New Zealand Tree Ring Chronology for Paleoclimate Study

Tree ring data from the Lower Cass Valley in New Zealand, used for paleoclimate reconstruction. The time series covers a period from 220 to -29 calendar years before present. The dataset is archived and maintained by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies using the tree ring width chronology.
• Calibrate radiocarbon dating models by cross-referencing the dated tree ring series.
• Analyze climate periodicity and extreme events from the multi-century tree ring record.
• Compare Southern Hemisphere climate proxies by integrating this New Zealand chronology with other regional datasets.

Strengths

• Time series spans 249 calendar years, providing a multi-century climate record.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• The dataset's temporal coverage ends at 29 BC, lacking recent centuries for modern climate comparison.
• Sample size, tree species, and replication depth are unknown, limiting assessment of statistical robustness.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single valley in New Zealand, reducing regional representativeness.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology).

Time Range

220 to -29 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

null

Geography

Lower Cass Valley, New Zealand.