Dataset Information

Tree-ring oxygen isotopes record a decrease in Amazon dry season rainfall over the past 40 years.

ABSTRACT: Extant climate observations suggest the dry season over large parts of the Amazon Basin has become longer and drier over recent decades. However, such possible intensification of the Amazon dry season and its underlying causes are still a matter of debate. Here we used oxygen isotope ratios in tree rings (δ¹⁸O_TR) from six floodplain trees from the western Amazon to assess changes in past climate. Our analysis shows that δ¹⁸O_TR of these trees is negatively related to inter-annual variability of precipitation during the dry season over large parts of the Amazon Basin, consistent with a Rayleigh rainout model. Furthermore δ¹⁸O_TR increases by approximately 2‰ over the last four decades (~ 1970-2014) providing evidence of an Amazon drying trend independent from satellite and in situ rainfall observations. Using a Rayleigh rainout framework, we estimate basin-wide dry season rainfall to have decreased by up to 30%. The δ¹⁸O_TR record further suggests such drying trend may not be unprecedented over the past 80 years. Analysis of δ¹⁸O_TR with sea surface temperatures indicates a strong role of a warming Tropical North Atlantic Ocean in driving this long-term increase in δ¹⁸O_TR and decrease in dry season rainfall.

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00382-021-06046-7.

SUBMITTER: Cintra BBL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9372001 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Tree-ring oxygen isotopes record a decrease in Amazon dry season rainfall over the past 40 years.

Cintra Bruno B L BBL Gloor Manuel M Boom Arnoud A Schöngart Jochen J Baker Jessica C A JCA Cruz Francisco W FW Clerici Santiago S Brienen Roel J W RJW

Climate dynamics 20211126 5-6

Extant climate observations suggest the dry season over large parts of the Amazon Basin has become longer and drier over recent decades. However, such possible intensification of the Amazon dry season and its underlying causes are still a matter of debate. Here we used oxygen isotope ratios in tree rings (δ18OTR) from six floodplain trees from the western Amazon to assess changes in past climate. Our analysis shows that δ18OTR of these trees is negativ ...[more]

PMID: 35971539

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Dataset Information

Tree-ring oxygen isotopes record a decrease in Amazon dry season rainfall over the past 40 years.

Supplementary information

Publications

Tree-ring oxygen isotopes record a decrease in Amazon dry season rainfall over the past 40 years.

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