%0 Report %D 1985 %T Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %A Graybill, D.A. %K anthropology %K Archaeology %K bristlecone pine %K california %K carbon isotopes %K chronology %K climate %K dendrochronology %K Geology %K isotopic studies %K pinus longaeva %K technical report %K tree ring %K white mountains %X

INTRODUCTION

Since Edmun Schulman’s initial interest in 1953, the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research has conducted dendrochronological studies of bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva D. K. Bailey, sp. Nov.) in the White Mountains of east-central California where living trees reach ages in excess of 4,000 years. The focus of this report relates to the support by the Geology and Anthropology sections in the National Science Foundation under grant EAR-8018687 for the period 1 April 1981 to 31 October 1984 with the assistance of the Department of Energy contract no. DE-AC02-81EV10680 covering the period 1 May 1981 to 31 October 1982.

A summary of this research was recently published in Radiocarbon (Ferguson and Graybill 1983). In most cases various facets of the work were related to projects sponsored by all agencies. Therefore the full range of activities during that period is described herein. The primary project goals were:

  1. To extend the bristlecone pine chronology from the White Mountains of California beyond 6700 B.C. and strengthen it by incorporating additional specimens.
  2. To develop bristlecone pine chronologies in new areas for applications in archaeology, isotopic studies, and other earth sciences.
  3. To furnish dendrochronologically dated wood to researchers engaged in the study of past variations in carbon isotopes and climate.
%I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 05/1985 %G English %0 Report %D 1984 %T Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %A Graybill, D.A. %K anthropology %K Bristlecone %K bristlecone pine %K california %K carbon isotopes %K chronology %K climate %K dendrochronology %K Geology %K white mountains %I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 08/1984 %G English %0 Report %D 1983 %T Bristlecone Pine Project Status %A Ferguson, C.W. %K Bristlecone %K bristlecone pine %K california %K chronology %K white mountains %8 08/1983 %G English %0 Report %D 1980 %T Unsolicited Proposal Submitted to the Department of Energy for Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %K Bristlecone %K bristlecone pine %K C-14 %K california %K chronology %K dendrochronology %K department of energy %K pinus longaeva %K radiocarbon %K white mountains %X

Since 1953 the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research has conducted dendrochronological studies of bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva D. K. Bailey, sp. nov.) in the White Mountains of California. This research resulted in the establishment of a continuous tree-ring sequence of 8,680 years which proved to be a unique source of chronological data and provided precisely dated wood specimens essential to certain paleoenvironmental and geophysical investigations. Dendrochronologically dated decade samples of bristlecone pine continue to be supplied to C-14 laboratories for the calibration of the radiocarbon time scale, a development of far reaching consequences in the fields of archaeology and geology. To more fully understand the causative factors, especially the activity of the sun, a critical need exists to better define the fluctuations and trends of the C-14 curve through even stronger and earlier bristlecone pine controls. In addition, recent advances in other methods of analyzing past climatic variability –particularly techniques involving stable isotope ratios—have greatly increased the demand for wood of known age and, hence, for chronology development.

During the past 18 months, the early portions of the chronology have been greatly strengthened and extended. The objective of the proposed research is to continue the extension of the bristlecone pine chronology further into the past and to strengthen it by incorporating additional dated specimens from the White Mountains and nearby areas. Prospects for a 10,000-year chronology appear increasingly possible.

%I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 04/1980 %G English %0 Magazine Article %D 1968 %T Bristlecone Pine Science and Esthetics %A Ferguson, C.W. %K bristlecone pine %K chronology %K esthetics %K science %K tree ring %0 Report %D 1968 %T Interim Progress Report Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %K bristlecone pine %K california %K dendrochronology %K NSF %K pinus aristata %K progress report %K radiocarbon %K white mountains %I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 06/1968 %G English %9 Interim Progress Report %0 Report %D 1968 %T Tree-Ring Growth in High-Altitude Bristlecone Pine as Related to Meteorological Factors: Research Proposal %A LaMarche, Valmore C. %K bristlecone pine %K cold sensitive %K dendroclimatology %K drought sensitive %K high altitude %K meteorological %K NSF %K pinus aristata %K precipitation %K temperature %K tree ring %X

Important climatic information may be contained in long tree-ring records from the upper treeline of mid-latitude mountains. Preliminary work and the results of related research suggest that the variation in annual ring-width series from bristlecone pine (P. aristata) at the upper treeline is related to year-to-year differences in the temperature regime, in contrast to the "drought sensitivity" of this species near the lower forest border. Therefore, the establishment of a quantitative relationship between meterological factors and tree-ring growth at the upper treeline may permit the extension of temperature records, ad would provide an additional tool for evaluating certain environmental characteristics of remote, high-mountain regions. Direct comparison of tree-ring chronologies from "drought-sensitive" conifers at the lower forest border with those from "cold-sensitive" trees at the nearby upper treeline might also lead to the separation of precipitation and temperature effects in paleoclimatic reconstruction.

