Articles tagged with Tree Rings
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A study found that hydroclimatic extremes and changes in agriculture led to the collapse of the Tang dynasty in 907 CE. The research analyzed tree ring data and concluded that increased droughts and floods took a toll on the empire's outer borders and agricultural systems.
Researchers used historical geography to accurately measure Earth's rotation speed during a total solar eclipse in 709 BCE, providing new data about the Sun's activity. The study also supports recent solar cycle reconstructions and independently validates previous findings using radiocarbon analysis.
An international team of researchers proposes that a meteorite impact just west of Winslow, Arizona, created Meteor Crater and triggered a massive landslide in the Grand Canyon. The study found evidence of a paleolake forming at the same time, with driftwood dating back to around 55,000 years.
A tree-ring study published in Climatic Change suggests that severe summer droughts in 364, 365 and 366 CE led to the 'Barbarian Conspiracy' of 367 CE. The researchers argue that these droughts triggered food shortages and reduced grain supply to Hadrian's Wall, providing a motive for the rebellion.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed a cost-effective way to track atmospheric mercury using wild fig tree rings in the Peruvian Amazon. This method offers a potential solution for understanding mercury spread and impact on ecosystems.
Researchers found that Ficus insipida tree cores can be used to characterize spatial and potentially temporal mercury emissions from artisanal gold mining. Tree rings showed higher mercury concentrations near mining sites, indicating a potential network of biomonitoring.
Researchers found significant implications for water management and wildlife due to the decline in snowpack, affecting the Sainte-Anne River and its streamflow patterns. The study's findings align with historical records of droughts and heavy precipitation, highlighting the importance of protecting old growth forests.
Scientists identified two extremely cold summers in northern Norway using pine trees and juniper shrubs. The researchers found that the number of blue rings correlated with cooling events, suggesting that these plants can serve as indicators of past climate change.
Researchers at University of Arizona discovered a spike in carbon-14 dating to 664 B.C., pinpointing the last known extreme solar storm event. The study provides crucial data for scientists studying sun's activity and offers insights into massive storms' effects on Earth's atmosphere.
A WVU researcher says ancient tree rings can record rare and extreme space weather events, including geomagnetic storms. The study aims to better understand how to prepare for such events and mitigate their impact on communication satellites and astronauts.
Coastal forests face uncertain future as sea levels rise, with trees more vulnerable to saltwater flooding than marshes. Tree ring analysis reveals nuanced effects of flooding, temperature, and precipitation on tree growth, highlighting species- and site-specific factors.
Tree-ring data reveal that periodic shifts in strong winds high above the Earth's surface have driven opposite climates in different parts of Europe for the past 700 years. This research provides critical data to improve climate models, comparing past patterns to current trends and societal impacts.
Researchers at Ohio State University found that US droughts in the Southwest and rainy extremes in the Northeast are becoming more frequent and severe. The study predicts bigger swings between wetter and drier periods in the mid-United States, straining water management efforts.
Researchers analyzed fossilized tooth roots of ancient mammals, finding growth rings that revealed lifespans of eight to fourteen years. These early mammals grew more slowly but lived substantially longer than their modern descendants.
The study found that Tipuana tipu grows faster at higher temperatures and can contribute to urban climate resilience. The tree can thrive in restrictive weather conditions, providing ecosystem services such as carbon capture and temperature regulation.
A team led by the Institute of Archaeological Sciences at the University of Bern has precisely dated timber from the archaeological site of Dispilio in northern Greece, dating back to 5259 BC. This is made possible by using high-energy particles from space, known as Miyake events, which can be reliably dated to this period.
Geographers found the 2023 summer was 2.07°C warmer than pre-industrial temperatures from 1850 to 1900, and 2.20°C warmer than temperatures since year 1 CE. This suggests global warming is more advanced than thought, requiring revised climate targets.
A study found that trees along UT's Waller Creek flourish during droughts due to wastewater from leaky city pipes, which also affects tree growth patterns. The research highlights the unintended positive consequences of urbanization on climate-resilience of stream ecosystems.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz found that 2023 was the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere in over two millennia, with temperatures 2.07C warmer than the coldest summer on record. The study uses tree ring data to show that global warming is having a profound impact, especially...
A 23-year 'megadrought' in the western US is being studied by WVU researcher Steve Kannenberg to understand its effects on natural ecosystems, agricultural systems and human water resources. The research aims to identify areas with depleted groundwater and soil moisture, as well as assess carbon capture and storage in dryland plants.
