Colorado Tree Ring Chronology for Paleoclimate Reconstruction

Tree ring width measurements from the Timberline Pass site in Colorado, spanning 477 years from 440 to -37 calendar years before present. The dataset is archived by NOAA's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology and was last updated in 1987. It provides parameters for dendroclimatic analysis.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct historical temperature or precipitation anomalies by calibrating tree ring width series against instrumental climate records.
• Analyze long-term growth trends and extreme events (e.g., droughts) encoded in the ring width parameter.
• Validate climate model simulations for the last millennium using the 477-year proxy record.
• Compare this Colorado site chronology with other North American tree ring collections to assess regional climate patterns.

Strengths

• 477-year temporal coverage provides a multi-century climate proxy record.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• Data recency is limited, with a last update in 1987, potentially missing modern methodological refinements.
• Geographic coverage is restricted to a single site (Timberline Pass, Colorado), limiting broad spatial analysis.
• Specific sample depth, measurement precision, and potential biological disturbances are not detailed in the provided description.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring core samples analyzed to measure ring width, a dendrochronological parameter.

Time Range

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

Freshness

null

Geography

Timberline Pass, Colorado, United States of America.