The basic approach involves the empirical comparison of tree-ring chronologies with concurrent meteorological time series in a few areas in the western United States, selected for the proximity of a bristlecone pine treeline to one or more high altitude weather stations. A number of replicated tree-ring samples will be dated, measured, standardized, and evaluated to form the basic tree-ring chronologies. testing the association between the ring-widths and meteorological factors will proceed through the development of progressively refined empirical models. Consistency with available biological data will serve as a general guide in the development of a meaningful model.

%I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %G English %9 Research Proposal %0 Report %D 1963 %T Continuation of Studies on the Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine (Pinus aristata Englem.) (Continuation of Research Grant NSF-G 19949): A Research Proposal %A McGinnies, W.G. %K bristlecone pine %K california %K chronology %K colorado river basin %K dendrochronology %K dendroclimatology %K extend %K NSF %K pinus aristata %K white mountains %X

The original research grant NSF-G 19949, effective October 1, 1961, for the dendrochronology of bristlecone pine has made it possible: (1) to develop a workable chronology extending back 3850 years, (2) to carry out studies of tree growth as related to environmental parameters through two field seasons, and (3) to make some statistical comparisions which indicate (a) that there is no significant difference between young and old trees in radial growth response to environmental variables, (b) that there are significant correlations between bristlecone pine and other coniferous species extending up to 1000 miles east and southeast, and (c) that there is strong evidence that bristlecone pine will provide a good basis for extending climatic interpretations to at least 2600 B.C.

The present request is for funds: (1) to complete an exact chronology made possible through the study of both living and dead material in the White Mountains of California; (2) to extend the chronology building to other key tree-ring areas in the Colorado River Basin with the aim of determining the past climatic chronology; (3) to statistically evaluate the various chronologies thus established for interrelations with climate and with other tree-ring series; (4) to continue the environmental studies and evaluations through a third growing season, 1964; (5) to determine the biological model of cause and effect and its statistical counterpart for estimating climate from these tree-ring series; and (6) to provide for the closely integrated radiocarbon analysis of tree-ring material.

The results will be used (1) to strengthen dendrochronological dating and to provide a master tree-ring chronology which can be used by climatologists, archaeologists, radiocarbon investigators, and others; (2) to strengthen and geographically extend the dendroclimatological studies of Schulman (1956), especially in the Colorado River Basin; (3) to provide, when integrated with various environmental studies now being conducted, a stronger basis for environmental interpretations, based on the difference in radial growth shown by trees that respond primarily to differences in precipitation. This information will be of great value to meteorologists, hydrologists, and others, including the Inter-Union Commission on Solar and Terrestrial Relationships.

%I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 05/1963 %G English %9 Research Proposal %0 Report %D 1963 %T Ramifications of Chronology Building in Bristlecone Pine %A Ferguson, C.W. %K bristlecone pine %K california %K chronology building %K climate %K radiocarbon dating %K ramifications %K white mountains %I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 11/1963 %G English %9 Written From Tape Recording of Talk %0 Report %D 1960 %T Dendrochronology of Bristlecone Pine (Pinus aristata Engelm) as a Basis for the Extension of Dendroclimatic Indices: Research Proposal %A McGinnies, W.G. %K bristlecone pine %K dendrochronology %K dendroclimatic indices %K dendroclimatology %K extention %K NSF grant %K pinus aristata %K tree ring chronology %X

It is proposed to make an analysis of growth-rings of bristlecone pine, to construct a tree-ring chronology covering more than four millenia and to investigate the relationship between the tree-rings and climate with the objective of establishing precipitation indices. The research will be based on previous findings with other species and will follow techniques and methodologies developed at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research. The research will continue studies initiated by Edmund Schukman under NSF Grant G2274 but terminated by his untimely death in 1958. During the period Dr. Schulman was operating under the NSF Grant, the full significance of the bristlecone pine discovery became apparent, and he left a legacy of material that will make it possible to carry research further into the past than was envisioned at the time the grant was made. The present proposal has been expanded to take advantage of this enlarged opportunity.

The research will be conducted on a team basis, utilizing all the skills available at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research. The Director of the Laboratory will serve as Principal Investigator, but will utilize the training and knowlege of the laboratory staff in supervising the research program.

%I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %8 12/1960 %G English %9 Research Proposal %0 Report %D 0 %T Report on the Chronology Phase of the Bristlecone Pine Study %A Ferguson, C.W. %K bristlecone pine %K california %K chronology phase %K dendrochronology %K extend %K pinus aristata %K white mountains %I Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research %C Tucson %G English