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| Titel |
On the impact of environmental factors on the δ18O signature of plant material |
| VerfasserIn |
M. Schumacher, R. E. M. Neubert |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2009
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 11 (2009) |
| Datensatznummer |
250028441
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Information from the isotopic signature of atmospheric air constituents is an important tool in
climate change research: for instance δ18O in ice cores, or in cellulose from tree rings is used
to deduce former climatic conditions, and in recent times δ13CO2 and to a less extent also
δ18O of CO2 are applied for the apportioning of global and regional atmospheric CO2 sinks
and sources.
Fundamental processes which cause the specific isotopic characters of sources were
identified by a number of laboratory studies. However, investigations focussing on the
behaviour in a natural environment are sparse, in particular for δ18O, and therefore it is
still an unsolved question to which extent the laboratory results are reflecting the
process-world that takes place under complex natural conditions. We analyzed
various kinds of plant samples from different geographical origins in Eurasia. From
the results a high variability in the δ18O content becomes obvious, affected by
several factors: differentiation occurs due to the geographical origin and the herewith
related variance in the δ18O of the precipitation. Additionally, differences occur
at the same location also between different genera, within the same species, and,
at the level of individuals, when comparing specific parts of the plants (such as
needles, wood, cones). In consequence, a high range of natural variability can be
found already on the spot scale - which has to be taken into account when using
organic material as indicator for the deduction of former climatic conditions, and on
a local to regional scale also for the apportioning of atmospheric CO2 sinks and
sources. |
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