Fundamentals of Tree-ring ResearchTree-ring dating (dendrochronology) is a method of scientific dating based on the analysis of tree-ring growth patterns. As author James Speer notes, trees are remarkable bioindicators. Although there are other scientific means of dating climatic and environmental events, dendrochronology provides the most reliable of all paleorecords. Dendrochronology can be applied to very old trees to provide long-term records of past temperature, rainfall, fire, insect outbreaks, landslides, hurricanes, and ice stormsÑto name only a few events. This comprehensive text addresses all of the subjects that a reader who is new to the field will need to know and will be a welcome reference for practitioners at all levels. It includes a history of the discipline, biological and ecological background, principles of the field, basic scientific information on the structure and growth of trees, the complete range of dendrochronology methods, and a full description of each of the relevant subdisciplines. Individual chapters address the composition of wood, methods of field and laboratory study, dendroarchaeology, dendroclimatology, dendroecology, dendrogeomorphology, and dendrochemistry. The book also provides thorough introductions to common computer programs and methods of statistical analysis. In the final chapter, the author describes Òfrontiers in dendrochronology,Ó with an eye toward future directions in the field. He concludes with several useful appendixes, including a listing of tree and shrub species that have been used successfully by dendrochronologists. Throughout, photographs and illustrations visually represent the state of knowledge in the field. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Some Basic Principles and Concepts in Dendrochronology | 10 |
Principle of the Aggregate Tree Growth Model | 17 |
Principle of Replication | 23 |
Growth and Structure of Wood | 43 |
Field and Laboratory Methods | 72 |
Measuring Systems | 102 |
Keystroke Tutorial for ARSTAN for Windows | 140 |
Dendroecology | 189 |
Dendrogeomorphology | 219 |
Dendrochemistry | 231 |
Frontiers in Dendrochronology | 250 |
Appendix A Tree and Shrub Species That Have Been Used | 257 |
Appendix B Age of the Oldest Trees per Species | 275 |
Field Note Cards | 285 |
| 291 | |
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Common terms and phrases
A. E. Douglass Abies absent rings analysis angiosperms annual rings archaeological Arizona ARSTAN bark bristlecone pine cambium cell cellulose climate reconstruction climate variables COFECHA conifers core correlation cross section crossdating cubic smoothing spline curve dating defoliation dendrochronology dendroclimatology Dendroecology determine detrending developed Douglas-fir earlywood eastern red cedar ecological EDRM environmental examined factors Figure fire history fire scar forest Fritts G-score Grissino-Mayer Guyette gymnosperms increment borer insect outbreaks Jacoby LaMarche latewood locations marker rings master chronology measurements Meko multiple pandora moth past Photo Picea pine Pinus pith ponderosa pine produce Quercus reaction wood record removed ring boundaries ring width ring-porous sample depth Schweingruber segment signal skeleton plot Speer spruce stable isotopes standard statistics surface Swetnam technique temperature tracheids tree growth tree rings tree species tree-ring tree-ring chronologies Tree-Ring Research treeline Tucson United University of Arizona xylem