Stable carbon isotope composition of terrestrial leaves: inter- and intraspecies variability, cellulose and whole-leaf tissue difference, and potential for climate reconstruction
Stable carbon isotope analysis of terrestrial plant leaves preserved in Quaternary lake sediments has the potential to provide high-resolution reconstructions of past climatic conditions. Preferably, delta(13)C measurements should be made on a single leaf component, e.g. cellulose, but this approach is often precluded by limited leaf availability. Previous work suggests that reliable palaeoclimati