A new study reveals how sika deer foraging is causing soil erosion, reducing the growth of Japanese beech trees. The research found that exposed roots are more vulnerable to water loss, affecting tree health and increasing vulnerability to climate change and pests.
By combining stalagmite analysis with tree-ring records, researchers have gained new insights into short-term climate fluctuations over centuries. The study reveals regional as well as global environmental events, including the Little Ice Age and the 'Year Without a Summer', providing valuable information on long-term climate patterns.
Researchers found that ponderosa pine trees suffer from warming, contradicting the space-for-time substitution method. Climate change is happening faster than trees can adapt, putting them at risk of extinction.
A new study of 600 years of tree rings from the San Joaquin Valley reveals that climate extremes have been more severe and lasted longer than modern records, highlighting flood and drought risks in California. The research combines paleo information with synthetic weather generation to help understand and anticipate these risks.
Researchers have identified a massive solar storm 14,300 years ago in ancient tree rings, which could be catastrophic for modern technological society. The study warns of the importance of understanding such storms to protect global communications and energy infrastructure.
Researchers have identified that ancient quakes occurred in shallow faults on the Puget Lowlands in western Washington, which could lead to another devastating event. The study used tree rings to pinpoint the dates of these quakes and found a link between them, suggesting regional hazard models may need to be updated.
A research team from Hokkaido University has found an exceptionally preserved fossil forest of Wataria parvipora, which was predominantly accompanied by Byttneriophyllum leaves. The discovery helps reconstruct a whole Eurasian plant from the late Miocene epoch and sheds light on the taxonomic identity of plants.
A new study of tree rings from the region shows that the event was almost certainly the worst in at least the past millennium. The research established a year-by-year record of summer average temperatures going back to 950, revealing scores of abnormally hot summers.
Researchers at Cornell University have found that severe drought, lasting three consecutive years, likely accelerated the collapse of the Hittite Empire in ancient Anatolia. The team analyzed tree ring and isotope records to pinpoint this period of severe dryness, which matches the timeline of the empire's disappearance.
A study using tree rings reveals a 400-year trend of increasing droughts and floods in the Kabul River Basin, with severe events becoming more frequent. The research suggests that climate change is intensifying hydrological cycles, leading to devastating consequences for natural resources management.
A new study links drought spells to the intensification of raiding activity by Hunnic peoples, who responded to climate stress by adopting new strategies and changing their social organization. The research suggests that extreme drought in the Carpathian Basin contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire.
Researchers from the University of Göttingen found that European beech trees are experiencing increased drought stress in northern Germany due to climate change. The study reveals that dry locations show the strongest long-term decline in growth, highlighting the need for more resilient tree species.
A University of Queensland study analyzed tree ring data to understand cosmic radiation 'storms', known as Miyake Events. The research suggests that these events are not correlated with sunspot activity and may be a kind of astrophysical 'storm' or outburst.
Researchers analyzed annual growth rings from Yamal's subfossil trees to track summer temperature over the past 7,638 years. The findings indicate that current warming is unprecedented during the past seven millennia.
A team of researchers identified a shipwreck off the coast of Patagonia as the Dolphin, a 19th-century whaling ship from Rhode Island. The discovery was made possible by the analysis of tree rings in the timbers, which showed that the ship was built in New England and felled around 1850.
Tree ring growth in Alaska's La Perouse glacier reveals a slowdown of growth as the glacier advanced and an increase in growth rates as it retreated. The findings provide insights into how ecosystems may respond to rapid climate change.
Researchers found tree growth not source-limited but rather by cell growth, suggesting forests may not absorb as much carbon as thought. The study's findings challenge current forest growth models and highlight the need for climate change mitigation strategies.
A team of researchers has confirmed that a volcanic eruption in 1628 B.C. was not Thera but Alaskan volcano Aniakchak II, helping to narrow down the potential dates for the Thera eruption's occurrence between 1611 B.C., 1562-1555 B.C. and 1538 B.C.
A new Swansea-led project will analyze the chemistry of ancient oak trees to reconstruct the climate of north-west Europe and improve dating accuracy for wooden structures. The QUERCUS project aims to develop the first annually-resolved tree-ring isotopic chronologies for the UK and north-western Europe, extending back 4,500 years.
A recent study published in Nature Geoscience has found that tropical trees' trunk growth is reduced in years with drier and warmer conditions. The researchers also discovered that the effect of climatic fluctuations is more dramatic in arid or warm regions, suggesting climate change may increase the sensitivity of tropical trees.
