Mean annual temperatures of mid-latitude regions derived from δ2H values of wood lignin methoxyl groups and its implications for paleoclimate studies

Warm season precipitation signal in δ2H values of wood lignin methoxyl groups from high elevation larch trees in Switzerland

“…Furthermore, a negative correlation to the JJA δ 2 H values in precipitation of the nearest GNIP station (Locarno) is observed (Figure ). A positive correlation to the δ 2 H values of precipitation and source water has been reported in several other studies . Furthermore, positive correlations with temperature and negative correlations with precipitation were expected, based on findings reported previously .…”

“…The observed apparent, constant fractionation (ε app ) between δ 2 H values in precipitation and the lignin methoxyl groups for most trees is around −213 ± 17‰ . Calculating the δ 2 H values of the precipitation from the measured δ 2 H methoxyl values of −251‰ results in −48‰ for the precipitation.…”

“…Keppler et al compared δ 2 H methoxyl values from trees around the world with corresponding δ 2 H values in meteoric water and found a uniform isotopic fractionation of −216 ± 19‰. This value was slightly modified (−213 ± 17‰) by Anhäuser et al Feakins et al applied this method for different tree species in a coastal ecosysthem in Florida and reported that source water δ 2 H values have the greatest influence on δ 2 H methoxyl values. The method was tested in several studies for evaluating large‐scale spatial δ 2 H methoxyl value‐temperature relationships and their applicability as a climate proxy …”

“…Anhäuser et al calculated the mean annual temperature (MAT) of tree δ 2 H methoxyl values from mid‐latitudes and low altitudes (below 1000 m asl) using the equation MAT [°C] = ( δ 2 H methoxyl [‰] + 293)/4.09 [‰/°C]. The study of Gori et al compared δ 2 H values from whole wood, cellulose, and lignin methoxyl groups of Picea abies from three locations (between 900 and 1900 m asl) of the Southern Alps.…”

Preliminary evaluation of the potential of tree-ring cellulose content as a novel supplementary proxy in dendroclimatology

“…Even though the isotopic composition has been determined in various components of a tree, e.g. bulk wood samples, leaves, methoxyl groups of lignin and leaf waxes (Anhäuser et al, 2017;Borella et al, 1999;Kahmen et al, 2011;Kimak et al, 2015), the most preferred component is α-cellulose extracted from tree rings (Borella et al, 1998(Borella et al, , 1999Loader et al, 2003Loader et al, , 2013McCarroll and Loader, 2004;Treydte et al, 2007). A major advantage of using α-cellulose in isotope research is the extraction of one single chemical component of a tree ring.…”