Kauri tree‐ring stable isotopes reveal a centennial climate downturn following the Antarctic Cold Reversal in New Zealand

Type Article
Date 2021-01
Language English
Author(s) Pauly M.ORCID1, 2, 3, Turney C.S.M.ORCID4, Palmer J.G.ORCID4, Büntgen U.5, 6, Brauer A.1, Helle G.1, 2
Affiliation(s) 1 : GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Section ‘Climate Dynamics and Landscape Evolution, Potsdam, Germany
2 : Free University of Berlin Department of Earth Sciences Section of Palaeontology, Berlin, Germany
3 : Bath Spa University School of Science Bath, United Kingdom
4 : University of New South Wales Palaeontology Geobiology and Earth Archives Research Centre (PANGEA) School of BiologicalEarth and Environmental Sciences, Sydney, Australia
5 : University of Cambridge Department of Geography Cambridge, United Kingdom
6 : Global Change Research Centre and Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic
Source Geophysical Research Letters (0094-8276) (American Geophysical Union), 2021-01 , Vol. 48 , N. 2 , P. e2020GL090299 (13p.)
DOI 10.1029/2020GL090299
WOS© Times Cited 1
Keyword(s) delta C-13, delta O-18, climate, Late Glacial, New Zealand, tree-ring cellulose
Abstract

The dynamics of the Late Glacial (LG) have been demonstrated by numerous records from the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and far fewer from the Southern Hemisphere (SH). SH paleoclimate records reveal a general warming trend, interrupted by a deglaciation pause (ACR: Antarctic Cold Reversal, ∼14,700 – 13,000 cal BP). Here we present decadal tree‐ring stable isotope chronologies (δ18O, δ13C) from New Zealand (NZ) subfossil kauri trees (n=6) covering the post‐ACR millennium from 13 020 – 11 850 cal BP. We find a distinct, simultaneous downturn (∼12 625 – 12 375 cal BP) in all tree‐ring proxies paralleling regional tree growth declines, suggesting a widespread climate deterioration. This downturn was characterised by sustained high precipitation, low temperatures and high relative humidity in NZ with incoming weather fronts from the South Ocean. Despite these promising results, questions remain about what drove the Kauri Downturn and how the hydroclimatic conditions were altered during this time period.

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How to cite 

Pauly M., Turney C.S.M., Palmer J.G., Büntgen U., Brauer A., Helle G. (2021). Kauri tree‐ring stable isotopes reveal a centennial climate downturn following the Antarctic Cold Reversal in New Zealand. Geophysical Research Letters, 48(2), e2020GL090299 (13p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090299 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00665/77698/