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Leaf wax hydrogen isotopes as a hydroclimate proxy in the tropical Pacific

Leaf wax hydrogen isotopes as a hydroclimate proxy in the tropical Pacific
Leaf wax hydrogen isotopes as a hydroclimate proxy in the tropical Pacific
Hydrogen isotope ratios of sedimentary leaf waxes (δ2HWax values) are increasingly used to reconstruct past hydroclimate. Here, we add δ2HWax values from 19 lakes and four swamps on 15 tropical Pacific islands to an updated global compilation of published data from surface sediments and soils. Globally, there is a strong positive linear correlation between δ2H values of mean annual precipitation (δ2HP values) and the leaf waxes n-C29-alkane (R2 = 0.74, n = 665) and n-C28-acid (R2 = 0.74, n = 242). Tropical Pacific δ2HWax values fall within the predicted range of values based on the global calibration, and the largest residuals from the global regression line are no greater than those observed elsewhere, despite large uncertainties in δ2HP values at some Pacific sites. However, tropical Pacific δ2HWax values in isolation are not correlated with estimated δ2HP values from isoscapes or from isotope-enabled general circulation models. Palynological analyses from these same Pacific sediment samples suggest no systematic relationship between any particular type of pollen distribution and deviations from the global calibration line. Rather, the poor correlations observed in the tropical Pacific are likely a function of the small range of δ2HP values relative to the typical residuals around the global calibration line. Our results suggest that δ2HWax values are currently most suitable for use in detecting large changes in precipitation in the tropical Pacific and elsewhere, but that ample room for improving this threshold exits in both improved understanding of 2H variability in plants, as well as in precipitation.
2169-8953
Ladd, Nemiah
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Maloney, Ashley
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Nelson, D
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Prebble, Matt
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Camperio, G
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Sear, David
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Hassall, Jonathan David
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Langdon, Peter
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Sachs, Julian
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Dubois, Natalie
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Ladd, Nemiah
0ae3b961-3c93-4048-baa3-4628aad284e7
Maloney, Ashley
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Nelson, D
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Prebble, Matt
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Camperio, G
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Sear, David
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Hassall, Jonathan David
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Langdon, Peter
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Sachs, Julian
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Dubois, Natalie
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Ladd, Nemiah, Maloney, Ashley, Nelson, D, Prebble, Matt, Camperio, G, Sear, David, Hassall, Jonathan David, Langdon, Peter, Sachs, Julian and Dubois, Natalie (2021) Leaf wax hydrogen isotopes as a hydroclimate proxy in the tropical Pacific. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. (doi:10.1002/essoar.10503377.3). (In Press)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Hydrogen isotope ratios of sedimentary leaf waxes (δ2HWax values) are increasingly used to reconstruct past hydroclimate. Here, we add δ2HWax values from 19 lakes and four swamps on 15 tropical Pacific islands to an updated global compilation of published data from surface sediments and soils. Globally, there is a strong positive linear correlation between δ2H values of mean annual precipitation (δ2HP values) and the leaf waxes n-C29-alkane (R2 = 0.74, n = 665) and n-C28-acid (R2 = 0.74, n = 242). Tropical Pacific δ2HWax values fall within the predicted range of values based on the global calibration, and the largest residuals from the global regression line are no greater than those observed elsewhere, despite large uncertainties in δ2HP values at some Pacific sites. However, tropical Pacific δ2HWax values in isolation are not correlated with estimated δ2HP values from isoscapes or from isotope-enabled general circulation models. Palynological analyses from these same Pacific sediment samples suggest no systematic relationship between any particular type of pollen distribution and deviations from the global calibration line. Rather, the poor correlations observed in the tropical Pacific are likely a function of the small range of δ2HP values relative to the typical residuals around the global calibration line. Our results suggest that δ2HWax values are currently most suitable for use in detecting large changes in precipitation in the tropical Pacific and elsewhere, but that ample room for improving this threshold exits in both improved understanding of 2H variability in plants, as well as in precipitation.

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Ladd_et_al_JGR-B_accepted - Accepted Manuscript
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Accepted/In Press date: 18 January 2021

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 446347
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/446347
ISSN: 2169-8953
PURE UUID: 34747295-d3e1-40fb-bb7c-7d63e115aa43
ORCID for David Sear: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0191-6179
ORCID for Peter Langdon: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2724-2643

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Date deposited: 05 Feb 2021 17:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 02:45

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Contributors

Author: Nemiah Ladd
Author: Ashley Maloney
Author: D Nelson
Author: Matt Prebble
Author: G Camperio
Author: David Sear ORCID iD
Author: Jonathan David Hassall
Author: Peter Langdon ORCID iD
Author: Julian Sachs
Author: Natalie Dubois

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