Assessing the dendrochronological potential of Pinus occidentalis Swartz in the Cordillera Central of the Dominican Republic

Opportunities for dendrochronology in the tropics are rare because few locations experience sesonality strong enough to induce annual (or even dependably cyclic) ring formation in trees. Consequently, any such opportunities that exist are valuable and identifying them is worth investing time and effort. West Indian pine (Pinus occidentalis Swartz) is endemic to the island of Hispaniola (l9°N, 71°W). It has prviously been shown not to produce useful rings in low-elevation (<2000 m) stands. We investigated its potential in small (4-11 tree) sample sets from four sites between 2000m and 3000m where seasonality of temperature and precipitation is more pronounced. Primary growth rings were distinct at all sites. False rings, diffuse rings, pinching rings and micro-rings were also present, and their number varied considerably by site. Quality of ring formation appeared to increase with both moisture stress (elevation, exposure, edaphic factors) and cold stress (elevation, exposure, cold-air drainage). We were able to cross-date saples (average interseries correlation= 0.44; average mean sensitivity= 0.44) from nine trees at the higheselevation site, and that chronology correlated significantly (r=–0.45, P<0.001) with monthly and sesonal maximum temperatures from a nearby meteorological station. This finding suggests a centuries-long reconstruction of temperature may be possible for this subtropical location. We conclude that, with careful site and tree selection, oversampling to allow exclusion of problematic specimens and greater use of coplete cross-sections rather than cores, P. occidentalis may allow dendrochronological reconstruction of climate, fire history and other environmental processes that operate on the island of Hispaniola

Archaeology · Biology · Botany · Chronology · Climatology · Dendrochronology · Dendroclimatology · Edaphic · Geography · Holocene · Meteorology · Physical geography · Pinus · Precipitation · Soil water · Subfossil · Subtropics · Environmental Science · Forest ecology and management · Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics · Tree-ring climate responses · Ecology · Forestry · Geology

• The Dendrochronology of Pinus elliottii in the Lower Florida Keys

  Grant L Harley, Henri D Grissino‐Mayer et al.•Tree-Ring Research•2011

  Añadir item

• Annual chronology and climate response in Abies guatemalensis Rehder (Pinaceae) in Central America

  Open Access•Kevin J Anchukaitis, Matthew J Taylor et al.•The Holocene•2012

  Añadir item

• Paired Dating of Pith and Outer Edge (Terminus) Samples from Pre-Hispanic Caribbean Wooden Sculptures

  Open Access•Fiona Brock, Joanna Ostapkowicz et al.•Radiocarbon•2012

  Añadir item

• On the Production of Climate Information in the High Mountain Forests of Guatemala

  Diego Pons, Matthew J Taylor et al.•Annals of the American…•2017

  Añadir item

• A 1000-Year Record of Temperature and Precipitation in the Sierra Nevada

  Open Access•Lisa J Graumlich•Quaternary Research•1993

  Añadir item

• Geomorphic Traces of Quaternary Climates in the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic

  Open Access•Kenneth H Orvis, G Michael Clark et al.•Mountain Research and Development•1997

  Añadir item

• Land-Use Change and the Structural Dynamics of Pinus kesiya in a Hill Evergreen Forest in Northern Thailand

  Open Access•Melissa Savage•Mountain Research and Development•1994

  Añadir item

• An assessment of the dendrochronological potential of two Podocarpus species

  Open Access•Edmund February, Ed C February et al.•The Holocene•1998

  Añadir item

• A 400-year Tree-ring Chronology from the Tropical Treeline of North America

  Franco Biondi•AMBIO•2001

  Añadir item