No description available.

<p>In the boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere, time series of tree-ring width (TRW) and maximum density in the latewood (MXD) are highly correlated to local instrumental summer-temperature data and are thus widely used as proxies in high-resolution climate reconstructions. Hence, much of our present knowledge about climatic variability in the last millennium is based on tree-rings. However, many tree-ring records have a lack of data in the most recent decades, which severely hampers our ability to place the recent temperature increase in a longer-timescale perspective of natural variability.</p><p>The main objective of this thesis is to update and extend the Torneträsk TRW and MXD records in northern Sweden. Local instrumental climate-data is used to calibrate the new tree-ring records. The results show that TRW is mainly forced by temperature in the early growing season (June/July) while MXD has a wider response window (June – August) and has a higher correlation to temperature. Two reconstructions of summer temperature are made for (i) the last 7,400 years based on TRW, and (ii) the last 1,500 years based on a combination of TRW and MXD. The reconstructions show natural variability on timescales from years to several centuries. The 20th century does not stand out as a notably warm period in the long timescale perspective. A medieval period from AD 900 – 1100 is markedly warmer than the 20th century.</p><p>The environmental impact from a large explosive volcanic eruption in 1628/1627 BC is analysed in the tree rings of 14C-dated bog pines in south-central Sweden and in absolutely-dated subfossil pines from Torneträsk. The results show evidence of an impact in the southern site at approximately this time but no detectable impact in the North. </p><p>Subfossil trees of Fitzroya cupressoides in southern Chile were 14C-dated to approx. 50,000 years BP and amalgamated into a 1,229-year TRW chronology. This tree-ring record is the oldest in the world. The variability in this Last-glacial chronology is similar to the variability in present-day living trees of the same species. These results suggest that the growth–forcing mechanisms 50,000 years ago were similar to those at present.</p>

In the boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere, time series of tree-ring width (TRW) and maximum density in the latewood (MXD) are highly correlated to local instrumental summer-temperature data and are thus widely used as proxies in high-resolution climate reconstructions. Hence, much of our present knowledge about climatic variability in the last millennium is based on tree-rings. However, many tree-ring records have a lack of data in the most recent decades, which severely hampers our ability to place the recent temperature increase in a longer-timescale perspective of natural variability. The main objective of this thesis is to update and extend the Torneträsk TRW and MXD records in northern Sweden. Local instrumental climate-data is used to calibrate the new tree-ring records. The results show that TRW is mainly forced by temperature in the early growing season (June/July) while MXD has a wider response window (June – August) and has a higher correlation to temperature. Two reconstructions of summer temperature are made for (i) the last 7,400 years based on TRW, and (ii) the last 1,500 years based on a combination of TRW and MXD. The reconstructions show natural variability on timescales from years to several centuries. The 20th century does not stand out as a notably warm period in the long timescale perspective. A medieval period from AD 900 – 1100 is markedly warmer than the 20th century. The environmental impact from a large explosive volcanic eruption in 1628/1627 BC is analysed in the tree rings of 14C-dated bog pines in south-central Sweden and in absolutely-dated subfossil pines from Torneträsk. The results show evidence of an impact in the southern site at approximately this time but no detectable impact in the North. Subfossil trees of Fitzroya cupressoides in southern Chile were 14C-dated to approx. 50,000 years BP and amalgamated into a 1,229-year TRW chronology. This tree-ring record is the oldest in the world. The variability in this Last-glacial chronology is similar to the variability in present-day living trees of the same species. These results suggest that the growth–forcing mechanisms 50,000 years ago were similar to those at present.

<p>The complex interplay between biotic and abiotic factors, believed to be responsible for several oak declines in European oak stands during the last three decades, remains poorly understood. Hence, this study aims at clarifying the temporal process of oak declines, as well as identifying individual tree and environmental variables that increase the risk of oak mortality. The study was performed in one of the few areas in northern Europe still holding high densities of old oaks (<em>Quercus robur </em>L<em>.</em>). Cross dating revealed that most trees had died during the last decade. Averaged chronologies and multiple chronological clustering suggested that the onset of the oak decline happened in 1992, when a severe drought took place. Two of the sites showed a rather short time period of heavily reduced growth prior to death, most likely caused by an insect defoliation in combination with a mildew infection of the replacement shoots. Environmental variables presented a rather weak influence on oak mortality. The results support the idea of attributing oak mortality to a combination of long- and short-term stresses, and emphasize the importance of including present as well as past factors when analysing the causes of oak declines.</p>

In the boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere, time series of tree-ring width (TRW) and maximum density in the latewood (MXD) are highly correlated to local instrumental summer-temperature data and are thus widely used as proxies in high-resolution climate reconstructions. Hence, much of our present knowledge about climatic variability in the last millennium is based on tree-rings. However, many tree-ring records have a lack of data in the most recent decades, which severely hampers our ability to place the recent temperature increase in a longer-timescale perspective of natural variability. The main objective of this thesis is to update and extend the Torneträsk TRW and MXD records in northern Sweden. Local instrumental climate-data is used to calibrate the new tree-ring records. The results show that TRW is mainly forced by temperature in the early growing season (June/July) while MXD has a wider response window (June – August) and has a higher correlation to temperature. Two reconstructions of summer temperature are made for (i) the last 7,400 years based on TRW, and (ii) the last 1,500 years based on a combination of TRW and MXD. The reconstructions show natural variability on timescales from years to several centuries. The 20th century does not stand out as a notably warm period in the long timescale perspective. A medieval period from AD 900 – 1100 is markedly warmer than the 20th century. The environmental impact from a large explosive volcanic eruption in 1628/1627 BC is analysed in the tree rings of 14C-dated bog pines in south-central Sweden and in absolutely-dated subfossil pines from Torneträsk. The results show evidence of an impact in the southern site at approximately this time but no detectable impact in the North. Subfossil trees of Fitzroya cupressoides in southern Chile were 14C-dated to approx. 50,000 years BP and amalgamated into a 1,229-year TRW chronology. This tree-ring record is the oldest in the world. The variability in this Last-glacial chronology is similar to the variability in present-day living trees of the same species. These results suggest that the growth–forcing mechanisms 50,000 years ago were similar to those at present.

