NOAA's Paleoclimatology archive provides a tree ring chronology for Ponderosa Pine (PIPO) from Oak Creek, Colorado. The dataset covers the period from 89 to -33 calendar years before present. It was published by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information in 1983.
Use Cases
- Reconstruct annual temperature or precipitation anomalies for Colorado using the tree ring width series.
- Calibrate climate models by comparing the tree ring chronology with instrumental records for the region.
- Analyze growth response patterns in Ponderosa Pine to past climatic events documented in the time series.
- Establish a dated chronology for archaeological or geological studies in the Southwestern United States.
Strengths
- Time series spans 122 calendar years (89 to -33 BP).
- Data is curated and archived by the authoritative NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology.
Limitations
- The dataset's last update was in 1983, making methodologies and metadata potentially outdated.
- Sample size and replication level of the underlying tree cores are unknown, affecting statistical confidence.
- Geographic coverage is limited to a single site (Oak Creek, Colorado), reducing regional representativeness.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology.
- Collection Method
- Tree ring data collected via dendrochronological core sampling and analysis.
- Time Range
- 89 to -33 calendar years before present (BP).
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Oak Creek, Colorado, United States of America.