Seasonal variations of leaf wax n-alkane molecular composition and δD values in two subtropical deciduous tree species: Results from a three-year monitoring program in central China

Abstract

We investigated the seasonal variations of the molecular and hydrogen isotopic compositions of leaf cuticular n-alkanes (δDalk) in two subtropical deciduous tree species (Quercus chenii, Liquidambar formosana) over a three-year period. Average chain length values of long chain n-alkanes in both species are lower in young leaves than in mature ones. The δDalk values in both tree species show seasonal fluctuations that can be as large as 78‰ in a single year. The seasonal changes in molecular and isotopic compositions suggest that leaf wax n-alkanes in these subtropical deciduous tree species integrate environmental information over a large portion of the annual growth cycle in response to fluctuations in environmental stresses (e.g. storms, droughts). In addition, the changes reveal that seasonal patterns of δDalk can differ between different deciduous species at the same location and among different years. Spring leaves collected in 2014 had more negative δDalk values than those collected in 2015 and 2016, possibly responding to differences in annual precipitation D/H ratios and associated atmospheric circulation. These preliminary results highlight that extended seasonal monitoring of leaf wax δDalk values can improve their application to reconstructing paleohydrological histories.