What is Dendrochronology?
Many people know it's possible to determine the age of a tree by counting its rings. In fact, there is a special branch of science to study and develop this method.
Dendrochronology is the science of counting tree rings to determine tree age and monitor unique environmental events.
How does it actually work? Each year trees grow new rings around the perimeter of their trunk and limbs. These rings are the new vascular tissue that transfer water and nutrients up the tree to its leaves. During the growing season the new growth that develops produces larger open tubes than during the dormant period. It helps to transfer the flows of water more efficiently.
More Info:
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What are your thoughts on this subject?
39 Comments
Alan Waites
TREE RING DATING, I HOPE THEY MAKE A HAPPY COUPLE
Richard D. Boyle
Excellent trivia question and explanation.
earlepg
Know those rings well. Counted many rings while doing my job in timber taxation (just one of the ways where the ring count is useful).
Maurice Carlier
Its like on line dating, but more wooden.
Shirley Dutt
Also, when looking at the rings, notice how some are spread wide and some are so close you can hardly count the rings. The close ones are years of drought. The larger spaces between rings indicate plenty of preciprecipitation. Again, happy counting.
Shirley Dutt
I've done this job. The oldest tree I did was a Douglas For and it was 517 years old. When you count the rings, always add 10 years as the first 10 years do not leave rings. Happy counting!
Howard Groopman
Sure helps to know that dendro- relates to trees.
tbear
Todd Cates, 👍😊
Ilias Tsiabardas
I knew that one Got it
silrem
Richard D. Boyle, I apologize for criticizing my elder (by about 5 years) but you have a low bar for a good explanation. That was minimal. Tree rings give lots of info that is interesting. I hope you demanded more of your students.
Joseph A. Robitaille
A good question and answer.
Michael Sydney Brighouse
seen it on " TIME TEAM" many times.
Nicole Toma-Tolman
I actually knew about this. I saw a documentary once where they analyzed the life and struggles of a tree using its rings. I remember that you can tell if there were droughts or lots of rain by the width of the annual rings.
Lorna Shipton
It's an amazing subject, they can tell when there have been years of drought, heavy rainfall, and other natural phenomena. I watched a wonderful programme about dendrochronology a few years ago.
Barbara Greer
got it with a guess