California Tree-Ring Width Chronology from Upper Wright Lake

787 annual tree-ring width measurements from 750 to -37 calendar years before present provide a paleoclimate record for California. The dataset is archived by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information as part of the Paleoclimatology World Data Service. It was published in 1987 and is associated with the PAGES North America 2K initiative.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies by analyzing the annual tree-ring width time-series.
• Calibrate climate proxy models using the 787-year chronology to validate against instrumental records.
• Identify periods of megadroughts or anomalous growth in California by examining trends in the ring-width parameter.
• Cross-date other tree-ring records from the western United States using this established chronology as a reference.

Strengths

• 787-year continuous chronology from 750 to -37 BP provides a long-term climate record.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• The dataset is temporally stale, with a last update date of 1987, potentially missing newer methodological refinements.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single site (Upper Wright Lake, California), limiting regional representativeness.
• Sample size (number of individual tree cores) and potential class imbalance in climate events are unknown.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree-ring analysis (dendrochronology) measuring ring width.

Time Range

750 to -37 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

1987-01-01

Geography

Upper Wright Lake, California, United States of America.