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Summer precipitation for the England and Wales region, 1201–2000 ce, from stable oxygen isotopes in oak tree rings

Neil Loader Orcid Logo, Giles Young, Danny McCarroll, Darren Davies, Daniel Miles, Christopher Bronk Ramsey

Journal of Quaternary Science, Volume: 35, Issue: 6, Pages: 731 - 736

Swansea University Authors: Neil Loader Orcid Logo, Giles Young, Danny McCarroll, Darren Davies

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DOI (Published version): 10.1002/jqs.3226

Abstract

Oxygen isotope ratios from oak tree rings are used to extend May to August precipitation totals of the England and Wales precipitation series back to 1201CE. The agreement between instrumental and reconstructed values is unusually strong, with more than half of the variance explained and standard ve...

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Published in: Journal of Quaternary Science
ISSN: 0267-8179 1099-1417
Published: Wiley 2020
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54357
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Abstract: Oxygen isotope ratios from oak tree rings are used to extend May to August precipitation totals of the England and Wales precipitation series back to 1201CE. The agreement between instrumental and reconstructed values is unusually strong, with more than half of the variance explained and standard verification tests passed. The stability of this relationship is confirmed using split-period calibration and verification. This allows the reconstruction to be variance-scaled to the full length of the instrumental series back to 1766. Direct comparison with historical reports of very wet and dry summers show good agreement. Near-constant replication, with a minimum of ten timbers sourced from historic buildings across central southern England ensures signal strength does not change over time. Summers during the late 20th century appear anomalously dry and those of the 21st century very close to the pre-20th century average with no evidence in the record of prolonged ‘megadroughts’ across England and Wales.
Keywords: dendrochronology, Holocene, hydroclimate, palaeoclimate, Quercus
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Funders: Natural Environment Research Council (NE/P011527/1), the Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2014-327), Landmark Trust Futures Initiative. / Wiley TA deal (Library).
Issue: 6
Start Page: 731
End Page: 736

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