard C. Preece, David R. Bridgland, David H. Keen, Tom Meijer, Simon A. Parfitt, Tom S. White, Matthew J. Collins2011A chronological framework for the British Quaternary based on Bithynia operculaNature4767361446-44910.1038/nature10305http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v476/n7361/full/nature10305.html Kirsty E.H. Penkman, Richard C. Preece, David R. Bridgland, David H. Keen, Tom Meijer, Simon A. Parfitt, Tom S. White, Matthew J. Collins 2013An aminostratigraphy for the British Quaternary based on Bithynia operculaQuaternary Science Reviews61111-13410.1016/j.quascirev.2012.10.046http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379112004520 START YEAR: 2800000 cal yr BP * END YEAR: 0 cal yr BP -3 50 7 54