Stable Isotopes in Tree Rings of Pinus heldreichii Can Indicate Climate Variability over the Eastern Mediterranean Region

A long-term context is important for understanding past climatic variability. Although tree-ring widths (TRWs) are widely used as a proxy reconstructing climate, the use of annually-resolved values δ13C and δ18O stable isotopes (TRSIs) increasing may provide further valuable information. Here, we present 487-year-long TRW chronology 240-year-long TRSI Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii H. Christ) compare them to each other. We demonstrate that both better proxies temperature, precipitation, drought than TRW. The correlations between these climate parameters TRSIs strongest combined summer (JJA) period. results temporal spatial field correlation indicate chronologies stable, reliable JJA precipitation reconstruction over whole Balkan Peninsula surrounding eastern Mediterranean region. However, stability temperature signal declines after 1950s. Our work supports emerging evidence data track variability more accurately conventional approach can be subsequently climate.