Precipitation δ18O Research Articles

Identification of Different Moisture Sources through Isotopic Monitoring during a Storm Event

AbstractRain samples were collected for isotopic analyses during the entirety of an extreme rainfall event in Beijing, China, on 21 July 2012, the city’s heaviest rainfall event in the past six decades. Four stages of the storm event have been identified with corresponding isotopic characteristics: 1) isotopes deplete as rain increases, 2) isotopes enrich as rain decreases, 3) isotopes quickly deplete as rain increases, and 4) isotopes remain constant as rain reduces to a small amount. The rainout effect dominates the depletion of isotopic composition in stages 1 and 3. The incursion of a new air mass with enriched heavy isotopes was the main cause for the enriched isotopic composition during stage 2. A Rayleigh distillation model was used to describe the isotopic trends during stages 1 and 3. The Rayleigh distillation model and a binary mixing model were used to estimate the initial isotopic composition of different air masses, which were found to be similar to δ18O of precipitation at nearby Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation stations representing southwest and southeast trajectories. The results are in agreement with meteorological arrays analysis. This model also indicates that 29% of the initial vapor from the southwest trajectory was precipitated in stage 1, followed by a mixing process between southeast and southwest moisture. In stage 3, up to 56% of mixed moisture was precipitated, among which ~65%–100% was from southeast moisture.

Variations of chemical features in a monsoon glacier watershed, southeastern Tibet Plateau

The pH, EC (electric conductivity), δ18O and major ions in melt water, precipitation, runoff and groundwater samples which were collected in Baishui basin were analyzed. Based on chemical analysis, the characteristic variations are analyzed in this paper. The melt water, precipitation, runoff and groundwater were Ca2+/Mg2+/HCO3− type with similar ion compositions but showed different ion concentrations. Normally the content is high in groundwater and runoff water but low in melt water and precipitation. From the upper basin glacier downward, there was a general increasing trend for the total ion concentrations in basin. HCO3 − and Ca2+ accounted for more than 80 % of total ions in samples, indicating that ions mainly came from limestone and water typical of carbonate solution water. Water–rock interaction is the significant contributor to water geochemistry. The concentration of inorganic ion in melt water had an obvious diurnal variation with temperature change. The δ18O values increases with the altitude decrease; the similarity of δ18O in runoff and groundwater samples was due to their frequent transformation in karst regions.

Current tufa sedimentation in a high discharge river: A comparison with other synchronous tufa records in the Iberian Range (Spain)

The results from sedimentological, isotopic and hydrochemical analyses of current tufa sedimentation conducted in a high-discharge river (Ebrón River, northeastern Spain; 1.49m3/s) through six-month monitoring over 3.5years are discussed in terms of the factors that control local carbonate deposition through space and time, and compared with results from other synchronous tufa records in the same climatic domain. The findings allow for discerning the influence of the riverbed slope, hydrochemistry, discharge and groundwater inputs on tufa attributes and assess the significance of tufa as archives of certain climatic events on a regional scale.In the Ebrón River, the dominant upstream karstic springs from a Jurassic-rock aquifer determined the river's HCO3–Ca composition. Two river stretches were differentiated according to localised increments in both pCO2, resulting from additional groundwater inputs, and SO4 content, influenced by evaporite-bearing units. The variations in tufa's thickness through space were strongly controlled by CO2-rich springs and local slope variations. The monitored sites represent four primary subenvironments with distinct sedimentary facies, whose attributes suggest that 1) the tufa deposition rates in each fluvial subenvironment are mainly controlled by the CO2-outgassing intensity linked to local flow conditions and the biological substrate type, and 2) stromatolites represent the thickest and most complete record. The six-month variations in tufa thickness and calculated calcite mass in the Ebrón River were controlled by temperature-dependent physico-chemical and biological parameters, coupled with high-discharge events that provoked tufa erosion.The smaller deposition of the Ebrón River compared to two other synchronous tufa records in the Iberian Range is linked to 1) the absence of long areas of increased slope, 2) the occurrence of significant CO2-rich groundwater springs in the middle reach, and 3) the higher discharge and water depth. Certain high-discharge events were recorded as lower deposition rates concurrent in the three rivers. Moreover, anomalous water temperatures calculated from the calcite δ18O in the three rivers for a coincident time span support a regional anomaly in the precipitation δ18O. Thus, the evolution of the short-term tufa deposition rates and calcite δ18O composition through time can detect regional climate and hydrology changes and therefore can be robust criteria for correlation in the geological record.

