Examination of the relationship between wood properties such as density, cell diameters and climate provides the opportunity to develop long-term climate and mass balance proxies, and is a key component to understanding when and how wood develops through time. This research sought to: create multi-proxy models to represent long-term changes in the climate-mass balance relationships at Place Glacier, and to describe glaciological changes in Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks, British Columbia; use multiple wood properties to develop intra-annual climate records for tree-ring sites from the southern and northern interior regions of British Columbia; and, use climate as an indicator of wood quality by identifying historical climate impacts on wood development over time. Tree-ring samples from hybrid interior spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss x engelmannii (Parry)) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) were collected in north-central British Columbia; interior spruce, Douglas-fir, and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hooker) Nuttall) were collected from trees in the Pemberton area of British Columbia, and Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex. Engelmann), subalpine fir, and mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana Bongard Carrière) were collected from trees located within Glacier and Mt. Revelstoke National Parks. Tree-ring chronologies were constructed using standard ring width measurement techniques, densitometric methodologies, and using SilviScan technology. Relationships among the regional climate, snowpack, mass balance and various wood chronologies were identified and used as a basis for reconstructing proxy climate and mass balance data. A proxy snowpack record for Tatlayoko Lake was reconstructed using mean density and ring width chronologies. Maximum density and ring width chronologies were used to reconstruct winter and summer mass balance records for Place Glacier. Place Glacier was found to respond negatively to continental summer temperature regimes and positively to winter coastal precipitation events. A proxy record of maximum summer temperature was reconstructed for Revelstoke using maximum density and ring width chronologies; while maximum cell-wall thickness was used to reconstruct total August precipitation, and February snowpack from Golden was reconstructed from subalpine fir and mountain hemlock ring-width chronologies. Mass balance for glaciers in the Columbia Mountains was reconstructed using a combination of ring width, maximum density and maximum cell-wall thickness chronologies. The proxy mass balance reconstruction shows a general decline in ice mass over the time span of the net balance reconstruction. Two intra-annual proxy climate records were created for northern British Columbia. Mean June and mean July-August temperature chronologies were reconstructed for Smithers using ring width and maximum density, and for Fort St. James total May-June and July-August precipitation records were reconstructed using ring width, minimum density, and maximum cell-wall thickness. Wood parameters, including density, cell-wall thickness, microfibril angle, and cell diameter in Douglas-fir and interior spruce were reconstructed at five sites across British Columbia using temperature and precipitation data from local climate stations. Maximum cell-wall thickness was shown to be one of the most robust wood parameters to predict using temperature variables. Using a variety of tree-ring characteristics for time series reconstruction provides an opportunity to create multivariate models with greater predictive capabilities that correspond more closely to observed data sets, thereby allowing dendroclimatologists to predict climate data trends more robustly. Because individual wood parameters form at different times throughout the growing season in response to distinct seasonal climates, multiple proxy models allow for the development of intra-annual proxy climate and glaciological records. / Graduate

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Helsingin yliopisto, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. Dissertation only (first 54 pages) also available online.

