We present a continuous 2000-year ring-width chronology of Chamaecyparis from central Japan based on samples of known provenance. The dataset integrates ring-width series from living trees, archaeological coffins, historical temple timbers, and a buried forest, spanning 156 BCE to 2012 CE. Crossdating, conducted using statistical indices (Student’s t-value, Gleichläufigkeit) and visual inspection, yielded high consistency across six partial chronologies. This composite chronology, filling a major gap in Japanese dendrochronology, yielded a robust regional reference for environmental reconstruction and dendroprovenancing. Application to historical structures, including Rinno-ji and Daitoku-ji Temples, demonstrated excellent agreement with documentary records, confirming the chronology’s dating precision. Our findings reaffirm the values of ring-width analysis for determining the origin and age of wooden materials, particularly in contexts where isotopic geographical resolution may be too broad. This chronology also establishes a robust framework for future multiproxy studies that integrate isotopic or geochemical data. By securing both temporal continuity and provenance control, it serves as a critical resource for research in archaeology, forest history, and cultural heritage science in Japan and beyond.
{"title":"A two-millennia provenance-assured Chamaecyparis tree-ring chronology for central Japan","authors":"Motonari Ohyama , Hitoshi Yonenobu , Yasuharu Hoshino , Shin’ya Suzuki","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126461","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126461","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present a continuous 2000-year ring-width chronology of <em>Chamaecyparis</em> from central Japan based on samples of known provenance. The dataset integrates ring-width series from living trees, archaeological coffins, historical temple timbers, and a buried forest, spanning 156 BCE to 2012 CE. Crossdating, conducted using statistical indices (Student’s <em>t</em>-value, Gleichläufigkeit) and visual inspection, yielded high consistency across six partial chronologies. This composite chronology, filling a major gap in Japanese dendrochronology, yielded a robust regional reference for environmental reconstruction and dendroprovenancing. Application to historical structures, including Rinno-ji and Daitoku-ji Temples, demonstrated excellent agreement with documentary records, confirming the chronology’s dating precision. Our findings reaffirm the values of ring-width analysis for determining the origin and age of wooden materials, particularly in contexts where isotopic geographical resolution may be too broad. This chronology also establishes a robust framework for future multiproxy studies that integrate isotopic or geochemical data. By securing both temporal continuity and provenance control, it serves as a critical resource for research in archaeology, forest history, and cultural heritage science in Japan and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 126461"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126455
Hanxue Liang , Jinji Li , Yimin Ren , Le Wang , Zhitao Wu
The response of treeline trees to climate warming is highly complex. Although numerous studies have examined this issue worldwide, comprehensive coverage of all global treelines remains impossible, and the roles of temperature and precipitation exhibit pronounced spatiotemporal variability. To address these gaps, we collected tree-ring samples from two Picea species at treeline sites in the Helan Mountains (western China) and Luya Mountain (central China) along the same latitude, and conducted dendroclimatic analyses. Correlation analyses revealed that in the Helan region, growing-season temperatures had a significant negative influence on tree growth before 1998, after which precipitation became the dominant positive driver. SPEI-based analyses showed significant positive correlations between ring width and multi-month SPEI from June to August, indicating that tree growth at the Helan treeline was moisture-limited. In contrast, tree growth at the Luya site was consistently and positively correlated with May temperature, with no significant relationship to precipitation. Analyses using SPEI further demonstrated that moisture is not a limiting factor for tree growth at the Luya treeline. Our findings suggest that macroclimate is likely governing how treeline trees respond to climate variability. Under continued warming, arid regions may experience growth decline due to intensified drought stress, whereas humid regions are likely to benefit from rising temperatures. These results contribute to the global dataset on treeline responses to climate change and provide clear evidence for the relative roles of temperature and moisture in governing treeline dynamics.
