Leaf waxes as recorders of paleoclimatic changes during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum: Regional expressions from the Belluno Basin

Similar isotopic trends are observed at both localities. The magnitude of the negative carbon isotope excursion at Cicogna is ∼2.5‰. Pre-event 2H enrichment recorded in the Forada section is missing at Cicogna, likely due to a disturbed interval at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary. A 2H depletion of ∼10-15‰ during the body of the PETM at Cicogna is observed in several PETM sections, implicating a primary change in the global hydrological cycle. Given the proximity of Cicogna and Forada, isotopic compositions of paleo-meteoric water are expected to be similar. However, a ∼15‰ offset between the records is apparent. Possible reasons include differences in vegetation, biomarker transport and precipitation altitude, underscoring the complexity of using a single record for zonal reconstructions and data model comparisons. Ultimately, this study shows that while 2H/1H trends can be applied for paleoclimate analysis with reasonable certainty, absolute magnitudes can be biased by secondary local factors.