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Moss δ 13 C: an accurate proxy for past water environments in polar regions
Author(s) -
BramleyAlves Jessica,
Wanek Wolfgang,
French Kristine,
Robinson Sharon A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
global change biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.146
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1365-2486
pISSN - 1354-1013
DOI - 10.1111/gcb.12848
Subject(s) - moss , environmental science , proxy (statistics) , physical geography , polar , arid , peninsula , stable isotope ratio , atmospheric sciences , oceanography , ecology , geology , geography , biology , physics , astronomy , machine learning , computer science , quantum mechanics
Abstract Increased aridity is of global concern. Polar regions provide an opportunity to monitor changes in bioavailable water free of local anthropogenic influences. However, sophisticated proxy measures are needed. We explored the possibility of using stable carbon isotopes in segments of moss as a fine‐scale proxy for past bioavailable water. Variation in δ 13 C with water availability was measured in three species across three peninsulas in the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica and verified using controlled chamber experiments. The δ 13 C from Antarctic mosses accurately recorded long‐term variations in water availability in the field, regardless of location, but significant disparities in δ 13 C between species indicated some make more sensitive proxies. δ 13 C SUGAR derived from living tissues can change significantly within the span of an Antarctic season (5 weeks) in chambers, but under field conditions, slow growth means that this technique likely represents multiple seasons. δ 13 C CELLULOSE provides a precise and direct proxy for bioavailable water, allowing reconstructions for coastal Antarctica and potentially other cold regions over past centuries.