{"title":"Macroclimate determines whether tree growth at alpine treelines is primarily limited by temperature or precipitation in northern China","authors":"Hanxue Liang , Jinji Li , Yimin Ren , Le Wang , Zhitao Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126455","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126455","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The response of treeline trees to climate warming is highly complex. Although numerous studies have examined this issue worldwide, comprehensive coverage of all global treelines remains impossible, and the roles of temperature and precipitation exhibit pronounced spatiotemporal variability. To address these gaps, we collected tree-ring samples from two <em>Picea</em> species at treeline sites in the Helan Mountains (western China) and Luya Mountain (central China) along the same latitude, and conducted dendroclimatic analyses. Correlation analyses revealed that in the Helan region, growing-season temperatures had a significant negative influence on tree growth before 1998, after which precipitation became the dominant positive driver. SPEI-based analyses showed significant positive correlations between ring width and multi-month SPEI from June to August, indicating that tree growth at the Helan treeline was moisture-limited. In contrast, tree growth at the Luya site was consistently and positively correlated with May temperature, with no significant relationship to precipitation. Analyses using SPEI further demonstrated that moisture is not a limiting factor for tree growth at the Luya treeline. Our findings suggest that macroclimate is likely governing how treeline trees respond to climate variability. Under continued warming, arid regions may experience growth decline due to intensified drought stress, whereas humid regions are likely to benefit from rising temperatures. These results contribute to the global dataset on treeline responses to climate change and provide clear evidence for the relative roles of temperature and moisture in governing treeline dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 126455"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145625341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-12-17DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126464
Alexander A. Samodurov , Alexander I. Tuyrin , Maria A. Yunak , Vyacheslav V. Rodaev , Dmitry Yu. Golovin , Vladimir A. Shamaev , Alexander V. Russu
Research in disciplines such as dendrochronology, dendroclimatology and dendroecology is based on information about the structure of annual growth rings of wood, which is most often obtained by optical methods. However, the optical properties of wood are not directly related to its other properties, such as mechanical ones. At the same time, some methods of studying mechanical properties, such as densitometry, are considered more informative. However, these methods are quite labor-intensive and require expensive equipment. The above suggests the development of a simple, informative and easy-to-use approach to studying the mechanical properties of wood. This paper discusses the scratch test method employing continuous measurement of the micromechanical properties of wood. It is based on the recording and further analysis of the radial profile of the normal force Fn, recorded when scratching the crosscut with a specific probe at a given depth. The method was tested on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Siberian larch (Lárix sibirica) wood. The scratch test allows taking into account the features of the intra-ring structure and obtaining the hardness Hs profile. It has an oscillating character, and the minimums and maximums correspond to the mechanical properties of early and late wood. The obtained hardness profiles correlated highly with the density profiles obtained from the analysis of SEM images of the wood cellular structure. The widths of annual growth rings were determined from the scratch test data; the discrepancy between the values obtained by scratch test and the optical method was < 3 % for pine and < 5 % for larch. The scratch test method has shown high efficiency and is less labor-intensive than other methods of measuring local properties of wood. It has high potential for application in the further development of dendrochronology and other disciplines.
{"title":"A new scratch-based approach to studying the structure of annual growth rings suitable for dendrochronology and dendroclimatology","authors":"Alexander A. Samodurov , Alexander I. Tuyrin , Maria A. Yunak , Vyacheslav V. Rodaev , Dmitry Yu. Golovin , Vladimir A. Shamaev , Alexander V. Russu","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Research in disciplines such as dendrochronology, dendroclimatology and dendroecology is based on information about the structure of annual growth rings of wood, which is most often obtained by optical methods. However, the optical properties of wood are not directly related to its other properties, such as mechanical ones. At the same time, some methods of studying mechanical properties, such as densitometry, are considered more informative. However, these methods are quite labor-intensive and require expensive equipment. The above suggests the development of a simple, informative and easy-to-use approach to studying the mechanical properties of wood. This paper discusses the scratch test method employing continuous measurement of the micromechanical properties of wood. It is based on the recording and further analysis of the radial profile of the normal force <em>F</em><sub>n</sub>, recorded when scratching the crosscut with a specific probe at a given depth. The method was tested on Scots pine (<em>Pinus sylvestris L.