I.
INTRODUCTION
A.
Title: On the Feasibility of Aesculus flava and Halesia caroliniana for TreeRing Analysis: Explorations of Longevity and Climatic Sensitivity
B.
Date of proposal: March 13-16, 2006
C.
Investigator – Dr. Neil Pederson
Address: Asst. Professor, 235 Moore, Dept. Biological Sciences, Eastern
Kentucky University, Richmond, KY 40475.
Phone: 859.622.6258; FAX: 859.622.1399
Email: neil.pederson@eku.
D.
Table of contents – N/A
E. Abstract – This study will investigate the maximum age and climatic sensitivity of
yellow-buckeye and Carolina silverbell. It is apparent from the literature and recent
studies that knowledge of the life-history traits of many species in the eastern U.S. is
greatly lacking. Information regarding the climatic sensitivity, longevity and
tolerance of overstory competition of yellow-buckeye and Carolina silverbell, two
important species of the mixed-mesohpytic forest, could greatly aid natural resource
managers anticipate how this indicator species will respond to potential future climate
change and how it may survive in a close-canopied forests.
KeyWords: Forest Ecology, Natural History, Climate Change, Resource
Management
II.
OVERVIEW
A.
Statement of issue/Literature summary – Environmental change, including
climate change, forest fragmentation, introduction of invasive species and disease, is
threatening the integrity of forested ecosystems (IPCC, 2001). Great efforts are being put
into restoration and sustainable management of natural systems because of threats to
biodiversity, ecosystem processes and ecosystem services of natural systems.
Understanding life history traits is vital for the sustainable management of ecosystems
(Dayton, 2003). This can be done by addressing some of the following questions related
to life-history traits: “How long can a species live?”, “What is the climatic influence on
growth?” and “How are species successfully recruited and maintained in an ecosystem?”
The first places in which to answer these questions are intact, primary ecosystems. Even
the best-known and managed ecosystems, however, are threatened by the current pace of
environmental change (IPCC, 2001). Therefore, seemingly simple studies of natural
history are highly relevant today (Dayton, 2003; Schmidly, 2005).
It would seem that questions like the longevity and climatic sensitivity of tree species in
the eastern U.S. would not yield new and rich information. A recent study of less-well
studied tree species shows this to not be true. For example, of a sample of only 20
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 1
of 12
individuals in a primary stand, a cucumbertree (Magnolia accuminata) was found to be
348 years old (Pederson et al., in press). This age is nearly two centuries older than the
common maximum age listed in the Silvics Manual of North America (Burns and
Honkala, 1990) and almost 40 years older than a maximum age listed in Hough and
Forbes (1943). Similarly, a sweet birch (Betula lenta) was found to live 361 years
(Pederson et al., in press). The maximum age for sweet birch is listed as 265 in Loehle
(1988). Even initial forays into the longevity of less well-studied tree species in the
eastern US are yielding important natural history information.
One region rich in tree species in the eastern US is the mixed-mesophytic forest region of
the southern Appalachian Mountains (Braun, 1950). Life history descriptions of two
characteristic species of the mixed-mesophytic forest, yellow buckeye (Aesculus flava)
and Carolina silverbell (Halesia caroliniana), are so limited that the ability of mangers to
anticipate how long individual trees will persist in the canopy or react to the predicted
rapid climate change of the next 100 years is significantly reduced. For example, the
description of yellow buckeye in the Silvics of North America (Burns and Honkala,
1990) states, “Yellow buckeye is probably long-lived. It reaches relatively large size and
maintains itself in the mixed mesophytic forest” (Williams, 1990). The maximum age for
Carolina silverbell is somewhat better known. This species is thought to have moderate
growth rates and lives “about 100 years” (Sluder, 1990). The observations for these two
species beg the following questions: “What is long-lived for yellow buckeye?” and “Is
100 years the maximum age for Carolina silverbell?” These questions can easily be
addressed through a tree-ring analysis investigation. Answers to these questions can help
resource managers anticipate how the mixed-mesophytic forests of the Great Smoky
Mountain National Park may change over the coming century.
