View in EDS

Peatland trees record strong and temporally stable hydroclimate information in tree-ring δ13C and δ18O

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Peatland trees record strong and temporally stable hydroclimate information in tree-ring δ13C and δ18O
Authors: Janecka, Karolina, Treydte, Kerstin, Piccinelli, Silvia, Francon, Loïc, Ninot, Marçal Argelich, Edvardsson, Johannes, Corona, Christophe, Lehsten, Veiko, Stoffel, Markus
Contributors: Lund University, Profile areas and other strong research environments, Strategic research areas (SRA), BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate, Lunds universitet, Profilområden och andra starka forskningsmiljöer, Strategiska forskningsområden (SFO), BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate, Originator, Lund University, Faculty of Science, Department of Geology, Lunds universitet, Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, Geologiska institutionen, Originator, Lund University, Faculty of Science, Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lunds universitet, Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, Institutionen för naturgeografi och ekosystemvetenskap, Originator, Lund University, Profile areas and other strong research environments, Strategic research areas (SRA), MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system, Lunds universitet, Profilområden och andra starka forskningsmiljöer, Strategiska forskningsområden (SFO), MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system, Originator
Source: Climate of the Past. 21(10):1679-1697
Subject Terms: Natural Sciences, Earth and Related Environmental Sciences, Climate Science, Naturvetenskap, Geovetenskap och relaterad miljövetenskap, Klimatvetenskap, Palaeontology and Palaeoecology, Paleontologi och paleoekologi
Description: Peatland trees are valuable archives of paleoclimatic information; however, gaps persist in understanding the relationships between tree growth, peatland hydrology, and hydroclimate variables. While previous research in peatlands has mainly focused on tree-ring widths (TRW), yielding inconclusive results, the potential of stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopes in tree rings remains unexplored. In this study, we develop TRW, δ13C, and δ18O chronologies of Scots pine trees located in a Swedish peatland and a reference site on bedrock with a mineral soil layer. We assess their responses to hydroclimate conditions and evaluate their potential for reconstructing hydroclimate variations. Our findings show significant differences in mean TRW and δ13C values between the peatland and reference sites. Moreover, while TRWs do not exhibit distinct common patterns between sites, both δ13C and δ18O site chronologies show uniform year-to-year variations across all sites. Some discrepancies for TRW and δ13C site chronologies emerge, however, regarding multi-decadal trends. While the climate sensitivity of TRW is weak and non-homogenous, the δ13C and δ18O peatland and reference chronologies contain robust and consistent signals, with a maximum sensitivity to water table, precipitation, and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) variations during summer. Both δ13C and δ18O chronologies show stable relationships with three key hydroclimate variables over time. In conclusion, while TRWs from living peatland pines at our sites have limited potential to record high-frequency hydroclimate information, δ13C and δ18O chronologies can serve as excellent proxies for the reconstruction of past hydroclimate changes.
Access URL: https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-1679-2025
Database: SwePub
Description
Abstract:Peatland trees are valuable archives of paleoclimatic information; however, gaps persist in understanding the relationships between tree growth, peatland hydrology, and hydroclimate variables. While previous research in peatlands has mainly focused on tree-ring widths (TRW), yielding inconclusive results, the potential of stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopes in tree rings remains unexplored. In this study, we develop TRW, δ13C, and δ18O chronologies of Scots pine trees located in a Swedish peatland and a reference site on bedrock with a mineral soil layer. We assess their responses to hydroclimate conditions and evaluate their potential for reconstructing hydroclimate variations. Our findings show significant differences in mean TRW and δ13C values between the peatland and reference sites. Moreover, while TRWs do not exhibit distinct common patterns between sites, both δ13C and δ18O site chronologies show uniform year-to-year variations across all sites. Some discrepancies for TRW and δ13C site chronologies emerge, however, regarding multi-decadal trends. While the climate sensitivity of TRW is weak and non-homogenous, the δ13C and δ18O peatland and reference chronologies contain robust and consistent signals, with a maximum sensitivity to water table, precipitation, and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) variations during summer. Both δ13C and δ18O chronologies show stable relationships with three key hydroclimate variables over time. In conclusion, while TRWs from living peatland pines at our sites have limited potential to record high-frequency hydroclimate information, δ13C and δ18O chronologies can serve as excellent proxies for the reconstruction of past hydroclimate changes.
ISSN:18149324
18149332
DOI:10.5194/cp-21-1679-2025