Dendrochronology in the Blackwater Ecological Preserve

Presenter and Co-Authors

Sarah Durham, Old Dominion UniversityFollow
Arvind BhutaFollow

College

College of Sciences

Department

Biological Sciences

Graduate Level

Master’s

Publication Date

2023

DOI

10.25883/x5mz-4b91

Abstract

The Blackwater Ecological Preserve (BEP), located in southeastern Virginia, holds significant ecological importance as it contains the northernmost intact community of Pinus palustris, longleaf pine. At the BEP, we cored longleaf pine and recorded sample data including tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH). Two sites on the BEP, the 20’s series and 40’s series, were found to correlate within, but not between, sites. Statistical and qualitative analyses were conducted to find differences between the sites significant enough to affect correlation within a chronology. This data is being incorporated into a larger dendrochronology and climate analysis study on longleaf and other pine species on the BEP. This research is important for several reasons. Currently, no baseline master chronology exists for any tree species of the BEP, so the age of the pine populations is unknown. Additionally, there is a significant lack of research on climate related growth trends involving the longleaf pine near the northern range limit. The information produced from this study may have implications in the future management of the Preserve and its pine populations.

Keywords

Longleaf, Dendrochronology, Tree ring dating

Disciplines

Forest Biology

Files

Recommended Citation

Durham, Sarah and Bhuta, Arvind, "Dendrochronology in the Blackwater Ecological Preserve" (2023). College of Sciences Posters. 22.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/gradposters2023_sciences/22