C. Scope of study - I propose a small study of the longevity and climatic sensitivity of
yellow buckeye and Carolina silverbell in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park
(GSMNP) using tree-ring analysis. GSMNP has large sections of intact and exemplary
primary forest, which makes it a prime area for natural history studies. The initial goal of
this study is to determine whether yellow buckeye or Carolina silverbell is useful for treering analysis. The few tree-ring studies of the genus Aesculus in Europe indicate that
yellow buckeye could be useful for dendrochronological studies (Dendrochronology
Species Database, 2005). There is no evidence that Halesia has been used in any tree-ring
studies. If both species have ring structures that allow for tree-ring analysis, the
secondary goal of the study will be to obtain an idea of how long each species can live.
Finally, if the growth rings of each species allow for the application of tree-ring analysis,
data collected will be used to determine the interaction between climate and tree growth
for each species.
Two populations of each species will be sampled for each species. According to Silvics
Manual of North America, longevity of white spruce (Picea glauca) is greater at
latitudinal treeline (Nienstaedt and Zasada, 1990). Longevity in trees also appears to be
associated with life in extreme environments (Schulman, 1954; Larson, 2001). Sampling
these species at an elevational limit in GSMNP will likely give better results regarding
maximum longevity and climate sensitivity.
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 2
of 12
D.
Intended use of results – Data from this study will be published in a regional
plant sciences or natural history journal. Data will also be submitted to the
International Tree-Ring Data Bank for public use. There is no anticipated
commercial usage of this data.
III.
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESES TO BE TESTED - The specific objectives are to study
the dendrochronological potential, longevity and climatic sensitivity of yellow-buckeye
and Carolina silverbell. I hypothesize that yellow-buckeye and Carolina silverbell: 1) are
sensitive enough to allow for rigorous crossdating, which is the basis of
dendrochronology, 2) yellow-buckeye’s longevity is not longer than 300 years and the
maximum age for Carolina silverbell is 100 years and 3) at high elevation, these species
are most sensitive to summer drought and winter temperatures (Pederson et al., 2004) and
that their relative sensitivity to these variables is equal.
IV.
METHODS A.
Description of study area – Within the GSMNP, I would like to sample one
population of yellow-buckeye and Carolina silverbell is the area between Mt.
LeConte and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. I visited this area with Dr.
Robert H. Jones, now of Virginia Tech University, a decade ago and have pictures
of a high elevation old-growth forest with these species. I would follow the
suggestions of Dr. Mike Jenkins, GSMNP forest ecologist, and Will Blozan and
Jess Riddle, local naturalists with great knowledge of old-growth within the park,
for a second location. I am guessing that these areas are considered wilderness.
B.
Procedures - Typical dendroclimatological field research protocol does not
include the setting up of permanent plots. Therefore, I will only GPS four to eight
locations within GSMNP. Coring will be conducted across size and age/vigor
classes of healthy, canopy trees. Tree condition will be judged by crown health
and bark appearance. I have cored more than 1,500 trees (mostly hardwood
species) as a part of my dissertation research. I feel I have a decent sense of tree
health and vigor. Diameter at breast height of each cored tree will be measured
using diameter tapes. Forest composition and stand basal area will be estimated
using a forestry cruise wedge prism.
The typical field method is to core 20 trees in a dominant canopy position taking
two cores per tree. It is necessary to take at least 2 cores per tree because trees do
not always produce a continuous ring around the stem when growing in a stressful
environment (Fritts, 1976). The second core will also help create a longer and
well-replicated chronology.
In the lab, annual ring increments will be crossdated to create a precise annual
time series of growth. Once crossdated each growth increment will be assigned a
calendar date with a margin of error of +/- zero.
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 3
of 12
C.
Collections – In total, 80 trees will be cored, 40 per species. One-hundred and
sixty cores 5.15 mm in diameter (roughly the diameter of a pencil) will be
extracted. These samples will be placed in plastic straws and labeled for transport
back to the Cumberland Laboratory of Forest Science at Eastern Kentucky
University where they will be archived unless GSMNP would prefer archival
once the project is finished. I am unaware of the existence of any kind of samples
similar to what I am proposing to collect.
