Beyond the treeline: assessing the potential of juniper shrub-ring δ18O for paleoclimatic research in the Himalayas

Meier WJH, Wernicke J, Huang R, Zhu H, Aryal S, Grießinger J (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Global and Planetary Change Elsevier

Book Volume: 256

Article Number: 105166

DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.105166

Abstract

High-elevation dwarf shrubs above the Himalayan treeline offer a valuable but underexplored archive for paleoclimatic research. This study analyses the stable oxygen isotope composition (δ¹⁸O) of Juniperus indica dwarf shrub-rings collected above 4000 m a.s.l. on the southern flank of the Himalayan Arc to evaluate their sensitivity to climatic variability. The δ¹⁸O series demonstrates a clear and coherent response to hydroclimatic conditions during the core summer monsoon season. Daily synoptic-scale analysis reveals that break monsoon weather patterns, rather than active monsoon phases, are the primary drivers of isotopic variability. Break phases are linked either to enhanced northwesterly airflow, leading to suppressed precipitation, or to a northward displacement of the monsoon trough, intensifying precipitation across the Himalayan Arc. Backward air mass trajectory modelling, combined with outgoing longwave radiation data reveal that isotopically enriched δ¹⁸O values correspond to westerly advection under reduced convective activity, whereas depleted δ¹⁸O values coincide with enhanced southerly flow and stronger convective activity. Collectively, these synoptic-scale circulation patterns explain up to 30 % of the observed δ¹⁸O variance. Our findings highlight the central role of break monsoon dynamics in shaping cellulose δ¹⁸O variability and demonstrate the potential of high-elevation dwarf shrubs as proxies for synoptic-scale paleoclimate in the Himalayas

Authors with CRIS profile

Sugam Aryal Lehrstuhl für Geographie (Physische Geographie)

Involved external institutions

Universität Salzburg (Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg)

Austria (AT) Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) / 中国科学院

China (CN) ThüringenForst

Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Meier, W.J.H., Wernicke, J., Huang, R., Zhu, H., Aryal, S., & Grießinger, J. (2026). Beyond the treeline: assessing the potential of juniper shrub-ring δ18O for paleoclimatic research in the Himalayas. Global and Planetary Change, 256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.105166

MLA:

Meier, Wolfgang Jens Henrik, et al. "Beyond the treeline: assessing the potential of juniper shrub-ring δ18O for paleoclimatic research in the Himalayas." Global and Planetary Change 256 (2026).

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