This article discusses the application of laser to trim the outer surface from tree-ring increment cores in preparation for dendrochemistry of certain metals. A source of contamination specific to dendrochemistry of metals is metal constituents, such as iron, tungsten, chromium, nickel, and cobalt, coming off tools used to collect and process cores and adhering to the sample surface. One method to eliminate this contamination is to trim off the outer surface of cores using laser. To test this application of laser, three tree-ring increment cores were collected from each of three trees. For each tree, one core was trimmed using a CO2 laser, one core was trimmed using a stainless steel razor blade, and one core was left untrimmed. The resultant cores were measured for metals using acid dissolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. Trimmed cores had on average one-third the content of iron, tungsten, and chromium than that of untrimmed cores. Laser-trimmed cores had less of these metals than razor-trimmed cores. Razor-trimmed cores also had measurable nickel, but laser-trimmed cores had no nickel. Laser trimming is an ideal solution to potential contamination of cores with metals from increment borers without imparting other contamination from tools such as razor blades.

The tropics are a key part of the global biosphere. Specifically, the woodland environments not only moderate large scale climate dynamics, but are also crucial in the global carbon cycle. Despite this, tropical dendrochronological studies are rare due to the uncertainty in annual dating from the minimal seasonality in most tropic environments. Without distinct annual tree rings, dendrochronological dating methods do not work, therefore other dating methods are required before long term forest growth analyses can be made. Alternatives such as radiocarbon and stable isotope measurements can be expensive and require high resolution measurement in order to identify seasonality. This thesis introduces a novel dating method for tropical trees using calcium as a tracer of annual wood formation. Laser Ablation-ICP-MS provides a fast, high resolution method for measuring mineral elements which could potentially provide a solution to the dating of tropical trees. Initially, Scots pine provided an excellent testing species for the development of both the methodological and analytical dating methods proposed through this thesis. It's well defined, annually dated ring structure formed the basis of seasonal signal detection and the development of an objective analysis for dating. This was achieved by the continuous measurement of calcium, and utilising a threshold detection approach to define annual growth cycles with respect to extreme peaks in the tracer data-series. The initial success of the calcium dating method using pine allowed for testing the technique on a tropical trees species from Cameroon which lacks distinct rings. Along with radiocarbon dating, the robustness of the calcium dating method for this tropical species was assessed. Promising results were initially found however, these could not be replicated and validation of this method proved problematic. Finally, radiocarbon dates were used to assess the nature of the oxygen and carbon stable isotopic series from the single tree of the same species from the tropical calcium tests. Results showed that despite the clear cyclic signal present in the oxygen isotope record, this did not represent an annual signal. These results reinforce the problems associated with tropical dendro analysis.

Natural disasters and rapid environmental changes have resulted in a continuum of responses by human societies throughout history. A model is proposed that incorporates cultural and environmental aspects of human response to natural disasters. The 11th century eruption of Sunset Crater volcano in northern Arizona is used as a case study in which the archaeological record and dendrochronological and geomorphological evidence are combined to characterize the nature of the human response. The model predicts that the population at Sunset Crater would have been pressured to move, or to move and make cultural or technological adaptations following the eruption. The model has utility in diverse conditions and can be used to interpret archaeological remains and facilitate modern disaster response.

Trace element mobility in bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) was investigated for a suite of elements using cores from century-old trees from a wetland in Humphreys County, Mississippi. Element mobility was determined by comparing the dendrochemistry of decadal increments over the life span of a tree, and by comparing increments of the same age collected from the same tree during two different seasons. Variability within growth increments at the time of sampling was evaluated by comparing cores from the same tree collected at three points around the bole. Of 42 elements analyzed, eight were found above detection limits (As, Ca, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Zn). Clear evidence of translocation of P and Mn to the sapwood and K, Mg, and Na to the heartwood was observed. Ca and Zn were found with higher average concentrations in the sapwood, though evidence of translocation to the sapwood was equivocal. Arsenic did not vary significantly through any individual core. Variation in concentration was not found to be significant for any element with respect to year of sampling, season, location in the wetland, or position around the bole. With the exception of As, variation was significant with respect to increment age (decade) and location within the heartwood or sapwood.