Anthropogenic climate change has triggered widespread shifts in the global hydrological cycle. In south coastal British Columbia, these changes have led to more winter precipitation falling as rain rather than snow, more rain on snow events, and generally reduced snowpacks. Since snowmelt is a primary source of summer surface runoff and groundwater, snowpack declines have caused severe seasonal streamflow droughts in recent decades. For accurate water supply forecasting under future climate change, it is crucial to know if snowpack and runoff declines are unprecedented in the last several hundred years. This research focused on developing multi-century, annually-resolved records of snow water equivalent and streamflow drought to determine if recent conditions deviate from long-term norms. The research targeted small temperate watersheds that are not usually conducive to application of dendrohydrological methodologies. Traditional dendrohydrology relies on moisture-limited tree-ring records from arid settings. This dissertation presents a new method for developing tree-ring based reconstructions from energy-limited trees. Tree-ring records from high-elevation mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carrière) and amabilis fir (Amabilis (Dougl.) Forbes) stands were collected at sites in south coastal British Columbia. Ring-width measurements were used to develop multi-century dendrohydrological models of snow water equivalent and streamflow drought. A 322-year reconstruction of May 1 snow water equivalent for Vancouver Island explains 56% of the instrumental SWE data variance and suggests snowpacks in 2015 were lower than in any year since 1675. A 477-year reconstruction of summer streamflow for Tsable River explains 63% of gauged streamflow variance and indicates that since 1520 twenty-one droughts occurred that were more extreme than recent “severe” droughts. Finally, a reconstruction of regionally synchronous streamflow among four south coastal rivers explains 64% of the regionalized streamflow variance. In addition to snow-sensitive tree-ring data, the latter model incorporated a paleorecord of the Palmer Drought Severity Index as a summer temperature and aridity proxy. The reconstruction suggests that since the mid-1600s sixteen regional-scale droughts occurred that were more extreme than any within the instrumental period. All three models were particularly accurate at estimating lowest snow and runoff years, and reflected the long-term influence of cool phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation on regional snowmelt and summer discharge trends and patterns. The reconstructions suggest: 1) snowpack declines in 2015 were unmatched in the past ~340 years; and, 2) existing water management strategies based on hydrometric data records underestimate potential magnitudes of natural droughts. Worst-case scenario droughts compounded by land use change and climate change could result in droughts more severe than any in the past several hundred years. Energy-limited tree-ring records have strong potential as paleohydrological proxies and for expanding applications of dendrohydrology to arid settings. For some of the tree-ring chronologies examined in this study, the correlation with snow water equivalent became non-significant after the mid-1990s, possibly due to warming spring temperatures. Future studies using this type of tree-ring data must carefully evaluate the recent stability of climate-growth relationships. / Graduate / 0368 / 0388 / coulthard.bethany@gmail.com

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Cedrela fissilis (Vell.) is a species that has a considerable growth and a high quality wood, and because of that it is a potential species for native forests management. However, for the proper handling of this species is necessary the knowledge about its self-ecology and its dynamic in the forest. In order to contribute to the advancement of forest management in Rio Grande do Sul, we sought to evaluate the influence of morphometry (Crown proportion- Pc; range index -IA; degree of slenderness- Hd; salience index - IS; crown formal- FC), of the climate, of the presence of lianas, of soil (granulometry) and the competition (density point of Spurr), in the growing of cedro. Information was collected as regards of: circumference at breast height; overall height , commercial high, insertion height of the canopy; and eight rays of the canopy of dominant cedro trees, besides information about ecological conditions of: density point of Spurr, presence or absence of stones in soil; position on the ground; depth, presence or absence of lianas; and collected soil for particle size analysis. The increment data were obtained by the analysis of two rolls of increments, collected with the use of Pressler borer from. The morphological relationships, of IA, Hd, DBH, and crown diameter explained satisfactorily the average increase in basal area in recent years. The hypsometric relationship and range index were correlated with measures of competition. The growth was not influenced by soil texture. While Liana presence affected the productivity of cedro, trees with presence of lianas yielded less than the others. The growth was influenced by rainfall in November/December to April. The cedro trees in free conditions and with less competition were more suited to the dendroclimatic analysis. The proposed methodology: correspondence of the trend interval, for the formation of dendrochronology average, was more efficient than the methodology for obtaining the dendrochronological series average of the bigger correlations between the baguettes, because the correspondence of the trend interval, beyond include more trees in the dendrochronology mean, had a higher correlation with rain period of November/December to April, improving the correlations of monthly rain, had significant correlation with monthly November, January, march, April, for Spearman correlation with level of significant of 0.05. / Cedrela fissilis (Vell.) é uma espécie de crescimento considerável e apresenta alta qualidade de madeira, por isso, é uma espécie potencial para o manejo de florestas nativas. Contudo, para o manejo adequado desta espécie é necessário o conhecimento de sua autoecologia e a dinâmica na floresta. Com intenção de contribuir com os avanços do manejo florestal no Rio Grande do Sul, buscou-se avaliar a influência da morfometria (proporção de copa - Pc; índice de abrangência IA; grau de esbeltez Hd; índice de saliência-IS; Formal de copa Fc), do clima, da presença de lianas, do solo (granulometria) e da competição (densidade pontual de Spurr) no crescimento do cedro. Foram coletadas informações referentes à: circunferência à altura do peito; altura total; altura comercial; altura de inserção de copa e oito raios de copa das árvores dominantes de cedro, além de informações referentes às condições ecológicas de: densidade pontual de Spurr; presença e ausência de pedregosidade; posição no terreno; profundidade; presença de cipós e lianas e coletado solo para a análise granulometrica. Os dados de incremento foram obtidos pela análise de duas baguetas, coletados com a utilização do trado de Pressler. As relações morfométricas, de IA, Hd, IS, e o próprio Dap, e diâmetro de copa explicaram satisfatoriamente o incremento médio em área basal dos últimos anos. A relação hipsométrica e o índice de abrangência foram correlacionados com medidas de competição. O crescimento não foi influenciado pela textura do solo. A presença de lianas influenciou na produtividade do cedro, árvores com presença de lianas demonstraram produtividade inferior às demais. O crescimento foi influenciado pela precipitação de novembro/dezembro a abril. As árvores de cedro em condições livres e com menor concorrência foram mais aptas para as análises dendrocronológicas. A metodologia proposta de correspondência de tendência de intervalo, para formação de série dendrocronológica média, foi mais eficiente que a metodologia de obtenção de série dendrocronológica média pelas maiores correlações entre as baguetas, pois a metodologia de correspondência de tendência de intervalo, além de incluir maior número de indivíduos na série dendrocronológica média, obteve maior correlação com a precipitação do período de novembro/dezembro a abril, melhorando inclusive a correlação com relação a precipitação mensal, sendo correlacionado positivamente e significativamente com os meses de novembro, janeiro março e abril, pela correlação de postos de Spearman ao nível de 0,05 de significância.

