Estimating the hydrogen isotopic composition of past precipitation using leaf-waxes from western Africa

► Leaf-wax δD can be corrected for the effects of vegetation and evapotranspiration. ► C3 tree versus C4 grass changes are not the main control on leaf-wax δD variations. ► Wet season intensity was generally increased during the mid-Holocene. ► Wet season intensity was shifted southeastwards during the Last Glacial Maximum.