Climate change is expected to cause a significant decline in beech forest growth in Europe, particularly in southern regions. Tree ring analyses reveal that tree growth has declined in virtually all regions over the past six decades, with the strongest contrast between northern and southern Europe.
A new research synthesis suggests using tree ring data from forest inventory plots to estimate carbon sequestration in forests. This approach could provide a direct record of the carbon gained by individual trees and forests, scaling up to estimate forest-wide and continent-wide carbon savings.
Researchers analyzed 54,045 georeferenced pieces of building timber to track changes in building activity across Europe from 1250 to 1699. They found clear evidence for the Late Medieval Crisis, the Thirty Years' War, and economic boom periods, with building activity tracking historical price of grain and lead pollution.
A University of Arizona-led team combined tree-ring data with forest inventory measurements to predict future tree growth. The researchers found a 56-91% decline in individual tree growth, leading to less carbon sequestration by Arizona's forests.
A team of scientists discovered that Europeans were present in the Americas in 1021 AD, marking the earliest known point of Atlantic crossing. This date also signifies humanity's circumnavigation of the planet.
A new study reconstructs Arctic sea ice levels and currents over 500 years using ancient driftwood, showing a distinct drop in tree arrivals since the 1990s. The research provides a unique look into past Arctic Ocean conditions, shedding light on the impact of climate change on this fragile ecosystem.
Researchers are using tree rings and sediments to reconstruct Atlantic hurricane history over millennia. By combining these natural archives with global climate model simulations, they aim to refine the record of history's hurricanes.
A study published in Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences analyzed tree rings from old-growth Douglas-firs on the Oregon Coast, revealing reduced growth following the 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 1700. The findings confirm modeling of the quake's reach and provide insight into the impact of tsunamis on trees.
Researchers reconstructed Mongolia's temperature history using a new tree ring analysis method, confirming record-breaking summer warmth over the past eight centuries. The study supports the delta blue intensity method and enhances climate projections, highlighting the urgent need to address Central Asia's rapid warming.
The Laacher See volcano eruption occurred 13,077 years ago, according to revised dating, providing crucial information about historical climate fluctuations. This revised date coincides with observed temperature drops in Greenland Ice Sheet cores and has significant implications for European climate archives.
Coelacanths have been found to live up to 84 years old and take over five years to gestate their offspring. Their slow life history makes them vulnerable to conservation threats, with the African coelacanth assessed as critically endangered.
A new study using tree ring samples found that Yellowstone's summers have been the hottest in the past 1,250 years, with the past 20 years being particularly extreme. The research provides crucial data for understanding the relationships between increasing temperatures and environmental factors.
Scientists discovered stalagmite growth is consistently linear over hundreds and thousands of years, providing an unparalleled capacity for precise chronology building. The analysis revealed that warmer climates tend towards more growth, while colder climates see slowed growth, but the majority of samples follow a linear growth pattern.
Researchers analyzed tree rings in Alaska to understand the climate's response to the 1783 Laki Volcano eruption. They found that tree growth stopped suddenly after the eruption, suggesting a sudden cooling at the end of the growing season.
A team of scientists has reconstructed solar activity from 969 to 1933 using measurements of radioactive carbon in tree rings. The study used modern detection techniques to achieve high precision, confirming the regularity of the eleven-year cycle and revealing potential solar energetic proton events.
Researchers used tree rings to reconstruct river discharge histories, finding that Asian rivers behave in a coherent pattern with large droughts and pluvial periods often occurring simultaneously. The study's findings have important implications for water management, particularly in countries with multiple river basins.
Researchers found unprecedented magnitude of summer heatwaves and droughts in inner East Asia, tightly coupled by anthropogenic climate change. Tree-ring data suggests abrupt shift to hotter and drier climate over the past two decades.
A new study using ancient tree rings reveals that the Brahmaputra River's flooding is more frequent than previously thought, with estimates underestimating the danger by nearly 40%. The research found that the river's discharge was much wetter in the past, with periods of extreme flooding that may not be comparable to modern times.
A new study suggests that the climate in inner East Asia has reached a tipping point, where recent hot and dry summers may be irreversible. The study used tree rings to reconstruct changes in soil moisture and frequency of heat waves, revealing that the region has not seen these conditions in over 260 years.
A study from Oregon State University found that small changes in water temperature can significantly impact the eating habits and growth rate of larval blackfin tuna, leading to slower growth and reduced survival rates. The research highlights the importance of prey availability in supporting fish growth during critical life stages.