Presentation given at the EGU conference in Vienna April 13-18 2008

1. Stable oxygen isotopes in freshwater mussels (Unionidae) as a proxy for late Holocene floods and droughts of Rhine and Meuse Emma Versteegh Hubert Vonhof Simon Troelstra Dick Kroon

3. Stable oxygen isotopes

4. Rivers Rhine and Meuse

5. δ 18 O rivers Glacier melting High discharge Flood Dry summer

11. Late Holocene shells

12. Palaeogeography

13. Results Average δ 18 O per shell

14. Seasonal patterns Slowing down of growth

15. 20 th century shells

17. Measured δ 18 O vs. Predicted δ 18 O

18. Measured δ 18 O vs. Predicted δ 18 O: 20 th century shells Juvenile stage

19. Measured δ 18 O vs. Predicted δ 18 O: 20 th century shells Glacier melting Dry summer ???

20. Measured δ 18 O vs. Predicted δ 18 O: monitoring

21. Late Holocene shells