Pilger Mountain Tree Ring Chronology from South Dakota (430 to -14 BP)

NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology archives a tree ring chronology dataset from the Pilger Mountain Lookout site in South Dakota, USA. The data provides annual growth measurements for Ponderosa Pine (PIPO) trees, covering the period from 430 to -14 calendar years before present. This study was contributed by Fritts and is managed by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies using annual tree ring width measurements.
• Calibrate climate models by comparing the tree ring chronology with known historical climate events.
• Analyze growth trends and extreme events (e.g., droughts) recorded in the Ponderosa Pine ring sequences.
• Perform cross-dating with other regional tree ring chronologies to validate and extend climate records.

Strengths

• Chronology spans 444 years (430 to -14 BP), providing a multi-century climate record.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Limitations

• Sample size and number of individual tree cores used are unknown, limiting statistical robustness.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single site (Pilger Mountain Lookout, South Dakota).
• Data has not been updated since its original publication in 1964.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring data collected from Ponderosa Pine (PIPO) samples via dendrochronological methods.

Time Range

430 to -14 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

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Geography

Pilger Mountain Lookout, South Dakota, United States of America.