Tree-Ring Stable Oxygen Isotope Ratio (δ18O) Records Precipitation Changes over the past Century in the Central Part of Eastern China

Abstract

Fully understanding the past characteristics of climate and patterns of climate change can contribute to future climate prediction. Tree-ring stable oxygen isotope ratio (δ18O) is crucial for high-resolution research of past climate changes and their driving mechanisms. A tree-ring δ18O chronology from 1896 to 2019 was established using Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. from the Yimeng Mountains (YMMs) in the central part of eastern China. We found that precipitation from the 41st pentad (five days) of the previous year to the 40th pentad of the current year (P41–40) was the main factor influencing the YMMs tree-ring δ18O change. We then created a transfer function between P41–40 and tree-ring δ18O. The reconstructed P41–40 explained 39% of the variance in the observed precipitation during the common period of 1960–2016. Over the past 124 years, the YMMs experienced 19 dry years and 20 wet years. The spatial correlation results indicate that the reconstructed precipitation could, to some extent, represent the precipitation changes in Shandong Province, and even the central part of eastern China, from the early 20th century to the present. In addition, it was found that the trends in YMMs tree-ring δ18O were similar at both high frequency and low frequency to those in tree-ring δ18O series from Mt. Tianmu in eastern China and from Jirisan National Park in southern South Korea. However, the YMMs tree-ring δ18O was only correlated at low frequency with the tree-ring δ18O of the Ordos Plateau in northwestern China and that of Nagano and Shiga in central Japan, which are far from the YMMs. The changes in precipitation and tree-ring δ18O in the YMMs were, to some extent, influenced by the Pacific decadal oscillation.