Washington State Tree Ring Chronology for Paleoclimate Reconstruction

A tree ring chronology from Swauk Pass, Washington, provides annual growth data for Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir). The dataset covers 199 years, from 162 to -36 calendar years before present, and is archived by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information. It was published as part of the International Tree-Ring Data Bank in 1986.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies using annual tree-ring width measurements.
• Calibrate climate models by comparing the tree-ring chronology with instrumental climate records for the region.
• Analyze long-term growth trends and responses to environmental stressors in Pseudotsuga menziesii.
• Establish a dated chronology for cross-referencing and validating other paleoclimate proxies from the Northwestern United States.

Strengths

• Covers a 199-year time period (162 to -36 BP) providing a multi-century climate record.
• Part of the authoritative International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB) collection curated by NOAA NCEI.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage ends at -36 BP (1986 CE), with no updates since its 1986 publication.
• Data is limited to a single species (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and a single geographic site (Swauk Pass, WA).
• Specific measurement parameters and sample depth (number of tree cores) 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 analysis (dendrochronology) of Pseudotsuga menziesii samples.

Time Range

162 to -36 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

Swauk Pass, north of Ellensburg, Washington, United States of America.