</em>) and Siberian larch (<em>Lárix sibirica</em>) wood. The scratch test allows taking into account the features of the intra-ring structure and obtaining the hardness Hs profile. It has an oscillating character, and the minimums and maximums correspond to the mechanical properties of early and late wood. The obtained hardness profiles correlated highly with the density profiles obtained from the analysis of SEM images of the wood cellular structure. The widths of annual growth rings were determined from the scratch test data; the discrepancy between the values obtained by scratch test and the optical method was < 3 % for pine and < 5 % for larch. The scratch test method has shown high efficiency and is less labor-intensive than other methods of measuring local properties of wood. It has high potential for application in the further development of dendrochronology and other disciplines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 126464"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145797296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126460
Yuqi Jia , Yihua Ren , Guofu Song , Guohong Li
This study examined the seasonal and diurnal dynamics and the radial growth’s environmental response mechanisms of Abies georgei var. Smithii on the Sygera Mountain, southeastern Xizang. Continuous dendrometer monitoring (November 2023–November 2024) and concurrent meteorological data from automated weather stations were analyzed using the zero-growth method to quantify stem radial variation. Key findings include:(1) Diurnal radial variations during the growing season displayed a circadian rhythm characterized by daytime contraction and nocturnal expansion.(2) Seasonal growth dynamics comprised of four phases: dormant period (November–February), initiation period (March–April), rapid growth period (May–August), and decline period (September–October). Annual cumulative growth attained 8–12 mm, with peak rates (0.035 mm/d) observed in June.(3) At diurnal scales, soil temperature and moisture content showed dominant positive correlations with radial growth during the early growing season, while vapor pressure deficit (VPD) became the primary moisture stress factor during rapid growth, exhibiting significant positive correlations with radial expansion. Seasonal-scale growth exhibited greater sensitivity to temperature fluctuations than to other environmental variables. This work reveals the adaptive strategy of Abies georgei var. Smithii to alpine environments through daily-scale water regulation and seasonal-scale resource allocation, providing essential scientific evidence for refining carbon sink models and evaluating ecological barrier functions on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau
研究了西藏东南部锡格拉山乔治冷杉（Abies georgei var. Smithii）的季节、日动态及其径向生长的环境响应机制。对2023年11月至2024年11月的连续测树仪监测数据和同期自动气象站的气象数据进行了分析，采用零增长方法量化了树干径向变化。主要发现包括：(1)生长季节的日辐射变化表现出白天收缩和夜间扩张的昼夜节律特征。(2)季节生长动态分为休眠期（11 ~ 2月）、发育期（3 ~ 4月）、快速生长期（5 ~ 8月）和衰退期（9 ~ 10月）四个阶段。年累积生长量达到8-12 mm， 6月份达到峰值（0.035 mm/d）。(3)在日尺度上，土壤温度和水分含量在生长初期与径向生长呈显著正相关，而在快速生长阶段，水汽压亏缺（VPD）成为主要的水分胁迫因子，与径向扩张呈显著正相关。季节尺度的增长对温度波动的敏感性高于其他环境变量。通过日尺度的水分调节和季节尺度的资源配置，揭示了georgei var. Smithii冷杉对高山环境的适应策略，为完善青藏高原碳汇模型和评价生态屏障功能提供了重要的科学依据
{"title":"Dynamic characteristics of radial growth in Abies georgei var. Smithii in cold regions based on dendrometer monitoring","authors":"Yuqi Jia , Yihua Ren , Guofu Song , Guohong Li","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126460","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126460","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined the seasonal and diurnal dynamics and the radial growth’s environmental response mechanisms of <em>Abies georgei</em> var. <em>Smithii</em> on the Sygera Mountain, southeastern Xizang. Continuous dendrometer monitoring (November 2023–November 2024) and concurrent meteorological data from automated weather stations were analyzed using the zero-growth method to quantify stem radial variation. Key findings include:(1) Diurnal radial variations during the growing season displayed a circadian rhythm characterized by daytime contraction and nocturnal expansion.(2) Seasonal growth dynamics comprised of four phases: dormant period (November–February), initiation period (March–April), rapid growth period (May–August), and decline period (September–October). Annual cumulative growth attained 8–12 mm, with peak rates (0.035 mm/d) observed in June.(3) At diurnal scales, soil temperature and moisture content showed dominant positive correlations with radial growth during the early growing season, while vapor pressure deficit (VPD) became the primary moisture stress factor during rapid growth, exhibiting significant positive correlations with radial expansion. Seasonal-scale growth exhibited greater sensitivity to temperature fluctuations than to other environmental variables. This work reveals the adaptive strategy of <em>Abies georgei</em> var. <em>Smithii</em> to alpine environments through daily-scale water regulation and seasonal-scale resource allocation, providing essential scientific evidence for refining carbon sink models and evaluating ecological barrier functions on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 126460"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145694261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126479
Karel Šilhán
