Tracing Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Signals From Water Sources to Tree-Ring Compounds
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Date
2025-08
Publication Type
Journal Article
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yes
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Abstract
Stable oxygen (δ¹⁸O) and hydrogen (δ²H) isotope compositions of tree-ring compounds preserve information about environmental waters; however, our understanding of their isotopic relationships is hampered by the lack of long-term data sets. We investigated correlations using unique 17-year (2006–2022) δ¹⁸O and δ²H time series of bi-weekly measured soil solution, modelled precipitation and xylem water, along with those of tree-ring α-cellulose and lignin methoxy groups from Norway spruce (Picea abies) across three Swiss forest sites. We show that tree-ring cellulose δ¹⁸O preserves water source information more effectively than δ²H, making it better suited for ecohydrological reconstructions. We propose δ²H of tree-ring lignin methoxy groups as an alternative proxy for soil water sources, supported by strong correlations where cellulose failed to track soil water isotopes. Significant linear isotopic relationships within and across sites enable the development of transfer functions that link tree-ring to water sources, particularly precipitation and xylem water. We exemplify how these transfer functions can be used to estimate the seasonal origin of water sourced by trees during the growth period. Our findings enhance the interpretation of environmental water isotope signals in tree rings and promote the use of tree-ring isotope-based tools for retrospective retrieval of forest water dynamics.
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published
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Book title
Journal / series
Volume
48 (8)
Pages / Article No.
6235 - 6250
Publisher
Wiley
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
cellulose; hydrogen isotope; lignin methoxy groups; oxygen atom exchange; precipitation; seasonal origin index; soil water; tree water uptake; xylem water
Organisational unit
03648 - Buchmann, Nina / Buchmann, Nina
08739 - Molnar, Peter (Tit. Prof) / Molnar, Peter (Tit. Prof)
02608 - Institut für Umweltingenieurwiss. / Institute of Environmental Engineering