Release of different nitrogen compounds can cause eutrophication in lakes and rivers whichcan lead to oxygen-free environments in bottom water and in the sediment and can in turnlead to fish-deaths. Ammonium can be toxic to biota and nitrate can in high concentrationeven be toxic to humans. WHO has released a limit for nitrate concentration in drinking waterof 10mg/l. The LKAB mine in Kiruna is the largest underground iron mine in the world and isprospecting, mining and refining iron ore, with an annual production of around 28 milliontons. Release of different nitrogen compounds as a result of the explosives used during themining operations has been a known problem for some time; however the processes affectingnitrogen during the water transport have never been fully investigated. The main objective of this MSc thesis is to determine if changes in nitrogen and oxygenisotope composition can be used as a tracer for nitrogen transformation processes in the minewater at LKABs underground mine in Kiruna. Water samples were collected at key points in the water transport system and were analyzedfor isotopic composition. Isotopic and chemical data revealed two different sources of nitrateand ammonium, undetonated explosives and leachate from waste rocks. Three differentnitrogen changing processes affecting concentration of nitrate and ammonium were found:ammonium volatilization, nitrification and sorption. It was not possible to quantify theseprocesses individually. No processes which decrease the nitrate concentration were found.

The tropical warm pool waters surrounding Indonesia are one of the equatorial heat and moisture sources that are considered as a driving force of the global climate system. The climate in Indonesia is dominated by the equatorial monsoon system, and has been linked to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, which often result in severe droughts or floods over Indonesia with profound societal and economic impacts on the populations living in the world's fourth most populated country. The latest IPCC report states that ENSO will remain the dominant mode in the tropical Pacific with global effects in the 21st century and ENSO-related precipitation extremes will intensify. However, no common agreement exists among climate simulation models for projected change in ENSO and the Australian-Indonesian Monsoon. Exploring high-resolution palaeoclimate archives, like tree rings or varved lake sediments, provide insights into the natural climate variability of the past, and thus helps improving and validating simulations of future climate changes. Centennial tree-ring stable isotope records | Within this doctoral thesis the main goal was to explore the potential of tropical tree rings to record climate signals and to use them as palaeoclimate proxies. In detail, stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopes were extracted from teak trees in order to establish the first well-replicated centennial (AD 1900-2007) stable isotope records for Java, Indonesia. Furthermore, different climatic variables were tested whether they show significant correlation with tree-ring proxies (ring-width, δ13C, δ18O). Moreover, highly resolved intra-annual oxygen isotope data were established to assess the transfer of the seasonal precipitation signal into the tree rings. Finally, the established oxygen isotope record was used to reveal possible correlations with ENSO events. Methodological achievements | A second goal of this thesis was to assess the applicability of novel techniques which facilitate and optimize high-resolution and high-throughput stable isotope analysis of tree rings. Two different UV-laser-based microscopic dissection systems were evaluated as a novel sampling tool for high-resolution stable isotope analysis. Furthermore, an improved procedure of tree-ring dissection from thin cellulose laths for stable isotope analysis was designed. The most important findings of this thesis are: I) The herein presented novel sampling techniques improve stable isotope analyses for tree-ring studies in terms of precision, efficiency and quality. The UV-laser-based microdissection serve as a valuable tool for sampling plant tissue at ultrahigh-resolution and for unprecedented precision. II) A guideline for a modified method of cellulose extraction from wholewood cross-sections and subsequent tree-ring dissection was established. The novel technique optimizes the stable isotope analysis process in two ways: faster and high-throughput cellulose extraction and precise tree-ring separation at annual to high-resolution scale. III) The centennial tree-ring stable isotope records reveal significant correlation with regional precipitation. High-resolution stable oxygen values, furthermore, allow distinguishing between dry and rainy season rainfall. IV) The δ18O record reveals significant correlation with different ENSO flavors and