Compound-specific oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in soils from South Africa and results of the coupled δ2H–δ18O paleohygrometer approach

Here we present the data of the study by Strobel et al. (2020; doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137045), who analysed topsoil samples from South Africa for their compound-specific hydrogen isotopic composition of leaf wax-derived n-alkanes (δ2Hn-alkane) and oxygen isotopic composition of hemicellulose-derived sugars (δ18Osugar). Apparent fractionation, which is the difference between δ2Hn-alkane and the isotopic signature of growing season precipitation δ2Hp (εapp 2H) and δ18Osugar and δ18Op (εapp 18O), was calculated. Coupling both δ2Hn-alkane and δ18O sugar using a 'paleohygrometer' approach enables the calculation of the plants-source water and relative humidity. For more details see Strobel et al. (2020; doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137045).