Tree-ring-based methods are currently a frequently used tool for analyzing the spatial-temporal behavior of landslides, providing key data for predicting their future development or analyzing potential triggers. They use a spectrum of growth disturbances in tree-ring series to detect landslide events, one of the most common being abrupt growth suppression. Unlike other growth disturbances, however, this has not yet been studied in detail with regard to its frequency, intensity, or duration in different geomechanical zones of complex landslides. A deeper understanding of this issue would improve the efficiency of dendrogeomorphic sampling, as well as the overall spatial-temporal reconstruction of landslide movements. To obtain a more detailed insight, tree-ring series from 1322 disturbed individuals of Picea abies (L.) Karst. growing on 26 complex landslides with different geological structures were analyzed. The area of each landslide was divided into two contrasting zones with presumed different effects on tree growth (rotational slide zone and earthflow zone). The results showed that the highest incidence of abrupt growth suppression (both in absolute terms and per tree) was in the earthflow zone of landslides developed on rigid sandstone/conglomerate. Conversely, the highest intensity of abrupt growth suppression was found in the rotational slide zone on sandstone/conglomerate. Factors leading to this type of growth disturbance could possibly include root stretching in tension cracks or root shearing at the boundary of rock blocks in the rotational slide zone. In the case of the earthflow zone, root deformation and pinching during flow-like movement of weathered material may play a role. This effect is increased if pieces of rigid sandstone/conglomerate are present in the landslide material.
{"title":"Abrupt growth suppression in tree-ring based landslide analysis","authors":"Karel Šilhán","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126479","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126479","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tree-ring-based methods are currently a frequently used tool for analyzing the spatial-temporal behavior of landslides, providing key data for predicting their future development or analyzing potential triggers. They use a spectrum of growth disturbances in tree-ring series to detect landslide events, one of the most common being abrupt growth suppression. Unlike other growth disturbances, however, this has not yet been studied in detail with regard to its frequency, intensity, or duration in different geomechanical zones of complex landslides. A deeper understanding of this issue would improve the efficiency of dendrogeomorphic sampling, as well as the overall spatial-temporal reconstruction of landslide movements. To obtain a more detailed insight, tree-ring series from 1322 disturbed individuals of <em>Picea abies</em> (L.) Karst. growing on 26 complex landslides with different geological structures were analyzed. The area of each landslide was divided into two contrasting zones with presumed different effects on tree growth (rotational slide zone and earthflow zone). The results showed that the highest incidence of abrupt growth suppression (both in absolute terms and per tree) was in the earthflow zone of landslides developed on rigid sandstone/conglomerate. Conversely, the highest intensity of abrupt growth suppression was found in the rotational slide zone on sandstone/conglomerate. Factors leading to this type of growth disturbance could possibly include root stretching in tension cracks or root shearing at the boundary of rock blocks in the rotational slide zone. In the case of the earthflow zone, root deformation and pinching during flow-like movement of weathered material may play a role. This effect is increased if pieces of rigid sandstone/conglomerate are present in the landslide material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 126479"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-31DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126482
Agata Buchwal , Alma Piermattei , Pawel Matulewski , Tito Arosio , Soumaya Belmecheri , Liliana Siekacz , Grzegorz Rachlewicz , Alan Crivellaro
Misperceptions persist between blue rings (BRs) and light rings (LRs) in tree-ring and wood-anatomical studies, despite their fundamentally different origins and implications. Both phenomena are associated with abiotic and/or biotic stress and consequent incomplete secondary cell-wall development. Yet, they are detectable at distinct resolution scales and carry different interpretive meanings. This communication study recognises BRs and LRs as complementary but distinct proxies and clarifies their diagnostic meaning. BRs are a wood anatomical feature visible on wood anatomical thin sections revealed by Safranin and Astra Blue staining that mark, in blue, a portion of a tree-ring with incompletely lignified cell walls that are not necessarily thinner. LRs, in contrast, are macroscopically visible as lighter latewood colour on polished or cut cross sections, reflecting low apparent latewood density that may result from reduced wall thickening, lack of lignification, or both. While BRs may contribute to the formation of LRs, not all BRs are macroscopically visible as LRs, and not all LRs involve unlignified tissues. Misinterpreting the two can lead to inconsistent identification of growth anomalies and introduce bias across paleoclimate reconstructions and other dendrochronological or ecological contexts. Future studies across climatic gradients and species, should strengthen our mechanistic understanding of BRs and LRs formation and their physiological underpinning to provide their robust interpretation in paleoclimate studies and beyond.