D.
Analysis – Raw ring-width measurements will be standardized and converted to
tree-ring chronology form using the ARSTAN method (Cook 1985; Cook,
Kairiustis 1990). The adaptive power transformation will be used to stabilize
variance of the raw data (Cook et al., 1992; Cook and Peters 1997). Raw ring
widths will be standardized using double detrending This first entails the removal
of geometric growth trends from all series using fitted negative exponential or
linear growth curves. Second detrending of time-series will be achieved using
either flexible cubic smoothing splines (Cook and Peters 1981) or, linear models.
The goal of the second step is to remove differences in growth related to tree-totree competition or a significant decline in individual trees related to non-climatic
factors. Individual time-series will be averaged using a biweight robust mean
function to create the mean value function of year-to-year growth for each
population after detrending (Cook, 1985). The residual chronology type will be
used for analysis here. The residual chronology type contains the least amount of
disturbance-related growth, has one of the cleanest expressions of climate, and
lacks autocorrelation that can make statistical hypothesis testing difficult (Cook,
1985). Chronology quality will be estimated using rbar (Briffa 1995) and
expressed population signal (EPS) statistics (Wigley et al., 1984). EPS and rbar
are the primary tools in evaluating tree-ring chronology quality (Cook and
Kairiukstis 1990).
Growth indices of both species will be correlated to time series of minimum and
maximum temperatures, precipitation and the Palmer Drought Severity Index in
order to determine the climatic sensitivity of radial growth.
E.
Schedule –
Fieldwork: March 13-17, 2006
Laboratory Analysis & Data Collection: April - September, 2006
Statistical Analysis and Manuscript Preparation: Sept. – Dec. 2006
Project Completion: January 2007
F.
Budget – The fieldwork will be conducted during my spring break/vacation. All
expenses will be personal. My salary and the federal work-study program will
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 4
of 12
support for the laboratory analysis and a student at Eastern Kentucky University.
Materials are provided by Eastern Kentucky University.
V.
VI.
PRODUCTS
A.
Publications and reports – I plan to publish the results of this research to a
journal such as Castanea or Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society describing the
tree-ring analysis, longevity and climatic sensitivity for these species. I will send
this publication to Dr. Mike Jenkins and others at GSMNP.
B.
Collections – I prefer to store these samples within the Cumberland Laboratory of
Forest Science. A collection of increment cores is starting to be generated with
this laboratory. I will, however, abide by the wishes of the GSMNP as where to
archive these samples.
C.
Data and other materials – Besides a publication, I will create a web page at
Eastern Kentucky University with an overview of this study, including
photographs, generally describing the results. IF great ages are found for these
species, they will be added to OLDLIST: a database of maximum tree ages
[http://www.rmtrr.org/oldlist.htm]. I am also starting a web page that is
‘franchised’ from OLDLIST, but for eastern U.S. Species. Finally, this data will
be submitted to the International Tree-Ring Databank.
LITERATURE CITED –
Braun, E.L. 1950. Deciduous Forests of Eastern North America. The Blackburn Press. Caldwell,
NJ. 596 p.
Briffa, K.R. 1995. Interpreting high-resolution proxy climate data - the example of
dendroclimatology. In von Storch H, Navarra A, (eds), Analysis of Climate Data Variability,
Applications of Statistical Techniques, Springer Verlag, New York: 77-94.
Burns, R.M. and B.H. Honkala, (eds.). 1990. Silvics of North America: Volume 2, Hardwoods.
USDA Forest Service Agricultural Handbook 654. 877 p.
Cleaveland, M. 1998. Coring Controversy. Letter to the Editor. Wild Earth 8:13-14.
Cook, E. R., 1985: A Time Series Analysis Approach to Tree-Ring Standardization. Ph.D.
Thesis, University of Arizona, 171 pp.
Cook, E.R. and K. Peters. 1981. The smoothing spline: a new approach to standardizing forest
interior tree-ring width series for dendroclimatic studies. Tree-Ring Bulletin 41: 45-53.