demonstrates the importance of considering ENSO flavors when interpreting palaeoclimatic data in the tropics. The findings of my dissertation show that seasonally resolved δ18O records from Indonesian teak trees are a valuable proxy for multi-centennial reconstructions of regional precipitation variability (monsoon signals) and large-scale ocean-atmosphere phenomena (ENSO) for the Indo-Pacific region. Furthermore, the novel methodological achievements offer many unexplored avenues for multidisciplinary research in high-resolution palaeoclimatology. / Die tropischen Gewässer um Indonesien sind eine der äquatorialen Wärme- und Feuchtigkeitsquellen, die als treibende Kraft des globalen Klimasystems betrachtet werden können. Das Klima in Indonesien ist geprägt durch das Australisch-Indonesische Monsunsystem. Weiterhin besteht eine Verknüpfung mit El Niño-Southern Oszillation (ENSO) Ereignissen, die oft zu schweren Dürren oder Überschwemmungen in der Region mit tiefgreifenden gesellschaftlichen und wirtschaftlichen Folgen führen. Der neueste IPCC-Bericht legt dar, dass ENSO auch in den nächsten 100 Jahren das vorherrschende Klimaphänomen im tropischen Pazifik bleiben wird. Ferner wird davon ausgegangen, dass sich die ENSO-bezogenen Niederschlagsextrema intensivieren werden. Wenig Übereinstimmung herrscht jedoch bislang zwischen den Klimasimulationsmodellen in Bezug auf die voraussichtlichen Veränderungen von ENSO und dem Australisch-Indonesischen Monsunsystem. Hochaufgelöste Paläoklima-Archive, wie z.B. Jahrringe oder warvierte Seesedimente, geben Auskunft über die natürliche Klimavariabilität der Vergangenheit und können somit dazu beitragen, die Computersimulationen der künftigen Klimaentwicklung zu verbessern und zu validieren. Hundertjährige stabile Jahrring-Isotopenchronologien | Das Hauptziel dieser Doktorarbeit war es, dass Potenzial von tropischen Jahrringen zur Aufzeichnung von Klimasignalen herauszustellen und deren Evaluierung als Paläoklimaproxys. Im Detail wurden stabile Kohlenstoff- (δ13C) und Sauerstoff- (δ18O) Isotopenverhältnisse in Teakbäumen analysiert, und die ersten gut replizierten hundertjährigen (AD 1900-2007) stabilen Isotopenchronologien aus Java (Indonesien) erstellt. Dabei wurden verschiedene klimatische Einflussgrößen getestet, ob diese signifikante Korrelationen mit den Jahrringparametern aufzeigen. Weiterhin wurden hochaufgelöste intra-annuelle Sauerstoffisotopenzeitreihen erstellt, um den Transfer des saisonalen Niederschlagssignals in den jeweiligen Jahrring zu bemessen. Die ermittelte Sauerstoff-Isotopenchronologie wurde anschließend auf mögliche ENSO Signale hin untersucht. Methodische Errungenschaften | Ein zweites Ziel dieser Arbeit war es neue Verfahren zur Analyse stabiler Isotope in Baumjahrringen zu entwickeln und zu optimieren. Zwei verschiedene UV-Lasermikrodissektions-Systeme wurden getestet als neues präzises Präparationswerkzeug für stabile Isotopenstudien. Darüber hinaus wurde eine verbesserte Methode für die Probenaufbereitung stabiler Isotopenmessungen anhand von Zellulose-Dünnschnitten entwickelt. Die wichtigsten Ergebnisse dieser Doktorarbeit sind: I) Die hier vorgestellten neuartigen Techniken zu Probenvorbereitung verbessern die Analyse stabiler Isotope für Jahrringstudien in Hinsicht auf Präzision, Effizienz und Qualität. Es wurde gezeigt, dass die UV-Lasermikrodissektion eine wertvolle Technik ist, um die Beprobung von Pflanzengewebe in höchster Auflösung und beispielloser Präzision durchzuführen. II) Es ist gelungen, einen Leitfaden für ein modifiziertes Verfahren der Zelluloseextraktion an Gesamtholz-Dünnschnitten und der anschließenden Jahrringaufbereitung zu erstellen. Diese neuartige Methode optimiert die Analyse stabiler Isotopenzeitreihen in zweierlei Hinsicht: schnellere und effiziente Zelluloseextraktion und präzise Trennung der Jahrringsequenzen in inter-annueller bis intra-annuelle Auflösung. III) Die hundertjährigen stabilen Jahrring-Isotopenchronologien weisen signifikante Korrelationen mit dem regionalen Niederschlag auf. In den hochaufgelösten stabilen Sauerstoffisotopenwerten spiegelt sich deutlich das Niederschlagssignal der Trocken- und der Regenzeit wieder. IV) Die stabile Sauerstoffisotopenzeitreihe zeigt signifikante Korrelationen mit verschiedenen ENSO Phasen. Dies betont, dass die verschiedenen ENSO Phasen bei der Interpretation von tropischen Paläodaten zu berücksichtigen sind. Die Ergebnisse der Dissertation zeigen, dass saisonal aufgelöste stabile Sauerstoffisotopenchronologien von indonesischen Teakbäumen ein geeigneter Proxy für mehrhundertjährige Rekonstruktionen der regionalen Niederschlagsvariabilität (Monsun-Signale) und großräumiger Ozean-Atmosphären-Systeme (ENSO) für den Indopazifik ist. Darüber hinaus bieten die neuartigen methodischen Errungenschaften viele neue Ansätze für multidisziplinäre hochaufgelöste Studien in der paläoklimatologischen Forschung.