{"title":"Blue rings are not light rings","authors":"Agata Buchwal , Alma Piermattei , Pawel Matulewski , Tito Arosio , Soumaya Belmecheri , Liliana Siekacz , Grzegorz Rachlewicz , Alan Crivellaro","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126482","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126482","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Misperceptions persist between blue rings (BRs) and light rings (LRs) in tree-ring and wood-anatomical studies, despite their fundamentally different origins and implications. Both phenomena are associated with abiotic and/or biotic stress and consequent incomplete secondary cell-wall development. Yet, they are detectable at distinct resolution scales and carry different interpretive meanings. This communication study recognises BRs and LRs as complementary but distinct proxies and clarifies their diagnostic meaning. BRs are a wood anatomical feature visible on wood anatomical thin sections revealed by Safranin and Astra Blue staining that mark, in blue, a portion of a tree-ring with incompletely lignified cell walls that are not necessarily thinner. LRs, in contrast, are macroscopically visible as lighter latewood colour on polished or cut cross sections, reflecting low apparent latewood density that may result from reduced wall thickening, lack of lignification, or both. While BRs may contribute to the formation of LRs, not all BRs are macroscopically visible as LRs, and not all LRs involve unlignified tissues. Misinterpreting the two can lead to inconsistent identification of growth anomalies and introduce bias across paleoclimate reconstructions and other dendrochronological or ecological contexts. Future studies across climatic gradients and species, should strengthen our mechanistic understanding of BRs and LRs formation and their physiological underpinning to provide their robust interpretation in paleoclimate studies and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"95 ","pages":"Article 126482"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146187359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-25DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126438
Santosh K. Shah , Tanveer W. Rahman , Nivedita Mehrotra , Lamginsang Thomte , Uttam Pandey , Anup Saikia , Gregory C. Wiles
This study presents initial results of a tree ring-based blue intensity (BI) study from the western (Indian) Himalayan region. We analysed 139 cross-dated tree core samples of Abies pindrow collected from Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary (HWS) in the Kashmir Valley, western (Indian) Himalaya. This study was carried out to determine whether BI parameters can enhance tree-ring-based climate signals complementing previous dendroclimatic studies based on ring-widths (RW). We developed six chronologies: total ring width (TRW), earlywood width (EWW), latewood width (LWW), as well as latewood blue intensity (LWBI), earlywood blue intensity (EWBI) and delta blue intensity (deltaBI). Each of the six chronologies spans from 1728 to 2014 CE (287 years) and were correlated with monthly temperature (minimum, maximum and average) and precipitation records to assess their climatic response. The results demonstrated that distinct climate signals can be derived from RW and BI parameters. RW parameters capture moisture stress during the early growing season (May–June). In contrast, the BI parameters, particularly LWBI and deltaBI, yield strong positive correlations with average and maximum temperatures during the late summer (August–September). Additionally, LWBI and deltaBI series are positively associated with minimum winter-spring temperatures. We also evaluated the seasonal climatic response of both RW and BI parameters, assessing the temporal stability of these relationships and developed a transfer function based on a linear regression model. The overall climate signal identified for the BI parameters (LWBI and deltaBI) is distinct from RW and focused primarily on late summer (August–September). Thus, these results demonstrate the strong potential of blue intensity measurements in dendroclimatic reconstructions in the western (Indian) Himalaya.