Cook, E.R. and K. Peters. 1997. Calculating unbiased tree-ring indices for the study of climatic
and environmental change. Holocene 7: 361-370.
Cook, E. R. and L. A. Kairiukstis (Eds.), 1990: Methods of Dendrochronology. Kluwer
Academic, 394 pp.
Cook, E,R,, T. Bird, M. Peterson, M. Barbetti, B. Buckley, R. D'Arrigo and F. Francey. 1992.
Climatic change over the last millennium in Tasmania reconstructed with tree rings. Holocene
2: 205-217.
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 5
of 12
Dayton, P.K. 2003. The importance of the Natural Sciences to Conservation (An American
Society of Naturalists Symposium Paper). The American Naturalist 162: 1-13.
Dendrochronology Species Database. 2005. Web Document: http://www01.wsl.ch/species/.
Eckstein, D. and D. Dujesiefken. 1999. Long-term effects in trees due to increment borings.
Dendrochronologia 16-17: 205-211.
Fritts, H.C. 1976. Tree Rings and Climate. New York: Academic Press. 567 pp.
Hart and Wargo, 1965. Increment borer wounds – penetration points for Ceratocystis
fagacerarum. Journal of Forestry 63: 38-39.
Hepting, G.H., E.R. Roth and B. Sleeth. 1949. Discoloration and decay from increment borings.
Journal of Forestry 47: 366-370.
Heyerdahl, E.K. and S.J. McKay. 2001. Condition of live fire-scarred ponderosa pine trees six
years after removing partial cross sections. Tree-Ring Research 57: 131-139.
Hough, A.F., and R.D. Forbes. 1943. The ecology and silvics of forests in the high plateaus of
Pennsylvania. Ecological Monograph 13:301-320.
IPCC. 2001. Third Assessment Report - Climate Change 2001. The Third Assessment Report Of
The Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change. IPCC/WMO/UNEP.
Larson, D.W. 2001. The paradox of great longevity in a short-lived trees species. Experimental
Gerontology 36:651-673.
Loehle, C. 1988. Tree life history strategies: the role of defenses. Canadian Journal of Forest
Research 18: 209-222.
Lorenz, R.C. 1944. Discoloration and decay resulting from increment borings in hardwoods.
Journal of Forestry 42: 37-43.
Meyer and Hayward. 1936. Effect of increment coring on Douglas-fir. Journal of Forestry 34:
867-869.
Nienstaedt, H. and J.C. Zasada. 1990. White spruce. In: R.M. Burns and B.H. Honkala, (eds.).
Silvics of North America: Volume 2, Hardwoods. USDA Forest Service Agricultural
Handbook 654. 877 p.
Pederson, N., A.W. D'Amato and D.A. Orwig. In review.Central hardwood natural history from
dendrochronology: maximum ages of rarely studied species. Proceedings of the 15th Central
Hardwood Conference. February, 2006. Knoxville, TN.
Pederson, N., E.R. Cook, G.C. Jacoby, D.M. Peteet, and K.L. Griffin. 2004. The influence of
winter temperatures on the annual radial growth of six northern-range-margin tree species.
Dendrochronologia 22: 7-29.
Schmidly, D.J. 2005. What it means to be a naturalist and the future of natural history at
American universities. Journal of Mammalogy, 86(3): 449–456.
Schulman, E. 1954. Longevity under adversity in conifers. Science: 119: 396-399.
Shigo, A.L. 1984. Compartmentalization: a conceptual framework for understanding how trees
grow and defend themselves. Annual Review Phytopathology 22: 189-214.
Sluder, E.R. 1990. Carolina silverbell. In: R.M. Burns and B.H. Honkala, (eds.). Silvics of North
America: Volume 2, Hardwoods. USDA Forest Service Agricultural Handbook 654. 877 p.
Toole, E.R. and J.L. Gammage. 1959. Damage from increment borings in bottomland
hardwoods. Journal of Forestry 57: 909-911.
van Mantgem, P. J., and N. L. Stephenson. 2004. Does coring contribute to tree mortality? Can.