This thesis focuses on reconstructing past temperatures using Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) tree-ring chronologies developed from Scotland. The research aims to fill a spatial and temporal gap in understanding northwest European climate dynamics, thus providing the context for assessing future climate changes in this region. Development of both a spatially complete reconstruction from an extensive network of 44 'living' Scottish tree-ring chronologies for the last few centuries, but also a near-millennium length chronology from central Scotland using mainly lake-derived 'subfossil' wood material was undertaken. Before reconstruction development, a combination of treegrowth modelling and disturbance removal methodologies was utilised in order to understand the drivers of pine growth in the Scottish Highlands, and to assess and remove anthropogenic disturbance and other non-climatic influences on growth. The advantages and limitations of utilising the relatively new 'Blue Intensity' (BI) parameter was also explored and assessed, particularly in relation to its possible utilization as a more affordable surrogate for maximum latewood density in the development of temperature reconstructions and for crossdating validation of undated samples. Although BI showed much promise for dendroclimatology, elimination of low frequency biases resulting from sample discolouration still requires further attention. Chronologies from the Cairngorms in central Scotland were identified as most suitable for reconstruction development, while reconstructions based on chronologies from other areas in the west were found to be weaker due to a range of factors including disturbance. In order to maximise reconstruction strength, BI and ring width (RW) data were combined to produce composite high-frequency BI / low-frequency RW chronologies. Although it was possible to develop an ~800 year reconstruction of temperature from central Scotland, there is substantial potential to further extend this reconstruction back in time.

This thesis deals with management history of floodplain forests in south Moravia. Using dendrochronological and dendroclimatological analyses, we revealed past disturbances and inferred former forestry practices, and we demonstrated the effect of climate and decrease of water table on the growth of oak (Quercus robur).

This thesis deals with management history of floodplain forests in south Moravia. Using dendrochronological and dendroclimatological analyses, we revealed past disturbances and inferred former forestry practices, and we demonstrated the effect of climate and decrease of water table on the growth of oak (Quercus robur).