{"title":"Blue is the new colour of Indian Himalayan tree rings: A pilot study on blue intensity of Abies pindrow, a new climate proxy from Kashmir Valley, western Himalaya","authors":"Santosh K. Shah , Tanveer W. Rahman , Nivedita Mehrotra , Lamginsang Thomte , Uttam Pandey , Anup Saikia , Gregory C. Wiles","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126438","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126438","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents initial results of a tree ring-based blue intensity (BI) study from the western (Indian) Himalayan region. We analysed 139 cross-dated tree core samples of <em>Abies pindrow</em> collected from Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary (HWS) in the Kashmir Valley, western (Indian) Himalaya. This study was carried out to determine whether BI parameters can enhance tree-ring-based climate signals complementing previous dendroclimatic studies based on ring-widths (RW). We developed six chronologies: total ring width (TRW), earlywood width (EWW), latewood width (LWW), as well as latewood blue intensity (LWBI), earlywood blue intensity (EWBI) and delta blue intensity (deltaBI). Each of the six chronologies spans from 1728 to 2014 CE (287 years) and were correlated with monthly temperature (minimum, maximum and average) and precipitation records to assess their climatic response. The results demonstrated that distinct climate signals can be derived from RW and BI parameters. RW parameters capture moisture stress during the early growing season (May–June). In contrast, the BI parameters, particularly LWBI and deltaBI, yield strong positive correlations with average and maximum temperatures during the late summer (August–September). Additionally, LWBI and deltaBI series are positively associated with minimum winter-spring temperatures. We also evaluated the seasonal climatic response of both RW and BI parameters, assessing the temporal stability of these relationships and developed a transfer function based on a linear regression model. The overall climate signal identified for the BI parameters (LWBI and deltaBI) is distinct from RW and focused primarily on late summer (August–September). Thus, these results demonstrate the strong potential of blue intensity measurements in dendroclimatic reconstructions in the western (Indian) Himalaya.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 126438"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145416545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-02DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126423
Jun-Hui Park , En-Bi Choi , Ho-Young Lee , Jeong-Wook Seo
The present study reports the first dendrochronological analysis of a vulnerable conifer shrub, Thuja koraiensis, which is endemic to the Korean Peninsula. Two study sites, Hwangcheolbong and Gwittaegicheongbong, were selected, and ring-width chronologies were established for each site: 188 years (1836–2023) for the former and 113 years (1911–2023) for the latter. Additionally, cell chronologies of specific anatomical parameters, viz., cell diameter, lumen diameter, and cell wall thickness were also built from 1947–2023 for the Gwittaegicheongbong site. Correlation analysis revealed that the ring-width growth of T. koraiensis is primarily influenced negatively by temperatures in May and June, and positively by precipitation. Although similar results were found in the correlation analysis between the cell chronologies of cell and lumen diameters and monthly climate at Gwittaegicheongbong, the correlation with May and June temperatures were higher (r = -0.27 to −0.35) than ones of ring-width chronologies (r = -0.18 to −0.28). Future ring-width growth predictions using ARIMAX models under SSP scenarios revealed site- and parameter-specific differences. At Hwangcheolbong, ring width was predicted to decline by 13.9 % under SSP2–4.5 and by 39.0 % under SSP5–8.5 by 2100, with most of the reduction occurring after 2050 (-29.4 %). At Gwittegicheongbong, ring width remained stable under SSP2–4.5 (+1.7 %) but declined under SSP5–8.5 (-19.0 %). For cell parameters at Gwittegicheongbong, cell diameter decreased by 2.2 % under SSP2–4.5 and 15.3 % under SSP5–8.5, while lumen diameter showed the steepest decline (-23.3 %) under SSP5–8.5, indicating reduced hydraulic efficiency in high-emission scenarios. These findings highlight the climatic vulnerability of T. koraiensis and demonstrate the importance of dendroanatomical approaches for detecting climate-induced stress in alpine shrubs. Such insights provide critical information for the conservation of Korea’s subalpine ecosystems.