J. For. Res. 34: 2394–2398.
William, R.D. 1990. Yellow buckeye. In: R.M. Burns and B.H. Honkala, (eds.). Silvics of North
America: Volume 2, Hardwoods. USDA Forest Service Agricultural Handbook 654. 877 p.
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 6
of 12
VII.
QUALIFICATIONS – My CV is included beginning on the next paper of this
application. I have collected previously on NPS property for a study of pignut hickory
and post oak at Bear Island, MD as a part of my dissertation (CHOH-2003-SCI-0010
(Chesapeake & Ohio Canal NHP) and in the Congaree Swamp National Park as a part of
my M.S. degree. The part of my dissertation concerning the Bear Island collection was
scrapped. These cores, however, are currently being processed.
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 7
of 12
Neil Pederson, Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Science
Email: [email protected]
Eastern Kentucky University
Moore 235; 521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY 40475
Office Phone: (859) 622-6258
FAX: (859) 622-1399
Home: (859) 626-7838
Education
Ph. D. in Forest Ecology and Climate Change (2005)
Columbia University Department of Earth and Environment Science (DEES), New York, NY
Dissertation Advisors: Drs. Edward Cook and Gordon Jacoby
Dissertation Title: Cli matic Sens iti v ity a nd Growth of Souther n Temperate Trees in the Easter n
US: Impl ic ations for the Carbon Cycle
M. S. in Forest Ecology (1994)
Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn, AL
Thesis Advisors: Dr. Robert H. Jones and Rebecca R. Sharitz
Thesis Title: Stand and Spatial Age Distribution in an Old-Growth Loblolly Pine Floodplain Forest
B. S. in Ecosystems and Forest Biology (1990)
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY
A. A. S. in Mathematics (1988)
SUNY Morrisville State College, Morrisville, NY
Positions Held
2005-present
1999-2005
1997-1999
1997
1996-1997
1994-1996
1991-1994
1990
Assistant Professor, Dept. Bio. Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University
Graduate Research Assistant, Dept. of Earth & Env. Science, Columbia Univeristy
Senior Research Assistant, Tree-Ring Lab., Lamont-Doherty Earth Obs., Columbia U.
Forester, Wagner Forest Management LTD., Derby, VT
Forester, USDA Forest Service - Forest Inventory and Analysis, St. Johnsbury, VT
Forest Ecology Research Tech. III, J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center, Newton, GA.
Graduate Research Assistant, School of Forestry, Auburn U., auburn, AL
Research Assistant, SUNY-ESF, Syracuse, NY & Luquillo National Forest, Puerto Rico
Publications
Accepted
Pederson, N., A.W. D'Amato and D.A. Orwig. In Review. Central hardwood natural history from
dendrochronology: maximum ages of rarely studied species. Proceedings of the 15th Central Hardwood
Conference.
In Review
Cook, E.R. and N. Pederson. In Review. Uncertainty, emergence, and statistics in dendrochronology.
Book chapter for the conference “Tree Ring and Climate: Sharpening the Focus.”
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 1
of 12
Refereed
Hopton, H.M. and N. Pederson. In Press. Climate Sensitivity of Atlantic White Cedar at Its Northern
Range Limit. Atlantic White Cedar: Ecology, Restoration and Management, Proceedings of the
Arlington Echo Symposium. June 2-4 2003. Millersville, MD. USDA For. Ser. Gen. Tech. Rep.
Pederson, N., E.R. Cook, G.C. Jacoby, D.M. Peteet, and K.L. Griffin. 2004. The influence of winter
temperatures on the annual radial growth of six northern-range-margin tree species. Dendrochronologia
22: 7-29.
Jacoby, G., N. Pederson and R. D'Arrigo. 2003. Temperature and precipitation in Mongolia based on
dendroclimatic investigations. Chinese Science Bulletin 48 (14): 1474-1479.
Pederson, N., G.C. Jacoby, R. D'Arrigo, B. Buckley, C. Dugarjav, and R. Mijiddorj. 2001.
Hydrometeorological Reconstructions for Northeastern Mongolia Derived from Tree Rings: AD 16511995. J. Clim. 14: 872-881.