No description available.

Increasing atmospheric reactive nitrogen (Nr), as consequence of human activities, has generated accumulation of nitrate (NO3-) in Arctic regions. The Arctic has fragile nitrogen limited ecosystems that can be altered by increases of dry or wet deposition of Nr. Ice cores have shown increments of twofold in nitrogen deposition over Greenland and Svalbard during the 20th century. Ice core NO3- stable isotopes, (δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3-), have the potential to serve as proxy of nitrogen oxides (NOx) sources and atmospheric oxidation pathways. NO3- is difficult to interpret in ice since it has several sources and experiences post-depositional processes, e.g. photolysis, relocation, evaporation and diffusion. The present work shows the results of NO3- and NO3- stable isotopes analyses of ice cores, snow and precipitation from Svalbard, in order to obtain records of natural and anthropogenic sources of NO3-. In addition, meltwater percolation effects on the snowpack ion content were also studied. A comparison between NO3- records from different Svalbard ice cores and NOx and SOx emission profiles from different regions shows that the major source regions affecting Svalbard are Western Europe and North America, followed by Central Europe and former USSR. Post-1950s δ15N-NO3- measured at Lomonosovfonna is influenced mainly by fossil fuel combustion, soil emissions, and forest fires. There is an east-west gradient in snow NO3- stable isotopes during 2010/2011, with lower δ15N-NO3- and higher δ18O-NO3- values at eastern sites; the results evidence differences in the origin of air masses arriving at Svalbard sites, mainly Eurasia, to the eastern sites, and Northern Europe to the western sites. The effects of post-depositional change on the ice core chemistry were studied, finding that 45% of annual snowpack suffers melt at Lomonosovfonna during the last 60 years. Percolation lengths were estimated as ≈1 m for most of ions; therefore, it is expected that the atmospheric ionic signal is preserved at annual or bi-annual resolution within the last 60 years at the Lomonosovfonna summit. The results presented here suggest that NO3- stable isotopes from Svalbard ice cores are useful to describe different sources and source regions of NOx, contributing to the assessment of nitrogen enrichment for this region. / Halten av reaktivt kväve (Nr) har ökat i atmosfären som en följd av mänskliga aktiviteter och har lett till en anrikning av nitrat (NO3-) nedfallet i Arktis. Ekosystemen i de Arktiska områdena är mycket sköra och extremt anpassade till den låga tillgången på tillgängligt kväve, ett förhållande som drastiskt kan ändras genom en ökad våt och torr deposition av Nr. Studier av iskärnor från både Grönland och Svalbard har visat på en fördubbling av kvävenedfallet under de senaste hundra åren. Potentiellt så kan analyser av kvävets och syrets stabila isotoper (δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3-) i nitrat från iskärnor ge information om de kväveoxidkällor, oxidations- och transportvägar som påverkar nitrat halten i Arktis. Dock är nitrat sammansättningen i is svårtolkat eftersom det nitrat som återfinns i isen kan härstamma från flera olika källor och där även flera post-depositionsprocesser har beskrivits, t.ex. fotolys, evaporation, diffusion och omlokalisering som följd av snösmältning. Denna doktorsavhandling använder såväl nitrat halter som des stabila isotoper från iskärnor, snö- och nederbördsprover från Svalbard, för att fastställa de naturliga och antropogena källor av nitrat som influerar denna del av Arktis. I tillägg till detta så har även snösmältningsförsök gjorts för att undersöka hur nitratet påverkas av perkolationsprocesser. En jämförelse av nitratkompositionen mellan iskärnor och snöprofiler från olika delar av Svalbard visar att de huvudsakliga källregionerna för Nr till denna del av Arktis är Västeuropa och Nordamerika, följt av Centraleuropa och forna Sovjetunionen. För perioden 1950 och fram till i dag så påvisar δ15N-NO3- värden mätt från en Lomonosovfonna (centrala Svalbard) iskärna en stark influens från förbränning av fossila bränslen följt av utsläpp från åkermarker samt för de sista tio åren en influens av Ryska skogsbränder. Generellt så finns det även en öst-västlig gradient bland de stabila isotoperna av nitrat, med lägre δ15N-NO3- och högre δ18O-NO3- värden på Svalbards östsida i 2010/2011. Resultaten visar på en skillnad i