“…For instance, the sensitivity of δ 18 O w to regional, global, and topographic variations in paleotemperature, environmental conditions of an air mass prior to orographic ascent, evapotranspiration, water vapor recycling, and changes in vapor source has been shown to introduce uncertainties in stable-isotopebased elevation reconstructions (e.g., Mulch, 2016;Botsyun et al, 2020, Botsyun andEhlers 2021). In particular, isotopic changes over continental Europe could be related to a variety of factors such as declining pCO 2 levels (Pagani et al, 1999), variable ocean circulation and sea surface temperatures (Flower and Kennett, 1994;Wright et al, 1992), sea-level fluctuations (Foster and Rohling, 2013), paleogeographic changes (Herold et al, 2008;Poblete et al, 2021), and other processes affecting δ 18 O w (Botsyun et al, 2019;Poulsen et al, 2007;Risi et al, 2008;Roe et al, 2016;Sewall and Fricke, 2013;Sturm et al, 2010). We thus compare our newly refined near-sea-level δ 18 O estimate with paleoclimate simulations from the isotope-enabled ECHAM5-wiso atmospheric general circulation model (iGCM), which predicts changes in δ 18 O of precipitation.…”