Landshuter, N.; Mölg, T.; Grießinger, J.; Bräuning, A.; Peters, T. & Institute of Geography, F.E.E.G. (2020): <b>Characteristics of moisture source regions and their potential effect on seasonal isotopic signatures of d18O in tropical trees of southern Ecuador</b>. <i>Frontiers in Earth Science</i> <b> 8</b>(604804), 1-22.
Resource Description
Title:
Characteristics of moisture source regions and their potential effect on seasonal isotopic signatures of d18O in tropical trees of southern Ecuador
FOR816dw ID:
1890
Publication Date:
2020-12-21
License and Usage Rights:
Resource Owner(s):
Individual:
Nadja Landshuter
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> tropicalmountainforest.org
Individual:
Thomas Mölg
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> tropicalmountainforest.org
Individual:
Jussi Grießinger
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> tropicalmountainforest.org
Individual:
Achim Bräuning
Contact:
email:
achim.braeuning <at> fau.de
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Institute of Geography
Wetterkreuz 15
91058 Erlangen
Germany
Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> tropicalmountainforest.org
Abstract:
Ratios of stable oxygen isotopes in tree rings (δ18O) are a valuable proxy for reconstructing past climates. Such reconstructions allow us to gain better knowledge of climate dynamics under different (eg warmer) environmental conditions, which also forms the basis for effective risk management. The latter aspect is particularly relevant for our study site on the<br/>
western flanks of the Andes in Southern Ecuador, since the region is frequently affected by droughts and heavy precipitation events during the rainy season (January to April), leading to enormous social and economic losses. In particular, we focus on precipitation amounts and moisture source regions as they are known to influence the δ18O signature of tree rings. Moisture source regions are based on 240 h backward trajectories that were<br/>
calculated with the trajectory model LAGRANTO for the rainy seasons 2008 to 2017. A moisture source diagnostic was applied to the air parcel pathways. The resulting moisture source regions were analyzed by calculating composites based on precipitation amounts, season, and calendar year. The precipitation amounts were derived from data of a local Automatic Weather Station (AWS). The analysis confirms that our study site receives its moisture both, from the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.<br/>
Heavy precipitation events are linked to higher moisture contributions from the Pacific, and local SST anomalies along the coast of Ecuador are of higher importance than those off the coast toward the central Pacific. Moreover, we identified increasing moisture contributions from the Pacific over the course of the rainy season. This change and also rain amount<br/>
effects are detectable in preliminary data of δ18O variations in tree rings of Bursera graveolens. These signatures can be a starting point for investigating atmospheric and hydroclimatic processes, which trigger δ18O variations in tree rings, more extensively in future studies.
Keywords:
| precipitation | South Ecuador | South America | tropical trees | Tree Rings | modelling | stable isotopes |
Literature type specific fields:
ARTICLE
Journal:
Frontiers in Earth Science
Volume:
8
Issue:
604804
Page Range:
1-22
Publisher:
Frontiers
Publication Place:
Lausanne, Switzerland
ISSN:
2296-6463
Metadata Provider:
Individual:
Achim Bräuning
Contact:
email:
achim.braeuning <at> fau.de
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Institute of Geography
Wetterkreuz 15
91058 Erlangen
Germany
