Regional differences in the carbon isotopic compositions of teak from two monsoonal regimes of India

Inter and intra-annual carbon isotope compositions (δ13C) of several annual growth rings of teak trees from two monsoonal regimes from India were studied and compared with the corresponding oxygen isotopic (δ18O) variations. In teak from both the regimes, amplitudes of intra-annual δ13C were ∼2-3 times lower than that observed in δ18O. Seasonal cycle with lower δ13C values at the middle and higher at ring boundaries was observed for teak from central India, dominated by the southwest monsoon. Positive correlations of intra-annual δ13C values with the corresponding δ18O values of the same rings and with relative humidity (RH) of the concurrent period suggest a dominant role of RH in controlling δ13C values of teak from central India. Intra-annual δ13C variations of teak from southern India, receiving both the southwest and northeast monsoons, revealed an initial decreasing trend followed by an increasing trend before culminating in depleted 13C values at the end of the growing season. No correlation was observed between intra-annual δ13C and δ18O variations of teak trees from southern India. Regional differences in the climatology of δ13C of atmospheric CO2 or the lengths of growing season could be likely reasons for differing intra-annual δ13C variations of teak from the two climatic regimes.