Dendro Database
  Dendro Database | Database Surfer | Dendrochronology GIS  
 

Dendrochronological Database

This relational tree ring database contains tree ring data as well as their documentation and spatial information.
All information is available over World Wide Web.

About the data

Almost all samples contained in the data collection were taken near the northern timberline or near the altitude timberline. In these extreme habitats, climatic conditions (mostly temperature) are known to have major influences on tree ring properties. Analysis of these tree ring data for reconstructing palaeoclimatic conditions have therefore been of interest to many scientists. About 14'000 cores of more than 40 tree species have been collected at about 600 locations all over the northern hemisphere. More than 1000 x-ray films have been exposed from the samples. Then, for each sample and each tree ring, several parameters were measured on the film:
  • minimum density
  • maximum density
  • earlywood density
  • latewood density
  • earlywood width
  • latewood width
  • ring width
  • approx. age of pith

Accessing the data

The dendrochronological data can be accessed by two web-based and linked applications:

Dendro Database Surfer The Dendro Database Surfer, a database browser
allows to search for all attribute data and browse through the database. The dendro data can be downloaded in TUCSON format.
» How to use the Dendro Database Surfer
   
Dendrochronology GIS Viewer The Dendrochronology GIS, a GIS viewer
serves to perform spatial queries on the database. All sample locations are plotted on a World Vegetation Cover Map.
» How to use the Dendrochronology GIS-Viewer

Citation

All data held in the WSL Dendro Database (WDD) are generated by research scientists, and original scientific references should be cited, whenever possible. For data retrieved from WDD it is mandatory to cite as follows:

WSL Dendro Database, Switzerland. www.wsl.ch/dendro

References and Links

  • SCHMATZ, D.R., GHOSH S., and HELLER I. (2001): Tree Ring Web and alternative chronologies. In: KAENNEL, M., BRÄKER, O.U. (eds.): International Conference Tree Rings and People. Davos, 22-26 September 2001, Abstracts, Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. p. 120.
    Abstract and Poster.
  • The International Tree-Ring Data Bank (ITRDB), managed by the World Data Center for Paleoclimatology, Boulder, Colorado, serves as the permanent public repository for tree-ring data from around the world.

Authors

Dirk Schmatz, WSL: Dendro Database, Webapplication
Iris Heller-Kellenberger, WSL: Webdesign