ursprungskällan av luftmassor, där östra Svalbard påverkas mest av luft från Eurasien medan västra Svalbard påverkas med av Nordeuropa. När det gäller perkolationens effekt på jonkoncentrationen, så påvisar 60 års iskärnedata att 45% av den årliga vinterackumulationen smälts bort under sommaren på Lomonosovfonna. Detta medför en förflyttning av de flesta joner nedåt i snön, med en perkolationslängd på ca 1 m, och den ursprungliga nitrat sammansättningen förväntas därför bevaras på årlig eller vartannat års basis. Resultaten som presenteras här tyder på att iskärnedata, vad gäller nitrat och dess stabila isotoper, från Svalbard är representativa för att beskriva de olika källor och regioner som bidrar till kvävetillförseln i denna del av Arktis.

This thesis investigates the foraging of Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and its predators during the summer in the Canadian Arctic. Findings included the identification of Arctic cod, ringed seal (Pusa hispida), beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), and narwhal (Monodon monoceros) diet shifts in response to seasonal prey availability; calculation of isotopic diet-tissue discrimination factors for Arctic cod, ringed seals, and whales based on local tissue and stomach content sampling; and determination of predatory cues to optimize foraging, such as the presence of schools. Additionally, I quantified seabird feeding and interspecific interactions such kleptoparasitism and found that black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) captured cod directly but lost many to parasitic jaegers (Stercorarius parasiticus) and glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus). Finally, I determined that schools of cod were important prey sources for northern fulmars, glaucous gulls, and whales however non-schooling cod were a significant source for black-legged kittiwakes and ringed seals.

An animal’s foraging ecology can vary over a range of temporal scales, mirroring seasonal and longer term changes in prey availability, as well as ontogenetic shifts in diet and distribution. Obtaining individual-based, longitudinal diet information through direct observation, however, is logistically challenging for marine mammals that pursue and consume prey underwater, and are often widely distributed. Isotopic profiling along continuously growing tissues like teeth and baleen, which archive dietary inputs at the time of growth in their stable isotope composition, allows for chronological dietary reconstructions over multi-year timespans. This thesis reports longitudinal diet studies of three Arctic whale species, killer whales (Orcinus orca), bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) and beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), derived from serial isotopic measurements along teeth and baleen. Study objectives varied by species, but general goals were to characterize seasonal, ontogenetic, and/or individual diet variation. Results revealed similar trophic-level diet, but regional spatial separation, among eastern Canadian Arctic/Northwest Atlantic killer whales. However, isotope and tooth wear differences between two individuals and the rest of the sampled whales suggested potential specialisation on sharks, while the other whales likely had diets comprising marine mammals. Cyclic isotopic variation along Eastern Canada-West Greenland bowhead whale baleen was consistent with year-round foraging, although at a reduced rate during winter. Resting zooplankton could be an important food resource outside of periods of peak productivity, and accessibility likely drives winter habitat selection. Isotopic cycling did not differ between female and male bowheads, or among age classes, indicating similar seasonal foraging patterns despite reported spatial segregation throughout their summer range. Individual beluga whales from three eastern Canadian Arctic populations varied in timing of ontogenetic diet shifts (i.e. weaning age), as well as overall trophic position, which could reflect size-specific energetic requirements and foraging capabilities. Population-specific beluga whale diet trends over a period of several decades likely reflected climate-related expansions of southern forage fish. Collectively, findings of seasonal, ontogenetic, and/or individual diet variation contribute a greater understanding of intrapopulation variation in foraging ecology of these species, and of large-scale structuring of Arctic marine ecosystems.

