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Mongolian Tree Rings and 20th-Century Warming
1G. C. Jacoby and R. D. D'Arrigo, Tree-Ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY 10964, USA. T. Davaajamts, Institute of Botany, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 210351, Mongolia.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|August 9, 1996
Summary
Recent warming is unusual, according to a 450-year Siberian pine tree-ring record from Mongolia. Tree ring widths show recent growth is wider than in the past, correlating with temperature variations.
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Dendrochronology
- Ecology
Background:
- Tree rings provide valuable proxy data for reconstructing past climate conditions.
- Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) at high altitudes can be sensitive to temperature fluctuations.
- Long-term temperature trends are crucial for understanding current climate change.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a 450-year tree-ring width chronology for Siberian pine in Mongolia.
- To assess the sensitivity of these tree rings to annual temperature variations.
- To compare regional temperature variations with Arctic climate reconstructions.
Main Methods:
- Construction of a 450-year tree-ring width chronology from Siberian pine at 2450m in the Tarvagatay Mountains.
- Ecological site observations to understand growth factors.
- Comparison of the tree-ring record with instrumental temperature records and existing Arctic temperature reconstructions.
Main Results:
- The chronology reveals significantly wider annual growth rings for Siberian pine during the recent century.
- Tree ring widths demonstrate a strong correlation with annual temperature variations.
- Low-frequency variations in the Mongolian tree-ring record align with Arctic temperature reconstructions.
Conclusions:
- The recent warming trend is exceptional when compared to the past 450 years of Siberian pine growth.
- Siberian pine tree rings serve as a reliable indicator of past temperature variability in west central Mongolia.
- The findings contribute to a broader understanding of Arctic and sub-Arctic climate dynamics.