Abstract
A distinct relationship exists between the δD values of cellulose carbon bound hydrogen in trees and average annual temperature for a variety of trees from a wide range over North America. The slope of the δD/T relationship is 5.8‰°C−1. Samples of annual precipitation covering much the same geographical range as the trees exhibit a comparable temperature coefficient of 5.6‰°C−1. Such growth-site conditions as poor drainage and/or low relative humidity seem to perturb the spatial δD/T relationship. However, our data indicate that suitable tree growth sites are more the rule than the exception.
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Yapp, C., Epstein, S. Climatic significance of the hydrogen isotope ratios in tree cellulose. Nature 297, 636–639 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/297636a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/297636a0
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