Understanding the role of forests in the cycling of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) is of importance to the elucidation of global greenhouse gas budgets. Previous studies have shown aerated forests soils to be net sinks of atmospheric CH4 and sources of carbon dioxide. While much research has focused on the role of forest soils as CO2 sources and CH4 sinks, few studies have utilized 13C-isotope studies to clarify the nature of subsurface CO2 production and CH4 consumption. The present study, carried out in 3 temperate forest environments on Vancouver Island during 2006 and 2007, and a boreal forest in northern Quebec in 2005, is intended to address this paucity of information. The isotope and concentration data corroborates previous studies in suggesting that both temperate and boreal forest environments act as net CH4 sinks and CO2 sources. No clear evidence of methanogenesis is apparent in either Vancouver Island or northern Quebec, where the isotopic composition of subsurface CH4 is influenced by diffusive and biological fractionation. Near-surface photosynthetic uptake may have a strong influence on the isotopic composition of soil CO2 and the resultant fluxes, acting to reduce apparent fluxes due to CO2 consumption. Intra-site variability of CH4 and CO2 fluxes indicates that the use of two static chambers in a single site, while sufficient for the confirmation of gas uptake or emission, may be less adequate in the determination of actual rates of efflux/influx. Future studies should address this by either sampling a larger area, installing a greater number of chambers, or by utilizing entirely different methods, such as the use of eddy covariance techniques.

There are generally two contrasting alternatives to what limits recruitment in plants, namely the availability of seeds (seed limitation) or the quality or quantity of suitable sites (microsite limitation). Dust seeds, the smallest existing seeds, lack or have minimal nutrient reserves. During germination and initial development they consequently parasitize on mycorrhizal fungi. This is called mycoheterotrophy, and can vary in degree of fungal dependency in adult plants from full, partial or initial mycoheterotrophy. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the recruitment ecology of mycoheterotrophic Ericaceae (tribe Pyroleae) species with dust seeds, and to determine what limits their recruitment. The investigated species were: Chimaphila umbellata, Moneses uniflora, Orthilia secunda, Pyrola chlorantha, P. minor and P. rotundifolia. This aim was achieved by combining field experiments (seed sowing) with isotope analysis and fungal host pyrosequencing. Results provide evidence that the species in Pyroleae are heterogeneous, not only with regard to their degree of mycoheterotrophy, but also concerning germination and early seedling development. A combination of microsite and seed limitation is thus likely to be of importance for all studied species, but the relative importance of these limitations varies among species. Despite having adaptations for wind dispersal the majority of the seeds were deposited in close vicinity of the seed source. But with high seed production at least some seeds should be able to disperse long-distance. Seedlings of all studied species were found to associate with a wide range of ectomycorrhizal fungi, at least during their initial developmental stages. There seems to be a tendency for host narrowing in some Pyroleae species, but not as strict as the host specialization seen in fully mycoheterotrophic Monotropa hypopitys, supporting the hypothesis of geographical and developmental host shifts. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: In press. Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

During the Late Pliocene, between 3.3 Ma and 2.6 Ma, tectonic events changed ocean basin interactions against a background of shifting orbital forcing mechanisms and a global cooling trend. A climate system that had been locked in a stable, warm state gradually transformed into one typified by the high-amplitude glacial–interglacial fluctuations characteristic of the later Quaternary. The onset of Northern Hemisphere glaciations in the Late Pliocene marks an important step in this transition, due to the role of feedback mechanisms including ice albedo. A crucial factor in this Northern Hemisphere ice sheet expansion is the North Atlantic surface ocean circulation. To evaluate how they are linked, a ca. 200-kyr time slab spanning 2782-2520 ka (Late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene) was analyzed at millennial scale resolution from eastern North Atlantic Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Site 610 and Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Site U1313. The causes of the Plio-Pleistocene climatic turnover are compared to that of the well-documented Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) M2 occurring in the Late Pliocene (3.3 Ma). MIS M2, a severe glacial event seen as a precursor to later Quaternary-style glaciations, was investigated from western North Atlantic DSDP Site 603. Utilizing a same-sample methodology, two paleoceanographic proxies were used: (1) dinocyst assemblages, and (2) foraminiferal geochemistry (δ18O and Mg/Ca). Dinocysts are proven tracers of sea-surface temperature (SST), salinity, nutrient supply, and sea ice cover, and are analyzed here to characterize the overlying water masses at the studied sites. Strong dinocyst assemblage fluctuations attest to variations in the influence of the North Atlantic Current (NAC). Using Mg/Ca ratios for the planktonic foraminifer Globigerina bulloides to determine absolute SSTs allows salinity changes to be reconstructed when combined with stable oxygen isotopes. This study shows a persistent Gulf Stream–NAC in the western North Atlantic during MIS M2, favoring a southern shift of the NAC over a shutdown of the thermohaline circulation. At the newly established Plio-Pleistocene boundary, a profound turnover in dinoflagellate cyst assemblages reveals a shift in ocean mode during MIS 104 (2.6 Ma). Three distinct dinocyst ecozones demonstrate this fundamental reorganization of the North Atlantic circulation.

