Dendrochronology

Dendrochronology (or tree-ring dating) is the scientific method of dating tree rings (also called growth rings) to the exact year they were formed in a tree. As well as dating them, this can give data for dendroclimatology, the study of climate and atmospheric conditions during different periods in history from the wood of old trees. Dendrochronology derives from the Ancient Greek (δένδρον), meaning "tree", (χρόνος), meaning "time", and (-λογία), "the study of". Dendrochronology is useful for determining the precise age of samples, especially those that are too recent for radiocarbon dating, which always produces a range rather than an exact date. However, for a precise date of the death of the tree a full sample to the edge is needed, which most trimmed timber will not provide. It also gives data on the timing of events and rates of change in the environment (most prominently climate) and also in wood found in archaeology or works of art and architecture, such as old panel paintings. It is also used as a check-in radiocarbon dating to calibrate radiocarbon ages. New growth in trees occurs in a layer of cells near the bark. A tree's growth rate changes in a predictable pattern throughout the year in response to seasonal climate changes, resulting in visible growth rings. Each ring marks a complete cycle of seasons, or one year, in the tree's life. As of 2020, securely dated tree-ring data for the Northern Hemisphere are available going back 13,910 years. A new method is based on measuring variations in oxygen isotopes in each ring, and this 'isotope dendrochronology' can yield results on samples which are not suitable for traditional dendrochronology due to too few or too similar rings. The Greek botanist Theophrastus (c. 371 – c. 287 BC) first mentioned that the wood of trees has rings. In his Trattato della Pittura (Treatise on Painting), Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was the first person to mention that trees form rings annually and that their thickness is determined by the conditions under which they grew.

About this result

This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.

Related publications (25)

Related people (2)

Related units (6)

Related concepts (24)

Related courses (1)

Related lectures (9)

Tree

In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are usable as lumber or plants above a specified height. In wider definitions, the taller palms, tree ferns, bananas, and bamboos are also trees. Trees are not a monophyletic taxonomic group but consist of a wide variety of plant species that have independently evolved a trunk and branches as a way to tower above other plants to compete for sunlight.

Conifer

Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (pɪˈnɒfᵻtə,ˈpaɪnoʊfaɪtə), also known as Coniferophyta (ˌkɒnᵻfəˈrɒfᵻtə,-oʊfaɪtə) or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All extant conifers are perennial woody plants with secondary growth. The great majority are trees, though a few are shrubs. Examples include cedars, Douglas-firs, cypresses, firs, junipers, kauri, larches, pines, hemlocks, redwoods, spruces, and yews.

Secondary growth

In botany, secondary growth is the growth that results from cell division in the cambia or lateral meristems and that causes the stems and roots to thicken, while primary growth is growth that occurs as a result of cell division at the tips of stems and roots, causing them to elongate, and gives rise to primary tissue. Secondary growth occurs in most seed plants, but monocots usually lack secondary growth. If they do have secondary growth, it differs from the typical pattern of other seed plants.

Wood Growth: Understanding Forest Adaptation to Climate Change MSE-466: Wood structures, properties and uses

Explores tree growth patterns and adaptation strategies to climate change.

Wood Anatomy: Cellular Structure and Growth Rings MSE-466: Wood structures, properties and uses

Explores cell formation, anatomy, water flow, and growth rings in hardwoods and softwoods.

Tree Sap Circulation: Anatomy and Growth MSE-466: Wood structures, properties and uses

Explores tree sap circulation, wood anatomy, growth rings, and vessel elements.

MSE-466: Wood structures, properties and uses

The presentation of tree growth and formation of wood anatomical structures, linked to the description of specific physical and mechanical properties, makes it possible to understand the different for

A review of Water Use Efficiency across space and time

Gabriele Manoli, Sara Bonetti

Water Use Efficiency (WUE) is the variable linking assimilation and storage of carbon in plants with the release of water through transpiration. In this study, we combine multiple datasets including global scale leaf-level gas exchange measurements, tree-r ...

2023

Warming may extend tree growing seasons and compensate for reduced carbon uptake during dry periods

Charlotte Grossiord, Christoph Bachofen, Yann Vitasse, Eugénie Isabelle Mas, Margaux Clara Lou Didion-Gency

Warming and drought alter plant phenology, photosynthesis and growth with important consequences for the global carbon cycle and the earth’s climate. Yet, few studies have attempted to tease apart their effects on tree phenology, particularly leaf senes ...

2022

, , , , , ,

With the Arctic rapidly changing, the needs to observe, understand, and model the changes are essential. To support these needs, an annual cycle of observations of atmospheric properties, processes, and interactions were made while drifting with the sea ic ...

2022