D'Arrigo, R., G. Jacoby, D. Frank, N. Pederson. 2001. Spatial response to major volcanic events on or
about AD 536, 934 and 1258: frost rings and other dendrochronological evidence form Mongolia.
Climatic Change 49: 239-246.
D'Arrigo, R., G. Jacoby, D. Frank, N. Pederson, B. Buckley, B. Nachin, R. Mijiddorj and C. Dugarjav.
2001. 1738 years of Mongolian temperature variability inferred from a tree-ring width chronology of
Siberian pine. Geophys. Res. Lett. 28: 543-546.
D'Arrigo, R., G. Jacoby, N. Pederson, D. Frank, B. Buckley, B. Nachin, R. Mijiddorj and C. Dugarjav.
2000. Mongolian Tree Rings, Temperature Sensitivity and Reconstructions of Northern Hemisphere
Temperature. The Holocene 10 (6): 669-672.
Pederson, N., R.H. Jones, and R.R. Sharitz. 1997. Age structure of old-growth loblolly pine stands in a
floodplain forest. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 124(2): 111-123.
Palik, B.J., R.J. Mitchell, G. Houseal, and N. Pederson. 1997. Competitive effects of overstory structure
and seedling response in a longleaf pine woodland ecosystem. Can. J. For. Res. 27(9): 1458-1464.
Palik, B.J. and N. Pederson. 1996. Overstory mortality and canopy disturbances in longleaf pine
ecosystems. Can. J. For. Res. 26(11): 2035-2047.
Refereed Book Chapters
Meldahl, R.S., N. Pederson, J.S. Kush, and J.M. Varner, III. 1999. Dendrochronological investigations of
climate and competitive effects on longleaf pine growth. In R. Wimmer and R E Vetter (eds.) Tree
Ring Analysis: Biological, Methodological and Environmental Aspects. CABI Publishing.
Wallingford, UK. pp. 265-285.
Proceedings Edited
Jacoby, G.C. and N. Pederson (eds.) 2001. Proceedings of the Meeting on Mongolian Paleoclimatology
and Environmental Research, Lamont-Doherty Earth Obs., Palisades, NY, 113 p.
Masters Thesis
Pederson, N. 1994. Stand and spatial age distribution in an old-growth loblolly pine floodplain forest.
MS Thesis. Auburn University. 110 p.
Selected Unrefereed Articles & Reports
Pederson, N., J.S. Kush, R.S. Meldahl, and W.D. Boyer. 2000. Longleaf pine cone crops and climate: a
possible link. Proceedings of the Tenth Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference, February
1999.
Pederson, N., L. Neel, and J. Kush. 1997. Ecosystem management ideas for the longleaf pine ecosystem.
First Annual Meeting of the Longleaf Pine Alliance. September 1996. Mobile, AL.
Pederson, N., E. Everham, and J.M. Sahm. 1991. Natural disturbance simulation for the Luquillo
Experimental Forest. In: Concern Toward Our Environment. J. McCloud, (ed.) Proc. of the Computer
Simulation Soc.
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 2
of 12
Selected Presentations
Pederson, N., E.R. Cook, H.M. Hopton and G.C. Jacoby. 2004. Evidence of Vigorously Growing Old
Trees in Eastern U.S. Forests. AGU Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. December 2004.
Pederson, N., E. Cook, G.C. Jacoby, and H.M. Hopton. 2004. Does Age Matter? Evidence of Vigorously Growing
Ancient Oaks. 6th Eastern Old-Growth Conference: Moving Toward Sustainable Forestry: Lessons From Old
Growth Forests, September 23-26, 2004 Geneva Point Center, Moultonborough, N.H.
Pederson, N., E. Hammond Pyle, A. Barker Plotkin, G. Jacoby, and S. Wofsy. 2004. Contribution of Red Maple to
Carbon Uptake in the Eddy-flux Tower Plot Forest. 15th Annual Harvard Forest Ecology Symposium, March 29,
2004. Harvard Forest, Petersham, Massachusetts.
Pederson, N.; Jacoby, G.C.; D'Arrigo, R.D.; Nachin, B.; Frank, D.; Buckley, B.M.; Dugarjav, C. & Mijidorj, R.