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In climatology it is of fundamental importance to make predictions about the behavior of certain variables. For this it is necessary that current and past behavior of these variables is known. In this context, the use of natural records, such as the growth rings of trees, has become a very effective tool because it covers data of longer time scale. The dendroclimatologia is the study of climate through the analysis of growth rings of trees and it is based on the determination of climatic factors that are acting in the study area and thus causing variations in thickness of growth rings. In general, dendrochronology is a simple and inexpensive work, but highly effective. In the present work, it was developed a study of the climate through the growth rings of trees of the species Araucaria angustifolia which chronologies were obtained of samples collected from Concordia / SC, Passo Fundo / RS and São Francisco de Paula / RS. It was used a total of 34 samples, 08 samples from Concord, 12 samples from Passo Fundo and 14 samples from São Francisco de Paula/RS. The variations in thickness of growth rings were investigated considering the variable rainfall recorded in the localities of Passo Fundo and Caxias do Sul / RS. The time series of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) was also used in the study in order to know the influence of this phenomenon in the growth of trees. In the series of rings of tree growth it was applied a low-pass filter in order to remove long trends contained in this series. In the series of precipitation it was used a low-pass filter to period corresponding to SOI become evident. The method of Iterative Regression Analysis of Time Series (ARIST) was applied to the series in order to find common periods between growth rings and climate variables. The results showed that there is, in the time series of growth rings, signs similar to those found in the series of IOS with periods around 2 and 7 years. In the seasonal study, the results identified a trend of growing trees in the spring/summer. / Em climatologia é de fundamental importância que se faça previsões sobre o comportamento de certas variáveis. Para isso se faz necessário que o comportamento atual e passado dessas variáveis seja conhecido. Nesse contexto, o emprego de registros naturais, como os anéis de crescimento de árvores, se tornou uma ferramenta muito eficaz por abranger dados que cobrem uma longa escala temporal. A dendroclimatologia é o estudo do clima através da analise dos anéis de crescimento de árvores e se baseia na determinação de fatores climáticos que estão atuando no local de estudo e assim provocando variações nas espessuras dos anéis de crescimento. De forma geral, dendrocronologia é um trabalho simples e de baixo custo, porém bastante eficaz. No presente trabalho, foi desenvolvido um estudo do clima através dos anéis de crescimento de árvores da espécie Araucaria angustifolia. Obtiveram-se cronologias médias das amostras dos lenhos coletados em Concórdia/SC, Passo Fundo/RS e São Francisco de Paula/RS. Foi utilizado um total de 34 amostras, sendo 08 de Concórdia, 12 de Passo Fundo e 14 de São Francisco de Paula. As variações nas espessuras dos anéis de crescimento foram investigadas considerando-se a variável precipitação registrada nas localidades de Passo Fundo e Caxias do Sul/RS. A série temporal do Índice de Oscilação Sul (IOS) também foi empregada no estudo com a finalidade de se conhecer a influência desse fenômeno no crescimento das árvores. Nas séries temporais de anéis de crescimento de árvores usou-se o filtro passa-baixa, a fim de se remover longas tendências contidas nas séries. Nas séries de precipitação o uso do filtro passabaixa se deu para que as periodicidades correspondentes ao IOS se tornassem evidentes. O método de Análise de Regressão Iterativa de Séries Temporais (ARIST) foi aplicada à série a fim de encontrar períodos comuns entre os anéis de crescimento e variáveis climáticas. Os resultados mostraram que há, nas séries temporais dos anéis de crescimento, sinais semelhantes aos encontrados na série de IOS com períodos em torno de 2 e 7 anos. No estudo sazonal, os resultados identificaram uma tendência de crescimento das árvores na primavera/verão.

