Tree ring width measurements from a single ponderosa pine (PSME) site in New Mexico provide a 302-year climate proxy record. The data, archived by NOAA's World Data Service for Paleoclimatology, covers the period from 287 to 15 years before present. This record was created by the researcher Stokes and last updated in the NOAA system in 1965.
Use Cases
- Reconstruct historical drought indices by analyzing annual tree ring width variations.
- Calibrate regional climate models using the 302-year proxy record from a single species (PSME).
- Compare this site's growth chronology with other ITRDB records to identify broad climate signals.
- Study the response of ponderosa pine to climate stressors within the specific geographic location of New Mexico.
Strengths
- 302-year temporal coverage from 287 to 15 years BP.
- Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA/NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
Limitations
- Data is from a single tree species at one location, limiting spatial representativeness.
- The record ends 15 years BP, providing no data for the most recent centuries.
- Last system update was in 1965, indicating the metadata may not reflect modern standards.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Tree ring core samples analyzed for width measurements (dendrochronology).
- Time Range
- 287 to 15 calendar years before present (BP).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Wofford Lookout Tower, New Mexico, United States.