BOREAS TE-07: Tree Ring Width and Density Measurements

Summer 1994 data contains dendrology measurements of tree ring width and density taken at multiple points within each ring. This dataset is a summary and inventory of the full Canadian Forest Service (CFS) data set, collected near flux towers and other sites in the BOREAS Northern and Southern Study Areas. Measurements support the characterization of sapflow and dendrology in boreal vegetation.

Use Cases

• Analyzing historical tree growth patterns based on ring width and density measurements.
• Calibrating or validating sapflow models using detailed dendrological data.
• Studying boreal forest biomass and productivity across different site types (e.g., OJP, OBS, MIX).
• Investigating climate-vegetation interactions in the 1994 BOREAS campaign context.

Strengths

• Data collected during a major, well-documented international field campaign (BOREAS) in 1994.
• Measurements include multiple intra-ring data points for width and density, suggesting high-resolution profiles.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA and U.S. government portals indicates established provenance and curation.

Limitations

• The available data is explicitly noted as a summary/inventory, not the full Canadian Forest Service dataset.
• Column names and exact row counts are unknown, limiting immediate analytical utility.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata (1994 vs. 2026) creates uncertainty about data currency and maintenance.

Provenance

Source

BOREAS TE-07 team; full dataset held by the Canadian Forest Service (CFS).

Collection Method

Field measurements taken from tree cores near flux towers and specific sites.

Time Range

Summer 1994

Freshness

Last updated metadata conflicts: one source lists 1994-12-31, others list 2026-03-13.

Geography

BOREAS Northern Study Area (NSA) and Southern Study Area (SSA) in Canada, including OJP, OBS, MIX, AIM-13, BMH-9, and TF-YJP sites.