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Related Concept Videos

Global Climate Change01:50

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.
Softwoods and Hardwoods01:28

Softwoods and Hardwoods

Softwoods and hardwoods, derived from different types of trees, are distinguished by their leaf structures and cellular compositions, each serving unique purposes in construction and manufacturing. Softwoods come from cone-bearing trees with needle-like leaves and are predominantly composed of longitudinal cells called tracheids and a smaller proportion of radial cells known as rays. Due to their cellular structure, softwoods are commonly used in construction for structural frames, sheathing,...
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Introduction to Wood

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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Tree Core Analysis with X-ray Computed Tomography
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Published on: September 22, 2023

Beech latewood density as a proxy for temperature reconstruction.

Louis Verschuren1,2,3, Vladimir Matskovsky1,2, Matthieu N Boone2,4

  • 1UGent-Woodlab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.

Science Advances
|July 3, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

European beech wood density accurately tracks summer temperatures, offering a new method for climate reconstruction in areas lacking conifers. This broad-leaved tree proxy expands paleoclimate data beyond traditional conifer records.

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Published on: August 29, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Paleoclimatology
  • Dendrochronology
  • Wood Science

Background:

  • Maximum latewood density in conifers is a primary proxy for annual summer temperatures.
  • Conifer-limited regions are underrepresented in global paleoclimate records, hindering comprehensive climate reconstructions.
  • Broad-leaved tree species offer potential for climate proxy development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) latewood density as a summer temperature proxy.
  • To analyze the wood anatomical drivers of latewood density variability and temperature sensitivity.
  • To establish a robust, high-resolution paleoclimate record using broad-leaved trees.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) for precise latewood density measurements.
  • Employed deep learning segmentation for detailed wood anatomical analyses (vessel and fiber anatomy).
  • Cross-dated and analyzed beech wood samples from 1833 to 2022 CE.

Main Results:

  • European beech latewood density shows a strong correlation with summer (May-September) temperatures (r = 0.73).
  • Vessel and fiber anatomy were identified as key factors influencing latewood density and its temperature sensitivity.
  • X-ray micro-CT and anatomical data integration yielded a stable and reliable summer temperature signal.

Conclusions:

  • European beech latewood density is a viable and robust proxy for reconstructing past summer temperatures in temperate regions.
  • This study demonstrates the significant potential of broad-leaved trees for expanding paleoclimate reconstructions.
  • The findings open new pathways for high-resolution paleoclimatology, moving beyond conifer-exclusive methods.