Tree growth response to the 1913 eruption of Volcán de Fuego de Colima, Mexico

The impact of volcanic eruptions on forest ecosystems can be investigated using dendrochronological records. While long-range effects are usually mediated by decreased air temperatures, resulting in frost rings or reduced maximum latewood density, local effects include abrupt suppression of radial growth, occasionally followed by greater than normal growth rates. Annual rings in Mexican mountain pine (Pinus hartwegii Lindl.) on Nevado de Colima, at the western end of the Mexican Neovolcanic Belt, indicate extremely low growth in 1913 and 1914, following the January 1913 Plinian eruption of Volcán de Fuego, 7.7 km to the south. That event, which is listed among the largest explosive eruptions since A.D. 1500, produced ashflow deposits up to 40 m thick and blanketed our study area on Nevado de Colima with a tephra fallout 15–30 cm deep. Radial growth reduction in 1913–14 was ≥30% in 73% of the sampled trees. We geostatistically investigated the ecological impact of the eruption by mapping the decrease in xylem increment and found no evidence of a spatial structure in growth reduction. Little information has been available to date on forest species as biological archives of past environments in the North American tropics, yet this historical case study suggests that treeline tropical sites hold valuable records of prehistoric phenomena, including volcanic eruptions.     

The use of heavy metal concentrations and dendrochronology in the reconstruction of sediment accumulation, Ma a Panew River Valley, southern Poland

Heavy metal concentrations were investigated in overbank sediments of the Mala Panew River, southern Poland. Samples were collected from seven vertical profiles located within channel infills of a 20th century floodplain at three sites, each up to 50 m wide. In each profile, 15–24 samples were collected and analysed for Ba, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. Sequential extraction of these elements was carried out in the 0.063-mm fraction of selected samples. Additionally, the age of the oldest trees growing close to the profiles has been used to estimate the initiation of sediment accumulation there. Ba, Cu, and Pb, which occur mostly in less mobile, moderately reducible, and residual fractions, were used for sediment dating. Zn and Cd, which in 50–75% occur in the mobile exchangeable fraction, were not suitable for dating. Correlation of Ba, Cu, and Pb concentrations in vertical profiles with changes in the load of effluents discharged to the river showed abrupt changes in the thickness of the strongly polluted sediments across the floodplains. A comparison of the relative changes between heavy metal peaks in sediments of similar age in the different profiles suggests a variable rate of downward metal migration. In general, none of the heavy metals investigated seems to have been mobilised within the stratigraphic layers above the water table. In layers located at stratigraphically lower levels, the Zn and Cd peaks seem to migrate several centimetres to several decimetres down in the profile. In profiles inundated for several weeks every year, Zn and Cd, as well as the relatively less mobile Ba, Cu, and Pb, have migrated downward by several decimetres. The investigation shows that frequent fluctuations of the water table have blurred the original depositional metal patterns of metal concentrations within a period of less than 40 years.     

Contrasting rainfall generated debris flows from adjacent watersheds at Forest Falls, southern California, USA

Debris flows are widespread and common in many steeply sloping areas of southern California. The San Bernardino Mountains community of Forest Falls is probably subject to the most frequently documented debris flows in southern California. Debris flows at Forest Falls are generated during short-duration high-intensity rains that mobilize surface material. Except for debris flows on two consecutive days in November 1965, all the documented historic debris flows have occurred during high-intensity summer rainfall, locally referred to as ‘monsoon’ or ‘cloudburst’ rains. Velocities of the moving debris range from about 5 km/h to about 90 km/h. Velocity of a moving flow appears to be essentially a function of the water content of the flow. Low velocity debris flows are characterized by steep snouts that, when stopped, have only small amounts of water draining from the flow. In marked contrast are high-velocity debris flows whose deposits more resemble fluvial deposits. In the Forest Falls area two adjacent drainage basins, Snow Creek and Rattlesnake Creek, have considerably different histories of debris flows. Snow Creek basin, with an area about three times as large as Rattlesnake Creek basin, has a well developed debris flow channel with broad levees. Most of the debris flows in Snow Creek have greater water content and attain higher velocities than those of Rattlesnake Creek. Most debris flows are in relative equilibrium with the geometry of the channel morphology. Exceptionally high-velocity flows, however, overshoot the channel walls at particularly tight channel curves. After overshooting the channel, the flows degrade the adjacent levee surface and remove trees and structures in the immediate path, before spreading out with decreasing velocity. As the velocity decreases the clasts in the debris flows pulverize the up-slope side of the trees and often imbed clasts in them. Debris flows in Rattlesnake Creek are relatively slow moving and commonly stop in the channel. After the channel is blocked, subsequent debris flows cut a new channel upstream from the blockage that results in the deposition of new debris-flow deposits on the lower part of the fan. Shifting the location of debris flows on the Rattlesnake Creek fan tends to prevent trees from becoming mature. Dense growths of conifer seedlings sprout in the spring on the late summer debris flow deposits. This repeated process results in stands of even-aged trees whose age records the age of the debris flows.     

