Landsnail shell δ18O records in periglacial loess deposits: New transfer functions for precipitation δ18O and temperature in dry continental settings
Richter I, Walther F, Meng S, Reip H, Schneider M, Joachimski M, Horsák M (2025)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2025
Journal
Book Volume: 363
Pages Range: 109440
Article Number: 109440
DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109440
Abstract
Our knowledge about climate change is based on the availability of climate data from both the present and the past. Accurate reference data are essential for improving Earth System Models, which help us to analyse and predict climatic developments with greater accuracy. In this context, subfossil landsnail shells and their stable isotope compositions are valuable climatic proxies. They are used to derive past precipitation isotopy (δ18Oprecipitation), which represents an important reference parametre for climate reconstruction. However, the interpretability of δ18O shell isotopes in periglacial loess deposits has been questioned, due to the complexity of the hydrological cycle in these environments. Calibration studies investigating the relationship between δ18Oshell and δ18Oprecipitation under continental dry conditions are still lacking. To close this gap, we collected two genera commonly found in European loess deposits (Vallonia and Pupilla) at modern dry periglacial sites in continental Inner Asia. Our results confirm a strong positive relationship between δ18Oshell and δ18Oprecipitation of the growing season period (adjR2 = 0.53, p ≪ 0.001). When only Vallonia samples were considered, the relationship was even stronger (adjR2 = 0.60, p ≪ 0.001) indicating a genus-specific response. Our results support the suitability of landsnail shells as proxy for δ18Oprecipitation in dry continental settings. Furthermore, we provide an empirically derived transfer function to reconstruct δ18Oprecipitation from δ18Oshell for periglacial loess archives as well as a transfer function for temperature approximation. This study demonstrates the high potential of shell isotopes as a quantitative climate proxy also for dry continental environments. However, future studies should focus on the resolution of shell isotope data as well as the synchroneity of calibration data, to increase data precision.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Universität Hamburg (UHH)
Germany (DE)
Masaryk University
Czech Republic (CZ)
Technische Universität Dresden
Germany (DE)
Universität Greifswald
Germany (DE)
Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
Masaryk University
Czech Republic (CZ)
Technische Universität Dresden
Germany (DE)
Universität Greifswald
Germany (DE)
Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Richter, I., Walther, F., Meng, S., Reip, H., Schneider, M., Joachimski, M., & Horsák, M. (2025). Landsnail shell δ18O records in periglacial loess deposits: New transfer functions for precipitation δ18O and temperature in dry continental settings. Quaternary Science Reviews, 363, 109440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109440
MLA:
Richter, Isabel, et al. "Landsnail shell δ18O records in periglacial loess deposits: New transfer functions for precipitation δ18O and temperature in dry continental settings." Quaternary Science Reviews 363 (2025): 109440.
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