Oxygen and carbon isotopic composition of modern terrestrial gastropod shells from Lipari Island, Aeolian Archipelago (Sicily)

Oxygen isotope signatures from land snail ( Helix melanostoma ) shells and body fluid: Proxies for reconstructing Mediterranean and North African rainfall

“…This finding is in line with the greater evaporative enrichment of rainfall expected for semi-arid regions of the eastern Mediterranean. Elsewhere in the Mediterranean region, Colonese et al (2014) found a strong correlation between δ 18 O shell and altitude in Sicily (R 2 = 0.6), which they interpreted as tracking changes in δ 18 O rain with altitude. However, only a weak correlation was found between δ 18 O rain and δ 18 O shell (δ 18 O rain = 0.22xδ 18 O shell − 5.53, R 2 =0.24) suggesting that δ 18 O rain only partially accounted for the variation seen in δ 18 O shell , possibly due to the greater influence of Mediterranean water vapour at lower elevations (Colonese et al 2014).…”

“…However, many uncertainties in the interpretations of these proxies still exist. Thus far, no clear worldwide correlation has been found between δ-18 O shell and a single environmental variable (Zanchetta et al 2005;Colonese et al 2014).…”

“…Lécolle 1985;Goodfriend et al 1989;Goodfriend & Ellis 2002;Zanchetta et al 2005;Kehrwald et al 2010;Colonese et al 2011), whilst in others, temperature and/or humidity are additional controlling variables (e.g. Yapp 1979;Goodfriend & Magaritz 1987;Bonadonna et al 1999;Leone et al 2000;Yanes et al 2008Yanes et al , 2009Colonese et al 2014). In more arid climates, the correlation with δ 18 O rain may be complicated because atmospheric water vapour, although largely derived from precipitation in some seasons (e.g.…”

“…Lécolle, 1985;Zanchetta et al 2005;Colonese et al 2013Colonese et al , 2014. Furthermore, different species in the same region may show differing responses in their δ 18 O shell ratios as a result of vital effects or differing microhabitats (e.g.…”

Carbon isotope signatures from land snail shells: Implications for palaeovegetation reconstruction in the eastern Mediterranean

“…Francey, 1983;Goodfriend and Ellis, 2002;Baldini et al, 2007;Yanes et al, 2008;Colonese et al, 2014). Snails in regions of predominantly C3 vegetation have significantly more negative δ 13 C s hell ratios than snails found in regions with predominantly C4 vegetation, whilst snails that eat a mixed diet will have intermediate δ C s hell ratios from -4.3 to þ1.9‰ in areas of C4 vegetation.…”