Tree rings and paleoenvironment on the Southeast Atlantic Coast: insights and developing research

A huge buried deposit of bald cypress trees is providing insights into over 5000 years of paleoenvironmental changes on the Southeast Atlantic Coast. Information from tree rings and chemical analyses, supported by other lines of environmental proxy data, reveals changes in rainfall, sea-level, hurricane frequency, and ecological stability in antiquity. We have initiated complementary analyses to bolster our interpretations. This information about the ancient environment provides a long-term comparative framework for understanding cultural changes in the coastal Southeast U.S. through time.