{"title":"Establishing ring width and cell chronologies for predicting future growth of Thuja koraiensis under climate change","authors":"Jun-Hui Park , En-Bi Choi , Ho-Young Lee , Jeong-Wook Seo","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study reports the first dendrochronological analysis of a vulnerable conifer shrub, <em>Thuja koraiensis</em>, which is endemic to the Korean Peninsula. Two study sites, Hwangcheolbong and Gwittaegicheongbong, were selected, and ring-width chronologies were established for each site: 188 years (1836–2023) for the former and 113 years (1911–2023) for the latter. Additionally, cell chronologies of specific anatomical parameters, viz., cell diameter, lumen diameter, and cell wall thickness were also built from 1947–2023 for the Gwittaegicheongbong site. Correlation analysis revealed that the ring-width growth of <em>T. koraiensis</em> is primarily influenced negatively by temperatures in May and June, and positively by precipitation. Although similar results were found in the correlation analysis between the cell chronologies of cell and lumen diameters and monthly climate at Gwittaegicheongbong, the correlation with May and June temperatures were higher (<em>r</em> = -0.27 to −0.35) than ones of ring-width chronologies (<em>r</em> = -0.18 to −0.28). Future ring-width growth predictions using ARIMAX models under SSP scenarios revealed site- and parameter-specific differences. At Hwangcheolbong, ring width was predicted to decline by 13.9 % under SSP2–4.5 and by 39.0 % under SSP5–8.5 by 2100, with most of the reduction occurring after 2050 (-29.4 %). At Gwittegicheongbong, ring width remained stable under SSP2–4.5 (+1.7 %) but declined under SSP5–8.5 (-19.0 %). For cell parameters at Gwittegicheongbong, cell diameter decreased by 2.2 % under SSP2–4.5 and 15.3 % under SSP5–8.5, while lumen diameter showed the steepest decline (-23.3 %) under SSP5–8.5, indicating reduced hydraulic efficiency in high-emission scenarios. These findings highlight the climatic vulnerability of <em>T. koraiensis</em> and demonstrate the importance of dendroanatomical approaches for detecting climate-induced stress in alpine shrubs. Such insights provide critical information for the conservation of Korea’s subalpine ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 126423"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-09-06DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126418
Nipeng Qian , Gangdun Li , Linxu Wang , Chunchao Dong , Kuan Shi , Asghar Ali , Guang Zhou , Qijing Liu
Understanding the interplay between wood formation and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) dynamics is essential to identifying the drivers of tree growth under changing climates. In this study, we investigated intra-annual wood formation in the stems of Larix olgensis across a 700 m elevational gradient on Changbai Mountain, Northeast China, during the 2023 growing season. Weekly microcoring was performed on 35 trees at seven elevations to assess cambial phenology and wood formation, while NSC (soluble sugar and starch) concentrations were measured in needles, branches, coarse roots, phloem (stem), xylem from 20 trees at four elevations over seven sampling dates. We found that the onset of cell enlargement, wall-thickening, and lignification was significantly delayed with increasing elevation, and closely predicted by temperature and GDD. In contrast, growth cessation showed no consistent variation across elevations and unrelated to temperature, but was better explained by CDD. Despite a shortened growing season at higher elevations, NSC concentrations in most organs exhibited similar seasonal patterns across sites. NSC levels in needles, branches, and roots reached their lowest during peak cell enlargement in mid-June, indicating high sink demand, while xylem NSC peaked early and declined steadily thereafter. Our results demonstrate the critical role of thresholds in regulating the onset and cessation of wood formation. The temporal alignment between NSC dynamics and cambial activity suggests a functional coupling between carbon availability and sink demand. These findings advance our understanding of the environmental control of growth phenology and carbon use in boreal conifers across elevational gradients.
