Investigating Delta C-13 Values In Stalagmites From Tropical South America For The Last Two Millennia

Due to the many factors controlling delta C-13 values in stalagmites, complicating their paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental interpretation, most studies do not present delta C-13 values, but instead focus mainly on delta O-18 values. This is also the case for most cave studies from tropical South America, where many new delta O-18 stalagmite records covering the last millennia were recently published. Here, we review the delta C-13 values in stalagmites, investigating the influence on this proxy of local hydroclimate, altitude, temperature and vegetation types, by employing a new dataset composed of published and unpublished carbon isotope records from various sites in tropical South America. The main factors influencing delta C-13 values are associated with the local hydroclimate, followed by minor effects from temperature. Most of the isotopic records show a significant correlation between the delta C-13 and delta O-18 values, indicating a close relationship between local hydroclimate and atmospheric convective processes related to the South American Monsoon System. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.