Montana Tree Ring Width Chronology from 750 to -37 BP

Tree-ring width data from the Spot Mountain West site in Montana, USA, provides a paleoclimate record. The chronology spans from 750 to -37 calendar years before present, indicating a time series of approximately 787 years. This archived study is maintained by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information under the World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct past temperature or precipitation anomalies using the tree-ring width time-series.
• Calibrate the chronology against other regional proxy records using the calendar years before present (BP) index.
• Analyze growth patterns in ponderosa pine (PSME) trees for specific climate events within the 787-year span.
• Incorporate this site-specific series into the larger PAGES North America 2K network for continental-scale climate analysis.

Strengths

• Time series covers approximately 787 years (750 to -37 BP), offering a long-term climate record.
• Data is archived and curated by the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Limitations

• Data record ends at -37 BP (approximately 1987 CE), with no updates since the last documented update in 1987.
• Limited to a single tree species (Ponderosa Pine, PSME) and a specific geographic site (Spot Mountain West, Montana).
• Unknown sample depth (number of tree cores) used to build the chronology, which affects signal strength.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree-ring analysis (dendrochronology) of ponderosa pine (PSME) samples.

Time Range

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

Freshness

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Geography

Spot Mountain West, Montana, United States of America.