2000. Temperature fluctuations over the past 1000 years in western Mongolia. International Conference on
Dendrochronology for the Third Millennium. 2-7 April, 2000 Mendoza, Argentina.
A complete list can be reviewed at: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~adk/prof/cv.html#PRE
Grants & Fellowships
2005
$ 26,841
‘Using dendrochronology to confirm old-growth forest, and reconstruct
climatic and hydrologic sensitivity of Atlantic white-cedar at the Buckridge
Coastal Reserve, NC’. North Carolina Dept. of Coastal Management, (w/ Dr.
Ben Poulter, Duke University).
2002
$
6,000
2001-2005
III)
$ 19,200/yr
2000
$
2000
$ 21,000
2000
$
5,000
1992
$
5,000
4,175
‘Dendrochronological Analysis of Suwannee River Basin Tree Species’,
Suwannee River Water Management District, Florida (w/ J.M. Varner,
‘An Experimental Study to Explore the Relationship of Ecosystem Carbon
Uptake Eddy-Flux Measurements and Tree Growth: A Tree-Ring Analysis
Approach’, U.S. Dept. of Energy Global Change Education Program,
Fellowship.
‘Age Model Constraint of a Northern Hudson River Valley Bog Sediment Core’,
Climate Center of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, (w/ Dr. Dorothy Peteet).
‘High Resolution Millennial Scale History of Hudson Valley, NY Forests:
Climatic and Environmental Influences on Carbon Storage’, NASA Earth
System Science Fellowship Program, (w/ Dr. Dorothy Peteet).
‘Miniconference on Mongolian Paleoclimatology and Environmental Research’,
Climate Center of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, (w/ Dr. Gordon Jacoby).
‘Disturbance history and establishment of loblolly pine in the Congaree Swamp.
U.S. National Park Service Research Grant, (w/ Dr. Robert H. Jones).
Honors and Awards
2003- present Sigma Xi National Scientific Research Society
2001- 2002
Teaching Assistant Of the Year, Dept. of Earth & Env. Science, Columbia U.
2000
Young Scientist Travel Scholarship, Int. Conf. on Dendrochronology in Mendoza,
Argentina.
1992
Xi Sigma Pi - Forestry National Honor Society
1989
Alpha Xi Sigma - SUNY-ESF Honor Society
1988
N.J.C.A.A. Academic All-American in Lacrosse
Professional Memberships
Tree-Ring Society, Ecological Society of America
Service and Community Activities
Synergistic Activities
Summer 2000 - Co-lead and taught the First Dendrochronological Fieldweek in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Fall 2000
- Co-convened conference on Mongolian Paleoclimate and Environment at LDEO
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 3
of 12
Selected Community Talks
Organization
LDEO Annual Open
House
LDEO Summer
Intern Lecture
Battle Creek
Cypress Swamp
Sanctuary
League of
Naturalists
Where
Palisades, NY
When
Each October
Palisades, NY
Each Summer
Calvert County, MD
August 2004
Bear Mountain St.
Park, NY
March 2004
Vermont County
Foresters Annual
Meeting
ADK Mtn. Club
St. Johnsbury, VT
Fall 2003
Cambridge, NY
Fall 2003
Other Projects and Collaborators
Eddy-Flux Measurements & Tree Growth
Post-Fire Regeneration, Adirondack Mtns.
Title
Hiking the History of Eastern U.S.
Dendrochronology
Hiking the History of Eastern U.S.
Dendrochronology
Snow Pack: A Winter Blanket for Southern
Trees?
Winter Temperatures and Tree Growth in the
Hudson River Valley: Implications for the
Carbon Cycle
Experimental Study of Carbon Uptake and
Tree-Ring Estimates of Growth
Co-led grand opening hike of new hiking trail
in Goose Egg State Forest
Dr. Steve Wofsy (Harvard University)
E. Hammond-Pyle (Harvard University)
A. Barker Plotkin (Harvard Forest)
Dr. Susy Ziegler (University of Minnesota)
Data Bank Contributions
2005 - Pederson, N., et al. Oldest-known Acer rubrum, Betula lenta, Carya ovata, Liriodendron tulipifera, Magnolia
acuminata, Quercus alba and Q. montana. Oldlist: A Database of Maximum Tree Ages http://www.rmtrr.org/oldlist.htm.
