Yurena Yanes Joshua D. Reuther Daniel R. Muhs Jeffrey S. Pigati Joshua D. Miller Patrick. S. Druckenmiller Catherine B. Nield 2024 <p><span>The isotope values of fossil snail shells can be important archives of climate. Here, we present the first carbon (δ</span><span class="sup">13</span><span>C) and oxygen (δ</span><span class="sup">18</span><span>O) isotope values of snail shells in interior Alaska to explore changes in vegetation and humidity through the late-glacial period. Snail shell δ</span><span class="sup">13</span><span>C values were relatively consistent through the late glacial. However, late-glacial shell δ</span><span class="sup">13</span><span>C values are 2.8‰ higher than those of modern shells. This offset is best explained by the Suess effect and changes in the δ</span><span class="sup">13</span><span>C values of snail diet. Snail shell δ</span><span class="sup">18</span><span>O values varied through the late glacial, which can be partially explained by changes in relative humidity (RH). RH during the snail growing period was modeled based on a published flux balance model. Results suggest a dry period toward the beginning of the Bølling–Allerød (~14 ka) followed by two distinct stages of the Younger Dryas, a wetter stage in the early Younger Dryas from 12.9 to 12.3 ka, and subsequent drier stage in the late Younger Dryas between 12.3 and 11.7 ka. The results show that land snail isotopes in high-latitude regions may be used as a supplementary paleoclimate proxy to help clarify complex climate histories, such as those of interior Alaska during the Younger Dryas.</span></p> application/pdf 10.1017/qua.2023.54 en Cambridge University Press Late glacial–Younger Dryas climate in interior Alaska as inferred from the isotope values of land snail shells article