Fossil dripwater in stalagmites reveals Holocene temperature and rainfall variation in Amazonia

Most proxy records used for reconstruction of Holocene climate of Amazonia are unable to quantitatively distinguish between the effect of temperature and rainfall amounts. We present a new isotope technique applied to a ∼ 13,500 yr stalagmite archive from Peruvian Amazonia. By analysing the coupled isotope composition of fossil dripwater trapped in stalagmite fluid inclusions, and that of the calcite hosting the fluid inclusions, we were able to calculate independent paleotemperatures and rainfall amounts. This stalagmite record shows that Holocene climate variation was controlled by orbitally-forced Southward migration of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone. While temperature remained constant, isotope variation of rainwater, reflected in fluid inclusion water