“Transects and Tree Rings at LDEO” with Brendan Buckley (May 2008)

Transects and Tree Rings at LDEO

with Brendan Buckley 

Originally presented 10 May 2008

 Brendan Buckley (Doherty Associate Research Scientist in the LDEO Tree Ring Lab) will lead a hike through the Lamont campus to a 100 m x 100 m plot where investigations are exploring climate and vegetation changes. This will be our first E2C Workshop held mostly outdoors!
Wear appropriate footgear for hiking. Also, bring sun protection.

 

Introduction to this Workshop

This E2C Workshop was mostly outdoor, so there was no introductory PowerPoint presentation. Those interested may wish to view slide shows from previous workshops with similar themes:

PowerPoint | HTML

Several years ago, Dr. Neil Pederson developed walks through the Lamont forest. Click here for a virtual tour of this experience.  

E2C teachers have conducted variations of Neil’s walk during recent LDEO Open Houses.

 

Cutting-Edge Research

Dr. Brendan Buckley is a Doherty Associate research Scientists in Lamont’s Tree Ring Lab http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/fac/trl/). His personal website can be viewed at http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/fac/trl/staff/staffbmb/bmbcv.html.

After earning his B.S. from Plymouth State (NH) and M.A. from Arizona State, Brendan followed his interest in studying Asian Monsoons by obtaining his doctorate from University of Tasmania in Australia.  His research interests are currently focused on Tropical Dendrochronology, with special emphasis on South and Southeast Asia.  As part of a 5-year project Tree-Ring Reconstructions of Asian Monsoon Climate Dynamics, he has  developed the Laboratory of Tropical Dendrochronology (LTD) at the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden in north Thailand.  The LTD has been in actual operation since October 2004.  In August 2005 the primary operation was moved to Bangkok, and the Tree Ring Laboratory was officially opened at the Kasetsart University Faculty of Forestry (KUFF).  The KUFF laboratory is the regional hub of activity for this project in Southeast Asia. He and colleagues have developed a curriculum for teaching Dendrochronology at the University, and are planning a series of scholarships for developing post-graduate research projects linked to the Monsoon project.  The KUFF-TRL is fast becoming the regional training center for Dendrochronology, and a series of workshops have been planned, beginning in May of 2006.  He will be based from here for 6 months or more each year for the duration of the Asian Monsoon grant, working in locations from India, Sri Lanka, Laos, Thailand, and throughout South and Southeast Asia.  International, regional collaborations from these countries are critical for the success of the project.

But Brendan is also interested in what dendrochronology can reveal about climate change in the NY metropolitan area, and has begun creation of test aeas within the Lamont Forest. Some of this work involves participation by students conducting authentic science research, and by groups brought by Earth2Class participants.

 

Classroom Resources

Here are some classroom oriented activities to help students learn more about using tree rings.

Diane Frank (E2C participant in 2003 – 2004) created these suggestions for elementary school teachers.

“Lesson Plans pages: My Life as a Tree” http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceSSMyLifeAsATree-RingsBarkCambiumHeartwoodK4.htm

“Dendrochronology for Educators” http://www.ltrr.arizona.edu/lorim/lori.html

NOVA: Building a Tree-Ring Timeline” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/treering.html

“NOVA Methusalah Tree activity” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/activities/2817_methusel_01.html

“Gulf Forestry educational suggestions” http://www.gulfforestry.com/main/index.htm?educational/educ.htm~mainFrame

“USGS Global Change activities” http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/teachers/globalchange.htm

 

Other Resources for This Topic

Here are selected web sites about tree ring studies suggested by Nicole Davi of the Lamont Tree Ring Laboratory Group:

“Ultimate Tree-Ring Web Pages” http://web.utk.edu/~grissino/

“Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory”: http://dendrochronology.net/introduction.asp#

“Resources for Dendrochronologists” http://web.utk.edu/~grissino/resources.htm#Educ

“Dendrochronology for Educators” http://www.ltrr.arizona.edu/lorim/lori.html

“NOAA Paleoclimatology” http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/education.html

“NOVA: Building a Tree-Ring Timeline” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/vikings/treering.html

“NOVA Methusalah Tree activity” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/activities/2817_methusel_01.html

“Gulf Forestry educational suggestions” http://www.gulfforestry.com/main/index.htm?educational/educ.htm~mainFrame

“USGS Global Change activities” http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/teachers/globalchange.htm

“Tree-Ring Record of Wetland Changes” http://ny.usgs.gov/pubs/fs/fs05797/html2/FS057-97.html

“Lesson Plans pages: My Life as a Tree” http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceSSMyLifeAsATree-RingsBarkCambiumHeartwoodK4.htm

     A related interesting story involving dendrochronology, Lamont research, and famous violins can be found at
http://www.earth.columbia.edu/news/2003/story12-03-03.html
Climatic conditions in the late 17th-early 18th century revealed through the study of tree rings may have be critical to the tonal qualities of instruments created by Stradivarius and Amati in Cremona.