{"title":"Linking wood formation and non-structural carbohydrate dynamics in Larix olgensis along an elevational gradient","authors":"Nipeng Qian , Gangdun Li , Linxu Wang , Chunchao Dong , Kuan Shi , Asghar Ali , Guang Zhou , Qijing Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126418","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126418","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the interplay between wood formation and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) dynamics is essential to identifying the drivers of tree growth under changing climates. In this study, we investigated intra-annual wood formation in the stems of <em>Larix olgensis</em> across a 700 m elevational gradient on Changbai Mountain, Northeast China, during the 2023 growing season. Weekly microcoring was performed on 35 trees at seven elevations to assess cambial phenology and wood formation, while NSC (soluble sugar and starch) concentrations were measured in needles, branches, coarse roots, phloem (stem), xylem from 20 trees at four elevations over seven sampling dates. We found that the onset of cell enlargement, wall-thickening, and lignification was significantly delayed with increasing elevation, and closely predicted by temperature and GDD. In contrast, growth cessation showed no consistent variation across elevations and unrelated to temperature, but was better explained by CDD. Despite a shortened growing season at higher elevations, NSC concentrations in most organs exhibited similar seasonal patterns across sites. NSC levels in needles, branches, and roots reached their lowest during peak cell enlargement in mid-June, indicating high sink demand, while xylem NSC peaked early and declined steadily thereafter. Our results demonstrate the critical role of thresholds in regulating the onset and cessation of wood formation. The temporal alignment between NSC dynamics and cambial activity suggests a functional coupling between carbon availability and sink demand. These findings advance our understanding of the environmental control of growth phenology and carbon use in boreal conifers across elevational gradients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 126418"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145020457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-11DOI: 10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126429
Grit Neubauer , Ernst van der Maaten , Christiane Hemker , Marieke van der Maaten-Theunissen
The medieval silver rush profoundly impacted the landscape and vegetation of Europe’s mining regions, a phenomenon strikingly illustrated by the exceptionally well-preserved silver mines discovered in Dippoldiswalde (Eastern Erzgebirge/Saxony) in 2009. This study analyses over 2000 wooden finds collected in those mines, including 1183 specimens that help date the mining activities from the second half of the 12th century to the late 13th century, utilising dendrochronological techniques. Our extensive dendro-dataset provides a valuable resource for exploring various aspects, such as landscape and climatic change, the effects of mining on primary forests, and the selective use of wood in mining processes. The timber reveals new insights not only into previously unknown mining technologies but also into the primeval forest and early forest use.
Initially, miners exploited the forest non-selectively. As a result, early timber use provides important insights into the composition of primeval Fagus-Abies forests that once covered the region. By the 12th century, extensive timber use began to emerge, eventually leading to the complete deforestation of large areas in the mining regions of the Erzgebirge in the Middle Ages. This study underscores the valuable potential of dendrochronologically dating all available archaeological wood, rather than just selected samples, for advancing research in the fields of environmental history and medieval mining.
{"title":"The underground forest: Tracing forest history in the Erzgebirge through the wood finds from the medieval silver mines of Dippoldiswalde","authors":"Grit Neubauer , Ernst van der Maaten , Christiane Hemker , Marieke van der Maaten-Theunissen","doi":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The medieval silver rush profoundly impacted the landscape and vegetation of Europe’s mining regions, a phenomenon strikingly illustrated by the exceptionally well-preserved silver mines discovered in Dippoldiswalde (Eastern Erzgebirge/Saxony) in 2009. This study analyses over 2000 wooden finds collected in those mines, including 1183 specimens that help date the mining activities from the second half of the 12th century to the late 13th century, utilising dendrochronological techniques. Our extensive dendro-dataset provides a valuable resource for exploring various aspects, such as landscape and climatic change, the effects of mining on primary forests, and the selective use of wood in mining processes. The timber reveals new insights not only into previously unknown mining technologies but also into the primeval forest and early forest use.</div><div>Initially, miners exploited the forest non-selectively. As a result, early timber use provides important insights into the composition of primeval <em>Fagus</em>-<em>Abies</em> forests that once covered the region. By the 12th century, extensive timber use began to emerge, eventually leading to the complete deforestation of large areas in the mining regions of the Erzgebirge in the Middle Ages. This study underscores the valuable potential of dendrochronologically dating all available archaeological wood, rather than just selected samples, for advancing research in the fields of environmental history and medieval mining.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50595,"journal":{"name":"Dendrochronologia","volume":"94 ","pages":"Article 126429"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145320471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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