Διάφορες κλιματολογικές, υδρολογικές και περιβαλλοντικές μελέτες απαιτούν ακριβή γνώση της χωρικής κατανομής των σταθερών ισοτόπων του υδρογόνου και του οξυγόνου στον υετό. Δεδομένου ότι ο αριθμός των σταθμών συλλογής δειγμάτων υετού για ισοτοπική ανάλυση είναι μικρός και όχι ομογενώς κατανεμημένος σε πλανητικό επίπεδο, η πλανητκή κατανομή των σταθερών ισοτόπων μπορεί να υπολογισθεί μέσω της δημιουργίας πλεγματικών ισοτοπικών δεδομένων, για τη δημιουργία των οποίων έχουν προταθεί διάφορες μέθοδοι. Ορισμένες χρησιμοποιούν εμπειρικές σχέσεις και γεωστατιστικές μεθόδους ώστε να ελαχιστοποιήσουν τα σφάλματα λόγω παρεμβολής. Στην εργασία αυτή γίνεται μια προσπάθεια να δημιουργηθούν βάσεις πλεγματικών δεδομένων της ισοτοπικής σύστασης του υετού με ανάλυση 10΄ × 10΄ για την περιοχή της Κεντρικής και Ανατολικής Μεσογείου. Προσδιορίζονται στατιστικά πρότυπα λαμβάνοντας υπ’ όψιν γεωγραφικές και μετεωρολογικές παραμέτρους, ως ανεξάρτητες μεταβλητές. Η αρχική μεθοδολογία χρησιμοποιεί μόνο το υψόμετρο της περιοχής και το γεωγραφικό της πλάτος ως ανεξάρτητες μεταβλητές. Επειδή η ισοτοπική σύσταση εξαρτάται και από το γεωγραφικό μήκος προστέθηκαν στα υφιστάμενα πρότυπα, εκτός των γεωγραφικών μεταβλητών και μετεωρολογικές. Προτείνεται σειρά προτύπων τα οποία περιλαμβάνουν είτε ορισμένες είτε συνδυασμό αυτών των παραμέτρων. Η αξιολόγηση των προτύπων γίνεται με εφαρμογή των μεθόδων Thin Plate Splines (TPSS) και Ordinary Kriging (ΟΚ). / Several climatic, hydrological and environmental studies require the accurate knowledge of the spatial distribution of stable isotopes in precipitation. Since the number of rain sampling stations for isotope analysis is small and not evenly distributed around the globe, the global distribution of stable isotopes can be calculated via the production of gridded isotopic data sets. Several methods have been proposed for this purpose. Some of them use empirical equations and geostatistical methods in order to minimize eventual errors due to interpolation. In this work a methodology is proposed for the development of 10΄ × 10΄ gridded isotopic data of precipitation in Central and Eastern Mediterranean. Statistical models are developed taking into account geographical and meteorological parameters as independent variables. The initial methodology takes into account only the altitude and latitude of an area. Since however the isotopic composition of precipitation depends also on longitude, the existing models have been modified by adding meteorological parameters as independent variables also. A series of models is proposed taking into account some or a combination of the above mentioned variables. The models are validated using the Thin Plate Smoothing Splines (TPSS) and the Ordinary Kriging (OK) methods.