El objetivo principal que se plantea en el presente trabajo es determinar la plasticidad del crecimiento radial del pino carrasco (Pinus halepensis Mill.) frente al clima. Más concretamente, evaluar el grado de adecuación del crecimiento en grosor del tronco de las masas forestales de esta especie, a las distintas condiciones climáticas que se encuentran dentro de su área de distribución en España. Dicho propósito se aborda mediante el análisis de las series de crecimiento radial y su relación con el clima a distintas escalas temporales y espaciales. Una primera perspectiva se basa en el seguimiento (realizado con resolución casi quincenal) del crecimiento radial del pino carrasco en una localidad situada dentro del Parc Natural del Garraf (Barcelona, Catalunya). La finalidad de este seguimiento es precisar el grado de ajuste de las tasas de crecimiento radial del pino carrasco a la variabilidad climática inter e intraanual. Dicho de otro modo, delimitar los períodos de actividad y reposo del crecimiento en grosor del tronco y definir qué factores climáticos controlan la formación de los anillos de crecimiento. Los objetivos parciales que se plantean son: (i) Establecer el patrón temporal del crecimiento radial (períodos de crecimiento y reposo). (ii) Determinar el grado de ajuste del crecimiento radial de la especie a la variabilidad climática inter e intraanual a lo largo de los 10 años del seguimiento. (iii) Identificar los factores que determinan las tasas de crecimiento en grosor del tronco, sus efectos en las sus características anatómicas del anillo de crecimiento y, la periodicidad con la que dichos anillos se forman. Los resultados derivados de este seguimiento intensivo del crecimiento radial constituirán una base sólida para la interpretación de los resultados obtenidos en el estudio dendroclimático del pino carrasco en España, el cuál se basa en una red de cronologías del grosor de los anillos de crecimiento lo más extensa posible (temporal y espacialmente). Los objetivos en los que se desglosa este segundo propósito son los siguientes: (i) Establecer una red de localidades representativa del área de distribución de la especie, de los bioclimas en los que habita y del tipo de masas forestales que encontramos en España; y describir detalladamente el clima de cada una de ellas, sus peculiaridades y sus tendencias temporales. (ii) Caracterizar ecológicamente los bosques españoles de pino carrasco, mediante dos parámetros: Uno, la descripción de la estructura demográfica de edades y por tamaños y de las características actuales de las masas forestales (densidad, área basal, estructura espacial, etc.); y dos, la reconstrucción de su historia reciente (últimos 100 años) y obtención de su régimen de perturbaciones. (iii) Establecer las relaciones entre el crecimiento (series del grosor de los anillos) y las condiciones climáticas locales, y de su variación a lo largo del este de la Península e Islas Baleares, resaltando el grado de adecuación del crecimiento radial del pino carrasco al clima en las distintas regiones bioclimáticas en las que se halla. (iv) Analizar la variación espacial de los patrones de crecimiento radial de la especie en España y de su relación con el clima a escala regional; y valorar el grado en que dichas variaciones regionales pueden estar relacionadas con fenómenos de circulación atmosférica de escala global (teleconexiones climáticas). (v) Contrastar la estabilidad temporal de las relaciones crecimiento-clima a escala local y regional. La interpretación de los resultados obtenidos proporcionarán una visión global y precisa de la respuesta al cambio climático que pueden tener los bosques españoles de pino carrasco, la especie más importante en el paisaje español de baja altitud, no sólo por el área de territorio que ocupa sino por su importante función ecológica (ej. prevención de la erosión y perdida de suelo y recuperación del entorno natural después de perturbaciones, especialmente incendios).

The complex interplay between biotic and abiotic factors, believed to be responsible for several oak declines in European oak stands during the last three decades, remains poorly understood. Hence, this study aims at clarifying the temporal process of oak declines, as well as identifying individual tree and environmental variables that increase the risk of oak mortality. The study was performed in one of the few areas in northern Europe still holding high densities of old oaks (Quercus robur L.). Cross dating revealed that most trees had died during the last decade. Averaged chronologies and multiple chronological clustering suggested that the onset of the oak decline happened in 1992, when a severe drought took place. Two of the sites showed a rather short time period of heavily reduced growth prior to death, most likely caused by an insect defoliation in combination with a mildew infection of the replacement shoots. Environmental variables presented a rather weak influence on oak mortality. The results support the idea of attributing oak mortality to a combination of long- and short-term stresses, and emphasize the importance of including present as well as past factors when analysing the causes of oak declines.

No description available.

Final Technical Report / Grant No. AFOSR 72-2406 / March 1, 1976 / Results are reported from the first three years of a five-year project to reconstruct past climatic fluctuations in the Northern Hemisphere from variations in the growth rings of trees. The most significant result is the growing international collaboration stimulated by this research effort. The second is the development of 127 high-quality tree-ring chronologies from North America and Europe. Other developments include the establishment of the International Tree-Ring Data Bank, evaluation of multivariate techniques for calibration and analysis, the selection of a revised data set for reconstructing North American climate, and several other technical achievements. These results now will be used to improve reconstructions of past climate and to expand them to eastern North America and Europe.

No description available.