Reconstruction of precipitation δ18O over the Tibetan Plateau since 1910

AbstractAn accurate representation of the spatiotemporal variation of stable isotopes in precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is critical information for hydrological and ecological applications for the region. This paper reconstructs annual δ18O data with 2.5° × 3.75° latitude‐longitude resolutions over the TP since 1910 using the spectral optimal gridding (SOG) method. The SOG calculates empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) from the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique isotopic version general circulation model over the TP from 1978 to 2007 and regresses the δ18O data of 10 ice cores over TP against the EOF basis functions. The reconstructed data can effectively demonstrate spatiotemporal characteristics of TP precipitation δ18O. The spatial average interannual δ18O anomalies agree well with the time series of Guliya ice core δ18O, implying Guliya δ18O's typical representation of the TP δ18O temporal variation.

Stable isotopes reveal sources of precipitation in the Qinghai Lake Basin of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau

The use of isotopic tracers is an effective approach for characterizing the moisture sources of precipitation in cold and arid regions, especially in the Tibetan Plateau (TP), an area of sparse human habitation with few weather and hydrological stations. This study investigated stable isotope characteristics of precipitation in the Qinghai Lake Basin, analyzed moisture sources using data sets from NCEP–NCAR, and calculated vapor contributions from lake evaporation to the precipitation in the basin using a two-component mixing model. Results showed that the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL) was defined as δ2H=7.86 δ18O+15.01, with a slope of less than 8, indicating that some non-equilibrium evaporation processes occurred when the drops fell below the cloud base. Temperature effects controlled δ18O and δ2H in precipitation in the basin, with high values in summer season and low values in winter season. Moisture in the basin was derived predominantly from the Southeast Asian Monsoon (SEAM) from June to August and the Westerly Circulation (WC) from September through May. Meanwhile, the transition in atmospheric circulation took place in June and September. The SEAM strengthened gradually, while the WC weakened gradually in June, and inversely in September. However, the Southwest Asian Monsoon (SWAM) did not reach the Qinghai Lake Basin due to the barrier posed by Tanggula Mountain. High d-excess (>10‰) and significant altitude and lake effects of δ18O in precipitation suggested that the vapor evaporated from Qinghai Lake, strongly influenced annual precipitation, and affected the regional water cycle in the basin distinctly. The monthly contribution of lake evaporation to basin precipitation ranged from 3.03% to 37.93%, with an annual contribution of 23.42% or 90.54mm, the majority of which occurred in the summer season. The findings demonstrate that the contribution of evaporation from lakes to atmospheric vapor is fundamental to water cycling on the TP.

Evaporative enrichment of stable isotopes (δ18O and δD) in lake water and the relation to lake-level change of Lake Qinghai, Northeast Tibetan Plateau of China

