title: Reduced climate sensitivity of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope ratios in tree-ring cellulose of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) influenced by background SO2 in Franconia (Germany, Central Europe).
abstract: The climate sensitivity of carbon (δ(13)C), oxygen (δ(18)O) and hydrogen (δ(2)H) isotope signatures in tree-ring cellulose of Abies alba Mill. from a marginally industrialized area of Franconia (Germany) was analysed for the last 130 years. All isotopes preserve climatic signals up to c. 1950 AD. After 1950 we observe a clear reduction in climate sensitivity of δ(13)C and δ(2)H while δ(18)O - climate relations remain well pronounced. Nevertheless statistical tests implied that SO2 background emissions of West Germany had influenced isotope signatures long before 1950. The relationships between isotope values and concentrations of SO2, dust, O3 and NO2 at the regional level during the period 1979-2006 indicate that δ(13)C and δ(18)O were influenced primarily by SO2. The impact of SO2 on δ(2)H was negligible, but the observed reduction of climate sensitivity may be caused by synergic influences. The results have significant implications if isotope signatures from tree-rings from anthropogenic influenced regions are used to reconstruct past climate.
authors: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Catchment Hydrology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120 Halle, Germany. Electronic address: tatjana.boettger@ufz.de.
authors: Tatjana
authors: T
authors: Boettger
authors: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Catchment Hydrology, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, D-06120 Halle, Germany.
authors: Marika
authors: M
authors: Haupt
authors: Institute of Botany (210), Hohenheim University, D-70593 Stuttgart, Germany.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Friedrich
authors: Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, CB1 1PT Cambridge, UK.
authors: John S
authors: JS
authors: Waterhouse
mesh_terms: D028202:Abies / Q000737:chemistry*; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis*; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D002980:Climate; D005858:Germany; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis*; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D002244:Carbon; D006859:Hydrogen; D002482:Cellulose; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Air pollution; Climate sensitivity; Isotopes; Tree-rings