Árvores de espécies exóticas foram plantadas em espaços urbanos e rurais, constituindo parte da paisagem e da cobertura vegetal das cidades brasileiras. As árvores de inúmeras dessas espécies apresentam fenologia característica e atividade cambial sazonal, formando anéis de crescimento anuais, que têm ampla aplicação na silvicultura, como indicadores ambientais e na detecção de espécies bioacumuladoras. No presente trabalho foram caracterizados os anéis de crescimento, a idade, a taxa de crescimento e o teor de Hg no lenho de Grevillea robusta, Hovenia dulcis, Persea americana, Tabebuia pentaphylla e Terminalia catappa, no município de Paulínia (com registro de contaminação por Hg) e de Piracicaba, SP. Do tronco das árvores foram extraídas amostras do lenho e (i) caracterizados e mensurados os anéis de crescimento, (ii) sincronizados, construídas as séries cronológicas com os programas COFECHA e ARSTAN, (iii) obtidas as funções de resposta dos anéis de crescimento em relação ao clima, com o programa RESPO; (iv) construídas as curvas variação da densidade do lenho, do crescimento do tronco e determinado o seu incremento médio anual. Através de análises químicas foi determinado o teor de Hg nas amostras do lenho e no solo. Houve diferenças significativas nas amostras de solo de Paulínia (pátio da empresa e outro distante de 350 m) e de Piracicaba, sendo de 21,5, 0,14 e <0,023 mg/kg, respectivamente. No lenho de G. robusta, H. dulcis, T. pentaphylla e T. catappa, do pátio da empresa em Paulínia, foram determinados 4,95, 1,98, 0,97 e 4,70 µg/g de Hg; no lenho das árvores de P. americana, distante 350 m, não foi detectada a presença do Hg. Os anéis de crescimento têm marcante anatomia, correlacionada com a delimitação dos anéis e valores de densidade. Os perfis radiais de densidade do lenho mostraram similaridades e diferenças entre as árvores e locais. Foram construídas séries padronizadas de anéis de crescimento de H. dulcis, P. americana, T. pentaphylla e de T. catappa, para os sítios A e B e A-B (agrupados), obtendo-se séries temporais de largura dos anéis de crescimento, representando um padrão comum de variabilidade. As correlações entre as séries cronológicas dos anéis de crescimento das árvores nos sítios A e B e a temperatura média e precipitação mensal, foram significativas e consideradas determinantes no crescimento do tronco. Com relação ao incremento médio anual do tronco detectaram-se comportamentos diferenciados das árvores das 4 espécies, em relação aos 2 sítios. Os resultados indicaram que a presença de Hg no solo e no lenho das árvores localizadas na área da empresa, parece não afetar o seu crescimento. Indicam, também, que as condições dos sítios e as inerentes as árvores das espécies devem estar influenciando o crescimento do tronco. / Exotic tree species were planted in urban and rural areas, constituting part of the landscape and the vegetal covering of Brazilian cities. The countless trees of those species present characteristic phenology and seasonal cambium activity, forming annual tree-rings. The tree-rings have wide application in the silviculture and as environmental indicators (evaluating the contamination for heavy metals) and detecting bioaccumulators species. In the present work the tree-rings were characterized, as well as the age, the growth rate and Hg content in the trunk of Grevillea robusta, Hovenia dulcis, Persea americana, Tabebuia pentaphylla and Terminalia catappa trees, planted in Paulínia (with registration of Hg contamination) and in Piracicaba cities, São Paulo State. From the tree trunks were extracted wood samples and (i) characterized and evaluated the tree-rings, (ii) synchronized, built the chronological series with the programs COFECHA and ARSTAN, (iii) obtained the response functions of the treerings in relation to the climate, with the program RESPO; (iv) built the curves of the wood density, of the pole growth and annual increment. Through chemical analyses was evaluated the Hg content in the trees wood samples and in the soil collected near of the trees trunk base. There were significant differences in the soil samples of Paulínia (site from the patio of the Hg emission company and other site distant of 350 m) and Piracicaba, being of 21,5, 0,14 and <0,023 mg/kg, respectively. In the wood samples of G. robusta, H. dulcis, T. pentaphylla and T. catappa, from the patio of the company in Paulínia, were detected 4.95, 1.98, 0.97 and 4.70 µg/g of Hg, respectively; in the trees wood samples of P. americana, distant 350 m, the presence of Hg was not detected. The tree-rings have a characteristic anatomy, correlated with its boundaries and density values. The wood density radial profiles showed similarities and differences between the trees and sites. Tree-rings standardized series of H. dulcis, P. americana, T. pentaphylla and of T. catappa trees were built, to the sites A and A-B (grouped), being obtained temporal series of tree-rings width, representing a common model of variability. The correlations among the chronological series of the tree-rings of sites A and B and monthly mean temperature and precipitation accumulated, were significant and considered decisive in the trunk growth. With relationship to the pole annual mean increment, particular behavior of the 4 tree species were detected, in relation to the 2 sites. The presence of Hg in the soil and in the wood of tree species located close to the industrial company seems to not affect the trunk growth. Indicated, also, that the site conditions (planting spacing; competition for the growth factors; water soil saturated; urbanized area and street covered with asphalt, proximity and shadow among trees, etc.) and the inherent characteristic of the species trees should be influencing the tree growth.

Tree cores of Fraxinus pennsylvanica were used in a dendrochronological analysis investigating the species' responses to climate and flooding. The objective was to develop a model that incorporates the effects of precipitation, temperature, and flooding on radial growth in this species in north-central Texas. The trees exhibited strong climatic signals. The study clearly shows that all three factors have significant impacts on tree ring growth both prior to and during growth; however, the nature and extent of these impacts are highly dependent on what time of year they occur. The large temporal variations in growth responses emphasize the importance of considering the timing of environmental events when studying tree growth responses.