Stable isotopic compositions (δ18O and δD) have been utilized as a useful indicator for evaluating the current and historical climatic and environmental changes. Therefore, it is vital to understand the relationship between the stable isotopic contents in lake water and the variations of lake level, particularly in Lake Qinghai, China. In this study, we analyzed the variations of isotope compositions (δ18O, δD and d-excess) in lake water and precipitation by using the samples that were collected from Lake Qinghai region during the period from 2009 to 2012. The results showed that the average isotopic contents of δ18O and δD in lake water were higher than those in precipitation, which were contrary to the variations of d-excess. The linear regression correlations between δ18O and δD in lake water and precipitation showed that the local evaporative line (LEL) in lake water (δD=5.88δ18O-2.41) deviated significantly from the local meteoric water line (LMWL) in precipitation (δD=8.26δ18O+16.91), indicating that evaporative enrichment had a significant impact on isotopic contents in lake water. Moreover, we also quantified the E/I ratio (evaporation-to-input ratio) in Lake Qinghai based on the lake water isotopic enrichment model derived from the Rayleigh equation. The changes of E/I ratios (ranging from 0.29 to 0.36 between 2009 and 2012) clearly revealed the shifts of lake levels in Lake Qinghai in recent years. The average E/I ratio of 0.40 reflected that water budget in Lake Qinghai was positive, and consistent with the rising lake levels and the increasing lake areas in many lakes of the Tibetan Plateau. These findings provide some evidences for studying the hydrological balance or water budget by using δ18O values of lake sedimentary materials and contribute to the reconstruction of paleolake water level and paleoclimate from an isotopic enrichment model in Lake Qinghai.

Impact of atmospheric convection on south Tibet summer precipitation isotopologue composition using a combination of in situ measurements, satellite data, and atmospheric general circulation modeling

AbstractPrecipitation isotopologues recorded in natural archives from the southern Tibetan Plateau may document past variations of Indian monsoon intensity. The exact processes controlling the variability of precipitation isotopologue composition must therefore first be deciphered and understood. This study investigates how atmospheric convection affects the summer variability of δ18O in precipitation (δ18Op) and δD in water vapor (δDv) at the daily scale. This is achieved using isotopic data from precipitation samples at Lhasa, isotopic measurements of water vapor retrieved from satellites (Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES), GOSAT) and atmospheric general circulation modeling. We reveal that both δ18Op and δDv at Lhasa are well correlated with upstream convective activity, especially above northern India. First, during days of strong convection, northern India surface air contains large amounts of vapor with relatively low δDv. Second, when this low‐δDv moisture is uplifted toward southern Tibet, this initial depletion in HDO is further amplified by Rayleigh distillation as the vapor moves over the Himalayan. The intraseasonal variability of the isotopologue composition of vapor and precipitation over the southern Tibetan Plateau results from these processes occurring during air mass transportation.

Late Holocene expansion of Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila) in Kamchatka in response to increased snow cover as inferred from lacustrine oxygen-isotope records

Holocene records of cellulose-inferred lake-water δ18O were produced from two lake-sediment sequences obtained in central and northern Kamchatka, Russian Far East. The sediment records share similar fluctuations in δ18O during the interval of ca. 5000–800calyr BP that correspond (inversely) with changes in K+ content of the GISP2 ice-core record from Greenland, a proxy for the relative strength of the Siberian High, suggesting control by climate-related variability in δ18O of regional precipitation. The dramatic expansion of Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila) in northern and central Kamchatka between ca. 5000 and 4000calyr BP, as inferred from pollen records from the same and neighbouring sites, appears to have occurred at a time of progressively declining δ18O of precipitation. This development is interpreted as reflecting a regional cooling trend accompanied by increasing winter snowfall related to gradual intensification of the Siberian High from ca. 5000 to ca. 3000calyr BP. A thicker and more long-lasting snow cover can be assumed to have favoured P. pumila by providing a competitive advantage over other boreal and subalpine tree and shrub species in the region during the later part of the Holocene. These results, which are the first of their kind from Kamchatka, provide novel insight into the Holocene vegetational and climatic development in easternmost Asia, as well as long-term atmospheric circulation dynamics in Beringia.

Southern Tibetan Plateau ice core δ18O reflects abrupt shifts in atmospheric circulation in the late 1970s

