Swiss Alpine Tree-Ring Chronology From 418 to 36 BCE

A tree-ring dataset from the Simmental and Iffigenalp regions of Switzerland provides paleoclimate records for Western Europe. Coverage spans from 418 to 36 calendar years before present (BP), representing over 450 years of environmental data. The dataset is archived by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information under its World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.

Use Cases

• Reconstruct historical temperature or precipitation anomalies by analyzing annual tree-ring width series.
• Calibrate climate proxy models using the dated chronology from 418 to 36 BP.
• Study ecological responses to past climatic events using the site-specific parameters from the Swiss Alps.
• Validate regional climate model simulations for the Holocene period against this high-resolution proxy record.

Strengths

• Temporal coverage spans 454 calendar years (418 to 36 BP), providing a multi-century record.
• Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
• Provides a high-resolution, annually-dated proxy for a key European alpine region.

Limitations

• Data is temporally stale, with a last documented update in 1986, potentially lacking modern reanalysis.
• Geographic scope is limited to two specific sites in Switzerland, limiting broad spatial inferences.
• Specific sample size (number of tree cores), measurement parameters, and potential measurement noise are not detailed in the provided metadata.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree-ring data collection and analysis (dendrochronology).

Time Range

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

Freshness

Last updated 1986-01-01; static archival record.

Geography

Simmental and Iffigenalp, Switzerland, Western Europe.