Nkana smelter belonged to the main sources of contamination by trace elements (especially Cu and Co) in the area of African city Kitwe (Copperbelt, Zambia). The main objective of this study was to compare elemental and isotopic composition of Zambian soils and tree rings, and to investigate biogeochemical processes between plants and soils in contaminated and uncontaminated environment. Elemental composition (Cu, Co, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, Hg and Tl) and isotopic composition of Cu (63 Cu/65 Cu) were determined in soils and tree rings of pine trees (Pinus latteri, Pinus kesiya) using ICP-MS , AMA and MC ICP-MS. Our results demonstrated that soils and tree rings were both affected by mining and metallurgical activity. Increasing content of elements with depth is the result of the mobility of the elements in uncontaminated soil profile. Soil from contaminated site had the highest metal contents especially in the upper part of the soil profile as a result of continuous contribution of metallurgical components during long-term smelter operation. Fractionations of Cu isotopes in soils were caused primarily by interactions with plants. Concentration changes that some elements showed in the individual tree rings could be the effect of variable intensity of pollution in the area. In the case of Cu, however,...

The eruption of Parícutin (1943–1952), a cinder cone volcano in Michoacán, Mexico, caused dendrochronological and dendrochemical responses that might be useful as general dating tools for eruptions. For the eruption period, pines near Parícutin have slightly suppressed ring widths plus high inter-annual variability of width. Wood anatomy changes include traumatic resin ducts and thin bands of false latewood. Dendrochemistry of tree rings shows little temporal variation in most elements, but beginning in 1943 sulfur content increased in rings of four trees and phosphorus content increased in rings of two trees. Hypotheses for increased S and P include new availability of pre-existing soil S and P and/or new input of S and P from the tephra itself. Pines at Parícutin also show suppressed ring widths for five years beginning in 1970, and had the eruption date not been known, the most likely conclusion from ring-width data alone would have been an eruption from 1970 to 1974. However, the 1970s suppression was in response to defoliation by a pine sawfly outbreak, not an eruption. For dendrochronological dating of cinder-cone eruptions, a combination of multiple characteristics (width, chemistry, and anatomy) would be more reliable than depending on any one characteristic alone.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivos caracterizar os anéis de crescimento de árvores de A. columnaris, quanto a estrutura anatômica microscópica do lenho, a aplicação na determinação da idade, taxa de crescimento e o teor de Pb em uma seqüência de anéis de crescimento previamente datados. Visa, também, verificar o potencial da espécie no monitoramento ambiental, segundo as técnicas de dendroquímica, definida como a mensuração quanti e qualitativa dos micro e macronutrientes e de elementos traço nos anéis de crescimento das árvores, indicando mudanças retrospectivas na sua absorção e translocação. Foram selecionadas árvores de A. columnaris localizadas no "Campus Luiz de Queiroz" da ESALQ/USP, em dois sítios diferentes. O primeiro em área próxima à Avenida Centenário, caracterizado pelo intenso fluxo de veículos e constituindo-se em uma das principais vias de acesso aos bairros da cidade e às estradas estaduais. O segundo sítio localiza-se no interior do Campus da ESALQ, acerca de 150 m do primeiro sítio e em área de baixa pressão antrópica com as árvores consideradas como testemunha. Foram coletadas amostras do lenho das árvores, através de método não destrutível e feita a caracterização anatômica do lenho de acordo com as normas da AIWA e com o auxílio de um sistema de análise de imagens. Aplicou-se a densitometria de raios X para analisar as variações da densidade aparente dos anéis de crescimento das árvores. A taxa de crescimento e a idade das árvores foram determinadas por técnicas de dendrocronologia, permitindo a correspondência exata de cada anel de crescimento com os anos do calendário. Em cada sítio analisou-se com espectrômetro de absorção atômica com forno de grafite o teor de Pb nos anéis de crescimento. Os resultados obtidos com relação à dendroquímica mostraram que os teores de Pb detectados nos anéis de crescimento das árvores de A. columnaris em um período de 30 anos, embora baixos, indicam a sua ocorrência de forma cíclica no ambiente, a taxa de crescimento do tronco das árvores de A. columnaris não foi afetada pela presença de Pb nos anéis de crescimento, a metodologia de análise dos anéis de crescimento e do teor de Pb no lenho das árvores de A. columnaris mostrou-se eficiente no monitoramento ambiental através da dendroquímica. / The present work has the aim to characterize the micro anatomical features of the tree rings of the A. columnaris, determinate the age and the growth rate, analyze the lead concentration in a tree ring sequence previously dated and to verify the applicability of the this specie in the environmental monitoring using the dendrochemistry techniques. It is defined as the quantitative and qualitative measure of the micro and macronutrients and trace elements in the tree rings. It indicates retrospective changes in the uptake and translocation. These were selected trees of A. columnaris located in the "Campus Luiz de Queiroz" of the ESALQ/USP in two