A 230-Year Summer Precipitation Variations Recorded by Tree-Ring δ18O in Heng Mountains, North China

Abstract

To explore the history of the changes in monsoon precipitation and their driving mechanisms in the context of global warming, climatology studies using tree-ring stable oxygen isotopes (δ18O) were carried out in Shanxi Province, China. Based on a tree-ring δ18O series from Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. on Heng Mountain, a 230-year June‒July precipitation sequence from 1784 to 2013 AD was reconstructed that explained 45% of the total variance (44% after adjusting the degrees of freedom). The reconstructed sequence captured the characteristics of the variations in precipitation. Periods of drought occurred mainly in 1820‒1840 AD, 1855‒1865 AD, 1895‒1910 AD, 1925‒1930 AD, and 1970‒1995 AD, and wet periods occurred mainly in 1880‒1895 AD, 1910‒1925 AD, and 1935‒1960 AD. The dry and wet years in the precipitation reconstruction corresponded well to the years in which disaster events were documented in historical records. A spatial correlation analysis with Climatic Research Unit (CRU)-gridded precipitation data indicated that the reconstructed precipitation provided good regional representation and reflected large-scale June‒July precipitation changes in northern China. In addition, the reconstructed precipitation sequence was also significantly correlated with the dry and wet index (DWI) and other tree-ring dry/wet reconstructions from the surrounding areas. The correlation between the reconstructed precipitation and the Asian monsoon index showed that the precipitation can indicate the intensity of the Asian summer monsoon. Moreover, a significant negative correlation was found between the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the reconstructed precipitation. At the decadal scale, the negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the positive phase of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) may co-promote summer precipitation in the study area.

Tree‐ring‐based reconstruction of the precipitation variability in the middle Taihang Mountains (1608–2021)

“…Commencing in the 1670s, there was a transition from high to average precipitation levels. Subsequently, North China experienced a recurrent cycle of dry and humid periods, leading to severe drought events, including the Ding‐wu Disaster in the 1870s, as well as significant droughts in 1920s and early (Liu et al, 2022). These droughts affected the northern and southern regions, resulting in widespread famine‐driven migrations (Pei et al, 2018; Zhai et al, 2020).…”

“…In examining the dry and wet variations in the surrounding areas, it is widely acknowledged that multiple driving mechanisms influence precipitation. Liu et al (2022) suggested a significant negative correlation between the reconstructed precipitation in the Heng Mountains and ENSO. Furthermore, at the decadal scale, it has been determined that the positive phase of the AMO and the negative phase of the PDO may jointly enhance summer precipitation in the Heng Mountains.…”