Associated terrestrial and marine fossils in the late-glacial Presumpscot Formation, southern Maine, USA, and the marine reservoir effect on radiocarbon ages

Excavations in the late-glacial Presumpscot Formation at Portland, Maine, uncovered tree remains and other terrestrial organics associated with marine invertebrate shells in a landslide deposit. Buds of Populus balsamifera (balsam poplar) occurred with twigs of Picea glauca (white spruce) in the Presumpscot clay. Tree rings in Picea logs indicate that the trees all died during winter dormancy in the same year. Ring widths show patterns of variation indicating responses to environmental changes. Fossil mosses and insects represent a variety of species and wet to dry microsites. The late-glacial environment at the site was similar to that of today's Maine coast. Radiocarbon ages of 14 tree samples are 11,907 ± 31 to 11,650 ± 50 ¹⁴C yr BP. Wiggle matching of dated tree-ring segments to radiocarbon calibration data sets dates the landslide occurrence at ca. 13,520 + 95/−20 cal yr BP. Ages of shells juxtaposed with the logs are 12,850 ± 65 ¹⁴C yr BP (Mytilus edulis) and 12,800 ± 55 ¹⁴C yr BP (Balanus sp.), indicating a marine reservoir age of about 1000 yr. Using this value to correct previously published radiocarbon ages reduces the discrepancy between the Maine deglaciation chronology and the varve-based chronology elsewhere in New England.     

Frequency and variability of missing tree rings along the stems of Pinus halepensis and Pinus pinea from a semiarid site in SE Spain

We studied the occurrence of missing rings (MR) around and along the stems of three Pinus halepensis and three Pinus pinea trees growing in a semiarid Mediterranean site in SE Spain. Tree-ring analyses were performed along 8 radii on stem discs taken at 1 m distances from the base to the top of the trees. The tree rings analysed showed that 19% were missing in P. halepensis and 10% in P. pinea. MR were recorded in 61% of P. halepensis and 24% of P. pinea in the years analysed. Dry conditions from January to May and high late winter to spring temperatures seem to be the main climatic elements promoting MR in both species. In our research into P. halepensis, the frequency of MR gradually decreased from the bottom upward, but no such pattern was observed in P. pinea. Most tree rings were missing only locally (LMR), indicating that wood formation occurred every year in at least some part of a tree, and the tree rings were often discontinuous around and along the stem. Since the frequency of LMR greatly varies around and along the stem, our results suggest that serial sectioning along the stem provides more information on wood formation and responses of trees to environment than studying the samples at breast height only. The disadvantage of the technique is that, as in our study case, research is based on a limited sample size, since it requires destructive sampling with tree felling, which is not usually possible or desirable on highly vulnerable semiarid forest ecosystems.     

Regional tree growth and inferred summer climate in the Winnipeg River basin, Canada, since AD 1783

A network of 54 ring-width chronologies is used to estimate changes in summer climate within the Winnipeg River basin, Canada, since AD 1783. The basin drains parts of northwestern Ontario, northern Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and is a key area for hydroelectric power production. Most chronologies were developed from Pinus resinosa and P. strobus, with a limited number of Thuja occidentalis, Picea glauca and Pinus banksiana. The dominant pattern of regional tree growth can be recovered using only the nine longest chronologies, and is not affected by the method used to remove variability related to age or stand dynamics from individual trees. Tree growth is significantly, but weakly, correlated with both temperature (negatively) and precipitation (positively) during summer. Simulated ring-width chronologies produced by a process model of tree-ring growth exhibit similar relationships with summer climate. High and low growth across the region is associated with cool/wet and warm/dry summers, respectively; this relationship is supported by comparisons with archival records from early 19th century fur-trading posts. The tree-ring record indicates that summer droughts were more persistent in the 19th and late 18th century, but there is no evidence that drought was more extreme prior to the onset of direct monitoring.     

Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) germination and survival in black-grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) grassland: relations between microsite and heteromyid rodent (Dipodomys spp.) impact

Prosopis pallida H.B.K. is one of the most economically and ecologically important tree species in the arid and semi-arid lands of the American continent. Sections of P. pallida were used to describe its wood anatomy and to determine whether annual rings were visible or not. Results showed that P. pallida has well-differentiated annual growth rings and is therefore suitable for dendrochronological studies. Tree ring chronologies correlate well with precipitation events related to El Niño Southern Oscillation phases. A master chronology for the northern area of Peru was built with these data, and some physiological derivations from the anatomy of P. pallida wood are discussed.     

Research Advance of Shrub Dendrochronology in the Cold and Arid Regions of China

Along with the booming of dendrochronology in China, the woody species for the tree-ring study have expanded gradually from tree species to the shrub and dwarf shrub species in the last decades. The zonal woody species in the vast alpine mountains, arid desert areas and arid regions in China are mostly shrubs and semi-shrubs, which is very important to understand the process of regional evolution, environmental protection and ecological recovery. In this paper, the shrub species which have been studied on tree rings in cold and arid areas of China were collected and sorted, and the fundamental research advances were presented, which include the shrub tree ring identification, radial growth characteristics, and chronology construction by different parameters. The applications of shrub dendrochronology to the subjects in eco-response, paleoclimate reconstruction, hydrological process, ecological study of artificial forest and ecological restoration were also presented. The prospect of shrub dendrochronology in the future was also discussed.     

Bristlecone pine tree rings and volcanic eruptions over the last 5000 yr

Many years of low growth identified in a western USA regional chronology of upper forest border bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva and Pinus aristata) over the last 5000 yr coincide with known large explosive volcanic eruptions and/or ice core signals of past eruptions. Over the last millennium the agreement between the tree-ring data and volcano/ice-core data is high: years of ring-width minima can be matched with known volcanic eruptions or ice-core volcanic signals in 86% of cases. In previous millennia, while there is substantial concurrence, the agreement decreases with increasing antiquity. Many of the bristlecone pine ring-width minima occurred at the same time as ring-width minima in high latitude trees from northwestern Siberia and/or northern Finland over the past 4000-5000 yr, suggesting climatically-effective events of at least hemispheric scale. In contrast with the ice-core records, the agreement between widely separated tree-ring records does not decrease with increasing antiquity. These data suggest specific intervals when the climate system was or was not particularly sensitive enough to volcanic forcing to affect the trees, and they augment the ice core record in a number of ways: by providing confirmation from an alternative proxy record for volcanic signals, by suggesting alternative dates for eruptions, and by adding to the list of years when volcanic events of global significance were likely, including the mid-2nd-millennium BC eruption of Thera.     

An 1800-yr record of decadal-scale hydroclimatic variability in the upper Arkansas River basin from bristlecone pine

Bristlecone pine trees are exceptionally long-lived, and with the incorporation of remnant material have been used to construct multi-millennial length ring–width chronologies. These chronologies can provide valuable information about past temperature and moisture variability. In this study, we outline a method to build a moisture-sensitive bristlecone chronology and assess the robustness and consistency of this sensitivity over the past 1200 yr using new reconstructions of Arkansas River flow (AD 1275–2002 and 1577–2002) and the summer Palmer Drought Sensitivity Index. The chronology, a composite built from parts of three collections in the central Rocky Mountains, is a proxy for decadal-scale moisture variability for the past 18 centuries. Since the sample size is small in some portions of the time series, the chronology should be considered preliminary; the timing and duration of drought events are likely the most robust characteristics. This chronology suggests that the region experienced increased aridity during the medieval period, as did much of western North America, but that the timing and duration of drought episodes within this period were somewhat different from those in other western locations, such as the upper Colorado River basin.