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Seasonal Variation In The Stable Isotopic Composition Of Precipitation In The Tropical Montane Forests Of Monteverde, Costa Rica, Amy L. Rhodes, Andrew J. Guswa, Silvia E. Newell
Seasonal Variation In The Stable Isotopic Composition Of Precipitation In The Tropical Montane Forests Of Monteverde, Costa Rica, Amy L. Rhodes, Andrew J. Guswa, Silvia E. Newell
Engineering: Faculty Publications
Climate and land use change may diminish orographic clouds over tropical montane forests, stressing biota and water resources during dry seasons. From 2003 to 2005 we measured the stable isotopic composition of precipitation and throughfall in Monteverde, Costa Rica, to distinguish convective, wet season rainfall associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) from dry season, orographic rain produced by northeasterly trade winds. While event-to-event fluctuations of δ18O and δ2H are high, monthly samples reveal a seasonal signal that may be used to trace water through the hydrologic cycle. Deuterium excess indicates that water evaporated from land is an important flux …