Why, how, and where tree-ring density is needed for Common Era climate reconstructions?

Tree-ring based climate reconstructions are essential for understanding global change and the history and drivers of Earth’s climate system over the Common Era. Among various metrics, the density of tree rings, especially maximum latewood density (MXD), has proven exceptionally robust for capturing temperature variations at high latitudes and elevations. Although critically needed, long MXD-based reconstructions remain scarce and underrepresented in the existing paleo-proxy network, largely due both to the underemphasis of their advantages and to methodological complexities in data acquisition. Dr. Feng Wang, the Haury visiting scholar to the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, the University of Arizona, is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Iowa. His research focuses on unraveling past climate changes and interactions with ecosystems and societies, using high-precision proxies such as MXD. In the upcoming presentation, Dr. Wang will discuss the importance of and need for MXD for understanding climate variability and change (and their drivers), and introduce methodologies for measuring tree-ring density, including X-ray radiography, blue intensity, computed tomography, and quantitative wood anatomy. He will also share findings from central China, evaluating whether tree-ring density is effective in semi-arid regions.