INtegrating PLants for palaeoclimaTe. Interdisciplinary analysis on multiple plant species to reconstruct paleoclimate changes

Several approaches are available to reconstruct past and present climate conditions from plant material. Stable Carbon Isotope Analysis (SCIA) measures the concentration of carbon-13 (δ13C) in archaeological seeds and charcoal to determine plant water availability and allows the reconstruction of past precipitation oscillations and irrigation practices. SCIA is typically performed on the same type of plant material (wood or seeds) and species to create consistent isotope datasets. Comparing δ13C datasets from different species and plant material (wood vs. seeds) is complex due to the role played by the different species' physiology on δ13C concentrations. Nevertheless, previous studies combining δ13C datasets from multiple plant species have resulted in high-resolution paleoclimatic records. Changes in precipitation can be determined from δ13C in tree rings and by measuring tree ring features (dendromeasurements). A recent approach combines the two measurements to improve the resolution of paleoclimatic records, though their dynamics are still poorly understood. The current research aims to achieve high-resolution paleoclimate proxies from archeological plant remains retrieved in diverse South-West Asia precipitation zones, integrating classic archaeobotanical analysis, SCIA on seeds and charcoal, and tree ring analysis. In addition to providing insights into past climate changes and their effects on ancient human societies and plant-based economies, this research will significantly contribute to the methodologies employed to reconstruct paleoclimatic oscillations from plant species retrieved from archeological sequences. Similar reference measurements on modern plants will contribute to the knowledge of the dynamics between plant and precipitation oscillations. The potential of this research to advance the field of archaeobotany and paleoclimate reconstruction is substantial, making it a crucial and relevant study for the scientific community.