Kenyan Tree Ring Chronology from Ragati Forest (15 to -44 BP)

A 59-year tree ring chronology from the Ragati Forest Station in Kenya's Nyeri District, covering the period from 15 to -44 calendar years before present. The dataset contains parameters related to tree ring growth, archived by NOAA's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology. It was published as part of the International Tree-Ring Data Bank and last updated in 1994.

Use Cases

• Reconstructing historical precipitation or temperature anomalies in Eastern Africa using the tree ring width parameter.
• Calibrating regional climate models by comparing the tree ring chronology against known climate events within its 59-year time span.
• Analyzing growth response and climate sensitivity of tree species in the Ragati Forest region.
• Establishing a local dendrochronological reference for cross-dating other tree ring samples from Kenya.

Strengths

• Covers a specific 59-year time range from 15 to -44 calendar years BP.
• Part of the authoritative International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB) maintained by NOAA NCEI.
• Geographically focused on a single forest station in Kenya, providing localized data.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is relatively short at 59 years, limiting analysis of long-term climate trends.
• Data is temporally stale, with the last recorded update in 1994.
• Unknown sample size and replication depth for the tree ring chronology.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Tree ring analysis (dendrochronology) from samples collected at Ragati Forest Station.

Time Range

15 to -44 calendar years before present (BP).

Freshness

1994-01-01

Geography

Ragati Forest Station, Nyeri District, Kenya, Eastern Africa.