RT Journal Article
T1 Roman water management impacted the hydrological functioning of wetlands during drought periods.
A1 Gázquez‐Sánchez, Fernando
A1 Jiménez‐Espejo, Francisco
A1 Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Miguel
A1 Martegani, Lucía
A1 Voigt, Claudia
A1 Ruíz‐Lara, Dolores
A1 Moreno, Ana
A1 Valero‐Garcés, Blas
A1 Morellón, Mario
A1 Martín‐Puertas, Celia
K1 Drought periods
K1 Wetlands
K1 Rome
AB During the Roman domain of the Iberian Peninsula (from 201 BCE to 460 CE) water management infrastructures were built to satisfy high water demand. However, whether the Roman activities affected the hydrological balance of Iberian wetlands remains unclear. Here, we investigate the paleo‐ hydrology of Lake Zóñar (southern Iberia) by using the stable isotopes (16O, 17O, 18O, 1H and 2H) of its gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) sediments and reconstruct the isotopic composition of the lake water during Roman times. A period of recurrent lake low stand occurred between 2120 and 1890 cal. yr BP (ca. 170 BCE to 60 CE), coinciding with a relatively dry climate stage recorded by most regional paleoclimate archives. The stable isotopes and hydrochemistry of the lake water during gypsum precipitation are consistent with a shallow saline lake that evaporated under relative humidity ~ 10% lower than the present annual mean and at least 20% less rainfall amount. Our analytical and archeological findings support lake level lowering during the Roman period was probably caused by combined arid climate conditions and diversion of the inlets feeding the lake. Spring capturing was likely necessary to satisfy the high water demand of nearby Roman settlements, in the framework of a period of persistent droughts.
PB Nature
YR 2023
FD 2023-11-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10433/19420
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10433/19420
LA en
NO Gázquez-Sánchez, F., Jiménez-Espejo, F., Rodríguez-Rodríguez, M. et al. Roman water management impacted the hydrological functioning of wetlands during drought periods. Sci Rep 13, 18815 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-46010-5
NO Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales
DS RIO
RD May 24, 2026