Douglas Fir Tree Ring Chronology from Washington State

Tree ring width data from Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) trees on the Colville Indian Reservation provides a climate proxy record spanning 181 years, from 156 to -25 calendar years before present. The dataset is archived by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information under its Paleoclimatology program. The data was published or last updated in 1975.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct historical temperature or precipitation anomalies by analyzing annual tree ring width variations.
• Calibrate climate models using the 181-year proxy record of environmental conditions.
• Study the response of Douglas Fir (PSME) growth to climatic events within the specified time period.
• Compare this site-specific chronology (ITRDB WA007) with other tree ring datasets to identify regional climate patterns.

Strengths

• Data covers a continuous 181-year period (156 to -25 BP).
• Provides a direct physical proxy (tree ring width) for historical climate analysis.
• Part of the authoritative International Tree Ring Data Bank (ITRDB) collection curated by NOAA.

Limitations

• The data record ends at -25 BP (approximately 1975 AD), offering no insight into recent climate changes.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single site (Colville Indian Reservation, Washington).
• Specific parameters, measurement methods, and sample sizes are not detailed in the provided metadata.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Collection Method

Tree ring measurements (dendrochronology) from Douglas Fir trees.

Time Range

156 to -25 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

Colville Indian Reservation, Washington, United States.