Radiocarbon Dates for Large Trees from a Brazilian Forest

Tree ages and growth rates determined by radiocarbon dating for 44 large trees from 15 species near Manaus, Brazil. Samples were collected in 1997 from a logging operation and prepared for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The data is provided by NASA as a comma-separated ASCII file.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the relationship between tree size (basal diameter > 100 cm) and age for different species.
• Calculating average growth rates for large tropical trees using radiocarbon-derived ages.
• Comparing age and growth structures across 15 different tree species in a single Amazonian forest site.
• Providing ground-truth data for studies on forest biomass accumulation and carbon storage in old-growth forests.

Strengths

• Data is derived from a precise scientific method: Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating.
• Includes a specific sample size of 44 trees from 15 distinct species, providing ecological breadth.
• Focuses on large trees (basal diameter > 100 cm), which are critical yet often understudied components of forest carbon stocks.
• Samples were processed at a recognized national laboratory (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory).

Limitations

• The dataset is from a single collection event in 1997, offering only a historical snapshot with no temporal series.
• Exact column names, row counts, and file size are not provided by any source platform, limiting immediate assessment of data structure.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' metadata: Data.gov lists 2026-03-13 (likely a placeholder), while NASA Earthdata lists the actual collection year end date of 1997-12-31.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Collection Method

Samples collected from a logging operation, prepared and analyzed via Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Time Range

1997

Freshness

1997-12-31

Geography

Near Itacoatiara, approximately 250 km east of Manaus, Brazil.