Tree Ring Width Chronology from Mzola Forest in Zimbabwe

Tree ring width data from the Mzola Forest in Zimbabwe, Eastern Africa, provides a paleoclimate record. The time series covers 201 calendar years, from 154 to -47 years before present. The dataset was archived by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information under its Paleoclimatology program.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past precipitation or temperature anomalies in Zimbabwe using the tree ring width chronology.
• Calibrate the tree ring proxy record against instrumental climate data for the region.
• Analyze the temporal coverage from 154 to -47 BP to identify long-term climate trends or extreme events.
• Compare the Mzola Forest chronology with other regional tree ring datasets to assess spatial climate patterns.

Strengths

• Time series covers a 201-year period for climate analysis.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• The dataset's last update was in 1997, making it temporally stale for contemporary methods.
• Specific sample depth, measurement parameters, and metadata details are not provided in the basic description.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology).

Time Range

154 to -47 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

1997-01-01

Geography

Mzola Forest, Zimbabwe, Eastern Africa.