Local effects on soil leaf wax hydrogen isotopes along a west to east transect through the Pamirs, Tajikistan

•Different patterns of soil leaf wax isotopes in eastern vs western Pamirs.•Western/central Pamirs: soil isotopes correlated with altitude and longitude.•Isotopic lapse rate vs altitude is lower than the global average.•Eastern Pamirs: multiple local effects lead to higher δ2H values.•Local control on soil isotopes important for interpretation of paleorecords.