Distinct geographical and seasonal signals in two tree-ring based streamflow reconstructions from Tasmania, southeastern Australia

Abstract

Study region Western Tasmania, southeastern Australia.Study focus We present two new tree-ring based inflow reconstructions from western Tasmania in southeastern Australia.The warm season reconstruction (Dec–Feb) extends from 1030–2007 CE and explains up to 42% of the variance in instrumental flow, while the cool season (JA) extends from 1550–2007 CE and explains 27% of instrumental flow variance. Key features include an extended pluvial period in the 11th Century and a protracted dry period in ∼1500CE, neither of which are represented in the DJF instrumental record. Decreasing JA flow since the 19th Century is consistent with a local sediment-based hydroclimate record.New hydrological insights for the region The reconstructions confirm that the instrumental data do not capture how protracted past low or high flow periods have been. It is therefore important to consider pre-instrumental flow data when planning for the future. The reconstructions provide new insights into regional variability through their association with the Subtropical Ridge (STR) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM). Differing spatial signatures of the seasonal reconstructions, and their associations with season-specific impacts of STR and SAM, highlight the need for caution when considering the use of remote hydroclimate proxy records with strong seasonal signatures. The reconstructions suggest that extrapolation of seasonally defined reconstructions to represent annual flow for regions beyond the extent of their spatial footprint may be problematic.