Ice cores from the Tibetan Plateau provide high-resolution records of changes in the snow and ice isotopic composition. In the monsoon sector of southern Tibetan Plateau, their climatic interpretation has been controversial. Here, we present a new high-resolution δ18O record obtained from 2206 measurements performed at 2–3 cm depth resolution along a 55.1 m depth ice core retrieved from the Noijinkansang glacier (NK, 5950 m a.s.l.) that spans the period from 1864 to 2006 AD. The data are characterized by high δ18O values in the nineteenth century, 1910s and 1960s, followed by a drop in the late 1970s and a recent increasing trend. The comparison with regional meteorological data and with a simulation performed with the LMDZiso general circulation model leads to the attribution of the abrupt shift in the late 1970s predominantly to changes in regional atmospheric circulation, together with the impact of atmospheric temperature change. Correlation analyses suggest that the large-scale modes of variability (PDO and ENSO, i.e. Pacific Decadal Oscillation and El Nino-Southern Oscillation) play important roles in modulating NK δ18O changes. The NK δ18O minimum at the end of the 1970s coincides with a PDO phase shift, an inflexion point of the zonal index (representing the overall intensity of the surface westerly anomalies over middle latitudes) as well as ENSO, implying interdecadal modulation of the influence of the PDO/ENSO on the Indian monsoon on southern TP precipitation δ18O. While convective activity above North India controls the intra-seasonal variability of precipitation δ18O in southern TP, other processes associated with changes in large-scale atmospheric circulation act at the inter-annual scale.

Stable isotope variations in precipitation: simulations and comparison with observations (Yunnan Plateau, High Asia)

Stable isotopes in precipitation, both liquid (rain) and solid (snow), can be suitable tracers for hydrological cycles because their concentrations reflect the cumulative record of physical phase changes. Distribution of stable isotopes in precipitation over High-Asian monsoon regions, including Yunnan Plateau is investigated. It has two noticeable features: firstly, the stable isotopes in precipitation distinctly decrease; and secondly, the stable isotopes in precipitation demonstrate smaller concentrations during rainy seasons and higher values during dry seasons. These features were found by the MUGCM simulation developed in the Melbourne Univertisty. Quantitative effect of the stable isotopes in precipitation takes place at different time scales, i.e. in diurnal, monthly or annual variations. Relative to observations, the simulated δ¹⁸O in precipitation shows stronger dependence on precipitation. In the diurnal course, the simulated regression equations of δ¹⁸O in precipitation versus precipitation amount are in good agreement with the observed values at Tengchong and Simao, except that the simulated δ¹⁸O/P curve slope is slightly smaller than the observed one at Mingzi. In the monthly and annual courses both, the simulated and observed δ¹⁸O/P slopes are smaller than it is in the diurnal course. For individual station, the local meteoric water line (LMWL) is simulated well at Mengzi and Tengchong. However, the simulated result does not reproduce truly the observed relationship between δD and δ¹⁸O in precipitation at Simao and Kunming where the LMWL inclination is larger 8.0, and a shift along the y-axis higher 10.0. In addition, all simulated LMWL slopes are higher the observed ones at four stations, suggesting that the GCM can overestimate the decreasing of Hydrogen Deuterium Oxide and, thus, underestimate the second-order parameter, i.e. the deuterium excess, in a particular region Yunnan.

Rapid change in high-elevation precipitation patterns of western North America during the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO)

We present Eocene terrestrial oxygen (δ18O), carbon (δ13C), and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) isotope lake and paleosol records from two high elevation sites on the western North American plateau. These records represent terrestrial stable isotope evidence of the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO) an enigmatic and rapid global warming event that interrupted protracted Eocene global cooling at around 40.0 Ma. Revised stratigraphy based on 15 40Ar/39Ar ages from air-fall and water-lain ash in the Elko basin (Nevada) places evaporative lake conditions followed by rapid ( 20‰) decrease in δ13C values already during the pre-MECO cooling phase, requires that in contrast to pre-MECO climate conditions, MECO temperature seasonality in western North America was sufficiently strong to (re-)establish regular lake overturn. The rate and magnitude of the rapid negative lacustrine δ18O shift during MECO in the Elko lake basin is inconsistent with a simple scenario of regional surface uplift affecting decrease of δ18O in precipitation and associated lake freshening. We consider the overall negative shift in δ18O of non-evaporatively 18O-enriched lake waters (−9.3 ±1.8 ‰) between the 42 to 43 Ma Elko Formation and the ca. 38 Ma base of the Indian Well Formation to be composed of a ca. 3 to 4 permil decrease in δ18O of lake carbonate as a consequence of post-MECO cooling and an additional ca. 5 to 6 permil decrease in δ18O of riverine lake input as a response to 43 to 38 Ma surface uplift. When combined with isotope-enabled global circulation model results, the Elko lake data further suggest that once critical elevations were attained a change in upstream moisture transport including strengthening of monsoonal summer rainfall on the (south-)eastern flanks of the Cordillera and a larger fraction of air parcel trajectories to the (eastern) lee of the Cordilleran highlands that had passed over the (western) continental interior were responsible for the rapid middle Eocene decrease in δ18O of precipitation in the central Cordilleran hinterland.