2000
Pederson, N., D. Pederson, and H.M. Hopton. Oldest-known Quercus bicolor – Swamp white oak. Oldlist:
A Database of Maximum Tree Ages - http://www.rmtrr.org/oldlist.htm.
1999
Jacoby, G.C., R. D'Arrigo, B.M. Buckley, N. Pederson. Tree-Ring Data from Mongolia. International
Tree-Ring Data Bank. IGBP PAGES/World Data Center-A for Paleoclimatology Data Contribution Series
to MONG004. NOAA/NGDC Paleoclimatology Program. Boulder, CO, USA.
1999
Pederson, N., B.M. Buckley, B.Nachin and G.C. Jacoby. Oldest-known Larix sibirica - Siberian larch.
Oldlist: A Database of Maximum Tree Ages - http://www.rmtrr.org/oldlist.htm
1997
Pederson, N.. Tree-Ring Data, Georgia Longleaf Pine. International Tree-Ring Data Bank. IGBP
PAGES/World Data Center-A for Paleoclimatology Data Contribution Series # 97-003. NOAA/NGDC
Paleoclimatology Program. Boulder, CO, USA.
1997
Kush, J. , N. Pederson, and R. Meldahl. Tree-Ring Data, Alabama Longleaf Pine. International TreeRing Data Bank. IGBP PAGES/World Data Center-A for Paleoclimatology Data Contribution Series # 97005. NOAA/NGDC Paleoclimatology Program. Boulder, CO, USA.
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 4
of 12
VIII.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND SPECIAL CONCERNS A.
Safety – N/A.
B.
Access to study sites – On foot/hiking. Only two nights of camping are planned,
if that, and one other person will accompany me. We will likely camp in the Mt.
LeConte shelter.
C.
Use of mechanized and other equipment – No equipment will be left in the
field.
D.
Chemical use – N/A.
E.
Ground disturbance – N/A.
F.
Animal welfare – N/A.
G.
NPS assistance – The only assistance I would like from NPS staff is from those,
such as Mike Jenkins, with knowledge of old-growth mixed-mesophytic forests
and access trails in the park.
G.
Wilderness “minimum requirement” protocols - My research will have a very
light impact on the environment and adheres to the wilderness ‘minimum
requirement’. No permanent tools or markers will be left in the park. I will,
however, will be coring trees, which can cause some concern for others. Below is
information regarding the impact of coring in wilderness areas.
Coring creates wounds that may cause internal decay. There is no evidence, however, of
tree mortality after increment coring (Meyer and Hayward, 1936; Lorenz, 1944; Hepting
et al., 1949; Toole and Gammage, 1959; Hart and Wargo, 1965; Cleaveland, 1998;
Eckstein and Dujesiefken, 1999; van Mantgem and Stephenson, 2004). In fact, little
effect on mortality was observed when stem wedge sections were removed using a
chainsaw (Heyerdahl and McKay, 2001).
Trees, like most biological beings, use natural defense mechanisms to maintain their
vitality (Shigo, 1984; Loehle, 1988). This is especially true of vigorous dominant and codominant individuals (Meyer and Hayward, 1936; Lorenz, 1944; Hepting et al., 1949).
Holes from more than half of all trees cored in core damage studies healed within 2-3
years. Trees that did not heal well were typically of short-lived species or suppressed
individuals (Meyer and Hayward, 1936; Lorenz, 1944; Hepting et al., 1949; Toole and
Gammage, 1959). I do not plan to plug the cored wounds as plugging does little to reduce
discoloration or decay (Meyer and Hayward, 1936; Lorenz, 1944; Hepting et al., 1949).
Therefore, evidence indicates that boring canopy dominant trees will not significantly
change mortality rates in the GSMNP. The small wounds created by coring will likely
heal rapidly and be insignificant injuries.
Study.doc 01/10/2001 Page 5
of 12