different sites. The first is an area near the Centenário Avenue that is characterized by the intense flux of vehicles and been one of the principal rote of access to the districts and state highways. The second site is located inside the Campus of the ESALQ, 150 m far from the first site. That is an area with low anthropogenic pressure. The trees in this site were considered to be testimonies. These were collected tree wood samples through the not destructive method. The anatomical characterizations were done considering the norms of AIWA and with the auxiliary of the images analyze system. The X ray densitometry was used to check the variations in the tree rings density. The growth rate and the age of the trees were determinate by the dendrochronology technique. It permitted an exact correspondence of the tree rings and the years in the calendar. The dated tree rings lead concentration of each site was analyzed with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The dendrochemistry results show that the Pb concentrations in the A. columnaris tree rings during the last 30 years were low and with a cyclic pattern, the growth rate was not affected by the tree rings lead concentration, the tree rings and Pb concentration methodology of analyze was adequate to by used in the environmental monitoring.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivos caracterizar os anéis de crescimento de árvores de A. columnaris, quanto a estrutura anatômica microscópica do lenho, a aplicação na determinação da idade, taxa de crescimento e o teor de Pb em uma seqüência de anéis de crescimento previamente datados. Visa, também, verificar o potencial da espécie no monitoramento ambiental, segundo as técnicas de dendroquímica, definida como a mensuração quanti e qualitativa dos micro e macronutrientes e de elementos traço nos anéis de crescimento das árvores, indicando mudanças retrospectivas na sua absorção e translocação. Foram selecionadas árvores de A. columnaris localizadas no “Campus Luiz de Queiroz” da ESALQ/USP, em dois sítios diferentes. O primeiro em área próxima à Avenida Centenário, caracterizado pelo intenso fluxo de veículos e constituindo-se em uma das principais vias de acesso aos bairros da cidade e às estradas estaduais. O segundo sítio localiza-se no interior do Campus da ESALQ, acerca de 150 m do primeiro sítio e em área de baixa pressão antrópica com as árvores consideradas como testemunha. Foram coletadas amostras do lenho das árvores, através de método não destrutível e feita a caracterização anatômica do lenho de acordo com as normas da AIWA e com o auxílio de um sistema de análise de imagens. Aplicou-se a densitometria de raios X para analisar as variações da densidade aparente dos anéis de crescimento das árvores. A taxa de crescimento e a idade das árvores foram determinadas por técnicas de dendrocronologia, permitindo a correspondência exata de cada anel de crescimento com os anos do calendário. Em cada sítio analisou-se com espectrômetro de absorção atômica com forno de grafite o teor de Pb nos anéis de crescimento. Os resultados obtidos com relação à dendroquímica mostraram que os teores de Pb detectados nos anéis de crescimento das árvores de A. columnaris em um período de 30 anos, embora baixos, indicam a sua ocorrência de forma cíclica no ambiente, a taxa de crescimento do tronco das árvores de A. columnaris não foi afetada pela presença de Pb nos anéis de crescimento, a metodologia de análise dos anéis de crescimento e do teor de Pb no lenho das árvores de A. columnaris mostrou-se eficiente no monitoramento ambiental através da dendroquímica. / The present work has the aim to characterize the micro anatomical features of the tree rings of the A. columnaris, determinate the age and the growth rate, analyze the lead concentration in a tree ring sequence previously dated and to verify the applicability of the this specie in the environmental monitoring using the dendrochemistry techniques. It is defined as the quantitative and qualitative measure of the micro and macronutrients and trace elements in the tree rings. It indicates retrospective changes in the uptake and translocation. These were selected trees of A. columnaris located in the “Campus Luiz de Queiroz” of the ESALQ/USP in two different sites. The first is an area near the Centenário Avenue that is characterized by the intense flux of vehicles and been one of the principal rote of access to the districts and state highways. The second site is located inside the Campus of the ESALQ, 150 m far from the first site. That is an area with low anthropogenic pressure. The trees in this site were considered to be testimonies. These were collected tree wood samples through the not destructive method. The anatomical characterizations were done considering the norms of AIWA and with the auxiliary of the images analyze system. The X ray densitometry was used to check the variations in the tree rings density. The growth rate and the age of the trees were determinate by the dendrochronology technique. It permitted an exact correspondence of the tree rings and the years in the calendar. The dated tree rings lead concentration of each site was analyzed with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The dendrochemistry results show that the Pb concentrations in the A. columnaris tree rings during the last 30 years were low and with a cyclic pattern, the growth rate was not affected by the tree rings lead concentration, the tree rings and Pb concentration methodology of analyze was adequate to by used in the environmental monitoring.