Stable-isotope and solute-chemistry approaches to flow characterization in a forested tropical watershed, Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico

The prospect of changing climate has led to uncertainty about the resilience of forested mountain watersheds in the tropics. In watersheds where frequent, high rainfall provides ample runoff, we often lack understanding of how the system will respond under conditions of decreased rainfall or drought. Factors that govern water supply, such as recharge rates and groundwater storage capacity, may be poorly quantified. This paper describes 8-year data sets of water stable isotope composition (δ2H and δ18O) of precipitation (4 sites) and a stream (1 site), and four contemporaneous stream sample sets of solute chemistry and isotopes, used to investigate watershed response to precipitation inputs in the 1780-ha Río Mameyes basin in the Luquillo Mountains of northeastern Puerto Rico. Extreme δ2H and δ18O values from low-pressure storm systems and the deuterium excess (d-excess) were useful tracers of watershed response in this tropical system. A hydrograph separation experiment performed in June 2011 yielded different but complementary information from stable isotope and solute chemistry data. The hydrograph separation results indicated that 36% of the storm rain that reached the soil surface left the watershed in a very short time as runoff. Weathering-derived solutes indicated near-stream groundwater was displaced into the stream at the beginning of the event, followed by significant dilution. The more biologically active solutes exhibited a net flushing behavior. The d-excess analysis suggested that streamflow typically has a recent rainfall component (∼25%) with transit time less than the sampling resolution of 7days, and a more well-mixed groundwater component (∼75%). The contemporaneous stream sample sets showed an overall increase in dissolved solute concentrations with decreasing elevation that may be related to groundwater inputs, different geology, and slope position. A considerable amount of water from rain events runs off as quickflow and bypasses subsurface watershed flowpaths, and better understanding of shallow hillslope and deeper groundwater processes in the watershed will require sub-weekly data and detailed transit time modeling. A combined isotopic and solute chemistry approach can guide further studies to a more comprehensive model of the hydrology, and inform decisions for managing water supply with future changes in climate and land use.

Oxygen stable isotope ratios from British oak tree-rings provide a strong and consistent record of past changes in summer rainfall

United Kingdom (UK) summers dominated by anti-cyclonic circulation patterns are characterised by clear skies, warm temperatures, low precipitation totals, low air humidity and more enriched oxygen isotope ratios (δ18O) in precipitation. Such conditions usually result in relatively more positive (enriched) oxygen isotope ratios in tree leaf sugars and ultimately in the tree-ring cellulose formed in that year, the converse being true in cooler, wet summers dominated by westerly air flow and cyclonic conditions. There should therefore be a strong link between tree-ring δ18O and the amount of summer precipitation. Stable oxygen isotope ratios from the latewood cellulose of 40 oak trees sampled at eight locations across Great Britain produce a mean δ18O chronology that correlates strongly and significantly with summer indices of total shear vorticity, surface air pressure, and the amount of summer precipitation across the England and Wales region of the United Kingdom. The isotope-based rainfall signal is stronger and much more stable over time than reconstructions based upon oak ring widths. Using recently developed methods that are precise, efficient and highly cost-effective it is possible to measure both carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope ratios simultaneously from the same tree-ring cellulose. In our study region, these two measurements from multiple trees can be used to reconstruct summer temperature (δ13C) and summer precipitation (δ18O) with sufficient independence to allow the evolution of these climate parameters to be reconstructed with high levels of confidence. The existence of long, well-replicated oak tree-ring chronologies across the British Isles mean that it should now be possible to reconstruct both summer temperature and precipitation over many centuries and potentially millennia.

