Tree Ring Chronology From Ledges State Park In Iowa

Tree ring width measurements from Ledges State Park, Iowa, provide a 318-year chronology from 287 to -31 calendar years before present. The dataset is archived by NOAA's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology as part of the International Tree-Ring Data Bank. This specific record was last updated in 1981.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past precipitation or temperature anomalies by analyzing annual tree ring width variations.
• Calibrate regional climate models using the 318-year chronology as a proxy record.
• Study forest growth responses to historical climate events within the specific geographic location of Ledges State Park.
• Compare this site chronology with other ITRDB records to analyze spatial climate patterns across Iowa.

Strengths

• Covers a 318-year time period (287 to -31 BP), providing a multi-century record.
• Part of the authoritative International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB) collection curated by NOAA NCEI.

Limitations

• Data record was last updated in 1981, indicating potential staleness and lack of recent methodological refinements.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single site (Ledges State Park, Iowa), reducing regional representativeness.
• Specific sample size, measurement parameters, and potential replication statistics are unknown from the provided metadata.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring core samples analyzed via dendrochronology, likely measuring ring width.

Time Range

287 to -31 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

Ledges State Park, Iowa, United States of America.