The aim of this study was to contribute to the comprehension of the connection of element uptake in trees at the Laacher See in Germany and climatic parameters on different time scales. Understanding the relationship of certain elements in trees and temperature might enable the assignment of extraordinary high peaks in the elemental concentration, which cannot be explained by temperature, to another process as CO2 degassing of the mofettes, which are relics of the volcanic past of the lake. Beech and oak trees at the Laacher See are not growing close to their climatic distribution limit. The relationship between tree-ring width and temperature might be not distinct enough and therefore insufficient to reconstruct climate back in time based on typical dendrochronological methods. Increasing temperatures affect the production of biomass and the release of elements in the soil. These elements are taken up by roots of trees and are implemented in yearly forming tree-rings. Using elements in tree-rings is discussed to be an alternative method for the reconstruction of climate back in time. However, there is an ongoing debate about dendrochemical methods as it is still not clear how much the resolution of the results is affected by translocation of elements between tree-rings. In this study, tree-cores of living beech and oak trees, sampled 2020, have been measured using an energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence technique (ED-XRF), which is a non-destructive method for multi-element analysis. Eleven elements (Ca, Co, Cu, Cr, Ge, Fe,K, Mn, Ni, Sc, Zn) and three elemental ratios (K/Ca, Ca/Mn, Fe/Mn) have been found to show significant positive or negative correlations in the time period from 1901 to 2018 between their concentration in tree-rings and temperature. Since Cu, Ge and K also show significant correlations with temperature in 10-year periods, higher mobility between tree-rings is assumed for those elements. Low mobility is suggested for the elements Ca and Mn as their concentration in the bark and in the wood shows little correlation. Low mobility indicated by significant correlations between elements and yearly temperature or a lack ofcorrelation between the concentration in the bark and in the wood, makes elements more suitable as indicators for temperature. However, the explanation of element concentration in tree-rings is complex, as elements are influencing each other. Antagonistic behaviour has especially been observed for the elements Ca, Co, Ge, Fe, K, Mn, Ni and Sc. These elements are showing significant correlations with temperature as well, which reveals the dependency of elemental concentrations on more than one variable. Furthermore, acidic soil at the study site might be caused by elevated CO2 concentrations, which originate from mofettes. Increasing concentrations of Fe and Ca in tree-rings give indication for decreasing soil pH. Acidification is a contrary process to temperature increase, as it generally reduces the microbial activity and therefore the availability of nutrients.

The health of the northern hardwood forest in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia has recently gained attention from the media and environmental stakeholders. This project was designed to examine concentrations of metals, including lead, aluminum, and calcium in growth rings of an important northern hardwood species, American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) at Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain, Virginia. Dominant and codominant trees were sampled from sixteen research plots located at two different elevations. Samples were crossdated, divided into sections of ten-year periods, and analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Concentrations of metals were negatively correlated with ring width. Elevation and aspect were significantly associated with the concentration of the cations analyzed. Both lead and calcium concentrations increased during the 1860s and again during the mid-1900s. This increase in lead and calcium may suggest the mobilization of these elements in soil.