North American precipitation isotope (δ18O) zones revealed in time series modeling across Canada and northern United States

AbstractDelineating spatial patterns of precipitation isotopes (“isoscapes”) is becoming increasingly important to understand the processes governing the modern water isotope cycle and their application to migration forensics, climate proxy interpretation, and ecohydrology of terrestrial systems. However, the extent to which these patterns can be empirically predicted across Canada and the northern United States has not been fully articulated, in part due to a lack of time series precipitation isotope data for major regions of North America. In this study, we use multiple linear regressions of CNIP, GNIP, and USNIP observations alongside climatological variables, teleconnection indices, and geographic indicators to create empirical models that predict the δ18O of monthly precipitation (δ18Oppt) across Canada and the northern United States. Five regionalization approaches are used to separate the study domain into isotope zones to explore the effect of spatial grouping on model performance. Stepwise regression‐derived parameterizations quantified by permutation testing indicate the significance of precipitable water content and latitude as predictor variables. Within the Canadian Arctic and eastern portion of the study domain, models from all regionalizations capture the interannual and intraannual variability of δ18Oppt. The Pacific coast and northwestern portions of the study domain show less agreement between models and poorer model performance, resulting in higher uncertainty in simulations throughout these regions. Long‐term annual average δ18Oppt isoscapes are generated, highlighting the uncertainty in the regionalization approach as it compounds over time. Additionally, monthly time series simulations are presented at various locations, and model structure uncertainty and 90% bootstrapped prediction bounds are detailed for these predictions.

Evaluation of Oceanic and Terrestrial Sources of Moisture for the North American Monsoon Using Numerical Models and Precipitation Stable Isotopes

Abstract This work evaluates the oceanic and terrestrial moisture sources that contribute to North American monsoon (NAM) precipitation over a 30-yr period using the modified analytical dynamic recycling model. This computationally efficient modeling framework reveals previously overlooked moisture source regions such as Central America and the Caribbean Sea in addition to the well-known Gulf of California and Gulf of Mexico source regions. The results show that terrestrial evapotranspiration is as important as oceanic evaporation for NAM precipitation, and terrestrial sources contribute to approximately 40% of monsoonal moisture. There is a northward progression of terrestrial moisture sources, beginning with Central America during the early season and transitioning north into northern Mexico and the NAM region itself during the peak of the monsoon season. The most intense precipitation occurs toward the end of the season and tends to originate in the Gulf of California and the tropical Pacific, associated with tropical cyclones and gulf surges. Heavy stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in precipitation (δD and δ18O) collected for every precipitation event measured in Tucson, Arizona, for the period 1981–2008 complement the numerical results. The analysis shows that precipitation events linked to sources from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea are more isotopically enriched than sources from the Gulf of California and tropical Pacific. It is also seen that terrestrial regions that derive their precipitation from the Gulf of Mexico are also more isotopically enriched than moisture sources from the Pacific.

Characteristics of atmospheric precipitation isotopes and isotopic evidence for the moisture origin in Yushugou River basin, Eastern Tianshan Mountains, China

Based on the variations in stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios (δD and δ18O) of precipitation and NCEP/NCAR (National Centers of Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research) re-analysis data, we investigated the characteristics of the precipitation isotopes and the moisture origin during spring and summer seasons (from May to August) in the Yushugou River basin, East Tianshan Mountains. The more negative δ18O and higher d-excess values in spring and more positive δ18O and lower d-excess values in summer indicated the different moisture sources and temperature effects on isotope variations. By studying the meteoric water line, we found that the slope and intercept of local meteoric water line (LMWL) were lower than the global meteoric water line (GMWL) and China LMWL, which indicated arid climate. The temperature effect of δD and δ18O in precipitation was obvious with correlation coefficients of 0.41 and 0.48, respectively, and there was no rainfall effect. The research of water vapor transfer showed that the moisture origin was predominantly from westerly air masses during the observation period. δ18O and d-excess values variations in precipitation and the HYSPLIT4.0 air mass trajectory model suggested that there were accidental events, and sometimes the moisture was from drier polar air masses during the spring.

