Terrestrial carbonates, such as tufas and stalagmites, are unique archives in terms of providing paleo-environmental information of land area, especially in mid-latitudes where records of ice cores and corals are absent. The oxygen and carbon stable isotopic values (δ18O and δ13C) are the most fundamental proxy records, which reflect relative changes in hydrological condition and vegetation, respectively. The recent challenge focuses mainly on how we quantitatively estimate temperature, precipitation and geochemical circulation in the past. Here, I first review the traditional δ18O studies using tufas and stalagmites, and then introduce my challenge to evaluate multiple carbon sources in karst aquifer. Finally, I extended the mixing and partitioning model to the multi-tracers, such as Sr/Ca and REE/Ca ratios. Multi-tracer analysis is one of solutions to understand details of a unique karst system, which is involved by complex geochemical circulation and associated paleo-environmental changes in the catchment area.
