Introduction to Dendrochronology and Fire Histories Dendrochronology Dendron

Dendrochronology Dendron = Tree Chronos = Time Logos = Study of The science that

Principles of Dendrochronology • Uniformity • Limiting Factors • Aggregate Tree Growth • Ecological

Principle of Uniformity States that physical and biological processes that link current environmental processes

Principle of Aggregate Tree Growth States that any individual tree-growth series can be "decomposed"

Principle of Limiting Factors States that rates of plant processes are constrained by the

Principle of Ecological Amplitude States that a tree species "may grow and reproduce over

Principle of Site Selection States that sites useful to dendrochronology can be identified and

Principle of Crossdating States that matching patterns in ring widths or other ring characteristics

1893 1894 Principle of Crossdating 1896 1899 1902 1904

Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996

Building a master chronology Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of

Principle of Replication States that the environmental signal being investigated can be maximized, and

Jackson Mtn JAK 5 JAK 3 JAK 1 JAK 2 JAK 4

Kenney Flats Fire Scar Locations Kenney flats

A Brief History…. Aristotle 350 BC da Vinci 1500 Duhamel & Buffan 1737 Alexander

Slides: 37

Download presentation

Introduction to Dendrochronology and Fire Histories

Dendrochronology Dendron = Tree Chronos = Time Logos = Study of The science that uses tree rings dated to their exact year of formation in order to analyze temporal and spatial patterns in processes of the physical and cultural sciences.

Principles of Dendrochronology • Uniformity • Limiting Factors • Aggregate Tree Growth • Ecological Amplitude • Site Selection • Crossdating • Replication

Principle of Uniformity States that physical and biological processes that link current environmental processes with current patterns of “The present key to the past. ” tree growth must have been is inthe operation in the past. ~James Hutton, 1785 1726 -1797 James Hutton “The past is the key to the future. ” Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996 U. S. A. All graphics and text on these pages © 1994 -2007 by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer. All rights reserved.

Principle of Aggregate Tree Growth States that any individual tree-growth series can be "decomposed" into an aggregate of environmental factors, Rt =both Ringhuman Growthand natural, that affected the patterns tree growth over curve time. At = of Age related growth Ct = Climate related growth variation & trend D 1 t = Endogenous disturbance pulse D 2 t = Exogenous disturbance pulse Et = Random variation Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996 U. S. A. All graphics and text on these pages © 1994 -2007 by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer. All rights reserved.

Principle of Limiting Factors States that rates of plant processes are constrained by the primary environmental variable that is most limiting. Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996 U. S. A. All graphics and text on these pages © 1994 -2007 by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer. All rights reserved.

Principle of Ecological Amplitude States that a tree species "may grow and reproduce over a certain range of habitats, referred to as its ecological amplitude" (Fritts, 1976). Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996 U. S. A. All graphics and text on these pages © 1994 -2007 by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer. All rights reserved.

Principle of Site Selection States that sites useful to dendrochronology can be identified and selected based on criteria that will produce tree-ring series sensitive to the environmental variable being examined. Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996 U. S. A. All graphics and text on these pages © 1994 -2007 by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer. All rights reserved.

Principle of Crossdating States that matching patterns in ring widths or other ring characteristics (such as ring density patterns) among several tree-ring series allows the identification of the exact year in which each tree ring was formed.

1893 1894 Principle of Crossdating 1896 1899 1902 1904

Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996 U. S. A. All graphics and text on these pages © 1994 -2007 by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer. All rights reserved.

Building a master chronology Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996 U. S. A. All graphics and text on these pages © 1994 -2007 by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer. All rights reserved.

Principle of Replication States that the environmental signal being investigated can be maximized, and the amount of "noise" minimized, by sampling more than one stem radius per tree, and more than one tree per site. Dr. Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Department of Geography, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37996 U. S. A. All graphics and text on these pages © 1994 -2007 by Henri D. Grissino-Mayer. All rights reserved.

Poor Dad can’t crossdate!

Fire History Field Sampling

Recorder Trees

Piedra Area study sites

FIRE HISTORY PLOT

Jackson Mtn JAK 5 JAK 3 JAK 1 JAK 2 JAK 4

Spiler Canyon

Kenney flats

Kenney Flats Fire Scar Locations Kenney flats

Kenney flats

FIRE HISTORY COLLECTIONS

A Brief History…. Aristotle 350 BC da Vinci 1500 Duhamel & Buffan 1737 Alexander Twining 1827 Charles Babbage 1838 Theodor Hartig 1855 Jacob Keuchler 1859