A high-resolution fluid inclusion δ18O record from a stalagmite in SW France: modern calibration and comparison with multiple proxies

The δ18O of speleothem fluid inclusions can provide information about local climate and the atmospheric circulation if the fate of oxygen isotopes from precipitation to the stalagmite is well understood. At Villars cave, SW France, the present-day relationship between the δ18O of precipitation and the δ18O of cave drip water has been determined by previous monitoring studies. In this article, we examine the link between drip water and fluid inclusions in speleothems from the same cave, and investigate whether the fossil water in the stalagmites provides a record of the isotopic composition of precipitation.Replicated fluid inclusion isotope measurements (δD and δ18O) from two modern calcite samples, which had precipitated under the monitored stalactites, are in agreement with the corresponding contemporaneous drip waters. The drip water, in turn, represents average pluri-annual precipitation. This gives strong evidence that the isotopic composition of the infiltrating water is preserved in the pores of speleothem calcite, thus providing a record of average precipitation δ18O at the site.Furthermore, we measured isotope ratios in fluid inclusions in the stalagmite vil-stm1, a 2300 year old sample with a high growth rate (up to 0.6 mm yr−1) and a high water content, which allows a high-resolution reconstruction of the drip water isotopic composition covering the last two millennia. The stalagmite is well dated by 13 U–Th ages and the counting of annual growth layers. The fluid inclusion δ18O varies by 2‰, with high δ18O values in Medieval times, and low values during the Little Ice Age, indicating a temperature influence on precipitation δ18O. However, temperature change alone cannot account for the full range of variability observed.Other proxies measured in the same stalagmite indicate that the cave environment has undergone substantial changes during this period: Stable isotopes and trace element concentrations in calcite show large variations, with amplitudes similar to those found in other Villars speleothems during large climatic shifts such as Dansgaard–Oeschger events or glacial–interglacial transitions. In the context of the last 2000 years, the proxy variability cannot be attributed to climate alone, but is likely influenced by anthropogenic deforestation and the associated changes in carbon dynamics and hydrology.These changes might also have an influence on the isotope ratios in drip water relative to precipitation, e.g. through an altered evaporation–transpiration ratio. Nevertheless, despite some common trends in all proxy records, the marked shifts in the other proxies are not seen in the fluid inclusion stable isotopes, which gives evidence that the relationship between precipitation and drip water δ18O in the past was similar to present-day conditions, and not much affected by the anthropogenic impact. A replication of the fluid inclusion isotope record using stalagmites from the same region will be necessary to determine whether local cave processes or large-scale temperature and atmospheric circulation dominate the fluid inclusion δ18O signal, and in how far the fluid inclusions can provide a direct record of precipitation δ18O.

Hydrological Controls on Nutrient Exportation from Old-Growth Evergreen Rainforests and <i>Eucalyptus nitens</i> Plantation in Headwater Catchments at Southern Chile

Soil cover disturbances have a direct effect on biogeochemistry, potentially enhancing nutrient loss, land degradation and associated changes in ecosystem services and livelihood support. The objective of this study was to assess how canopy affected throughfall chemistry and how hydrology affected stream nutrient load responses in two watersheds dominated by native old-growth evergreen rainforest (NF) and exotic plantation of Eucalyptus nitens (EP), located at the Coastal mountain range of southern Chile (40°S). We measured nitrogen (NO3-N, NH4-N, Organic-N, Total-N) and total phosphorus (Total-P) at catchment discharge, and δ18O in throughfall precipitation and stream discharge in both catchments, in order to separate throughfall (or new water) contributions during storm events. It was hypothesized that all nutrients showed an increase in concentration as discharge increased (or enhanced hydrological access), in EP; but not in NF. Our results indicated that Organic-N, Total-N and Total-P concentrations were positively related to discharge. However, NO3--N showed a negative correlation with catchment discharge. Organic-N and Total-P showed a flush during storm events; the opposite was observed for NO3--N. However, this behavior suggested that NO3--N was being retained by charged particles or soil micro biota, whether Organic-N was flushed as it was more concentrated in big pore water that was not tightly attached, compared with NO3--N.

Role of seasonal transitions and westerly jets in East Asian paleoclimate

The summer rainfall climate of East Asia underwent large and abrupt changes during past climates, in response to precessional forcing, glacial–interglacial cycles as well as abrupt changes to the North Atlantic during the Last Glacial. However, current interpretations of said changes are typically formulated in terms of modulation of summer monsoon intensity, and do not account for the known complexity in the seasonal evolution of East Asian rainfall, which exhibits sharp transition from the Spring regime to the Meiyu, and then again from the Meiyu to the Summer regime.We explore the interpretation that East Asian rainfall climate undergoes a modulation of its seasonality during said paleoclimate changes. Following previous suggestions we focus on role of the westerly jet over Asia, namely that its latitude relative to Tibet is critical in determining the stepwise transitions in East Asian rainfall seasons. In support of this linkage, we show from observational data that the interannual co-variation of June (July–August) rainfall and upper tropospheric zonal winds show properties consistent with an altered timing of the transition to the Meiyu (Summer), and with more northward-shifted westerlies for earlier transitions.We similarly suggest that East Asian paleoclimate changes resulted from an altered timing in the northward evolution of the jet and hence the seasonal transitions, in particular the transition of the jet from south of the Plateau to the north that determines the seasonal transition from Spring rains to the Meiyu. In an extreme scenario – which we speculate the climate system tended towards during stadial (cold) phases of D/O stadials and periods of low Northern Hemisphere summer insolation – the jet does not jump north of the Plateau, essentially keeping East Asia in prolonged Spring conditions.We argue that this hypothesis provides a viable explanation for a key paleoproxy signature of D/O stadials over East Asia, namely the heavier mean δ18O of precipitation as recorded in speleothem records. The southward jet position prevents the low-level monsoonal flow – which is isotopically light – from penetrating into the interior of East Asia; as such, precipitation there will be heavier, consistent with speleothem records. This hypothesis can also explain other key evidences of East Asian paleoclimate changes, in particular the occurrence of dusty conditions during North Atlantic stadials, and the southward migration of the Holocene optimal rainfall.

Temporal trends in δ18O composition of precipitation in Germany: insights from time series modelling and trend analysis

AbstractTemporal and spatial variations of stable oxygen (18O) and hydrogen (2H) isotope measurements in precipitation act as important proxies for changing hydro‐meteorological and regional and global climate patterns. Temporal trends in time series of the stable isotope composition in precipitation were rarely observed, and they are poorly understood. These might be a result of a lack of proper trend detection tools and effort for exploring trend processes. Here, we investigate temporal trends of δ18O in precipitation at 17 observation stations in Germany between 1978 and 2009. We test if significant trends in the isotope time series from different models can be observed. Mann–Kendall trend tests are applied on the isotope series, using general multiplicative seasonal autoregressive integrate moving average (ARIMA) models, which account for first and higher order serial correlations. Effects of temperature, precipitation, and geographic parameters on isotope trends are also investigated in the proposed models. To benchmark our proposed approach, the ARIMA results are compared with a trend‐free pre‐whitening procedure, the state of the art method for removing the first order autocorrelation in environmental trend studies. Moreover, we further explore whether higher order serial correlations in isotope series affects our trend results. Overall, three out of the 17 stations show significant changes when higher order autocorrelation are adjusted, and four show a significant trend when temperature and precipitation effects are considered. The significant trends in the isotope time series generally occur only at low elevation stations. Higher order autoregressive processes are shown to be important in the isotope time series analysis. Results suggest that the widely used trend analysis with only the first order autocorrelation adjustment may not adequately take account of the high order autocorrelated processes in the stable isotope series. The investigated time series analysis method including higher autocorrelation and external climate variable adjustments is shown to be a better alternative. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.