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Can we distinguish between tree-ring eccentricity developed as a result of landsliding and prevailing winds? consequences for dendrochronological dating

Małgorzata Wistuba
Małgorzata Wistuba
, 
Ireneusz Malik
Ireneusz Malik
 and 
Marek Krąpiec
Marek Krąpiec
   | Nov 22, 2018
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Article Category: Regular Articles
Published Online: Nov 22, 2018
Page range: 223 - 234
Received: Jul 09, 2018
Accepted: Sep 11, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/geochr-2015-0098
Keywords
© 2018 M. Wistuba et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Habits and eccentricity of annual rings in Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) trees: spruce tilted upslope due to landsliding (A) and spruce tilted leeward due to prevailing wind (B). Direction of stem sampling marked: u– upslope radius, d– downslope radius, w – windward radius, l– leeward radius.
Habits and eccentricity of annual rings in Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) trees: spruce tilted upslope due to landsliding (A) and spruce tilted leeward due to prevailing wind (B). Direction of stem sampling marked: u– upslope radius, d– downslope radius, w – windward radius, l– leeward radius.

Fig. 2

Location of study and reference sites in the Central Sudetes, Kamienne Mts., SW Poland (Suchawa study site and reference site) and in the Eastern Sudetes, Hrubý Jeseník Mts., NE Czech Republic (Hubertka study site and reference site).
Location of study and reference sites in the Central Sudetes, Kamienne Mts., SW Poland (Suchawa study site and reference site) and in the Eastern Sudetes, Hrubý Jeseník Mts., NE Czech Republic (Hubertka study site and reference site).

Fig. 3

A – Location of the Suchawa study site (L) and reference site (R). B – Location of the Hubertka study site (W) and reference site (R).
A – Location of the Suchawa study site (L) and reference site (R). B – Location of the Hubertka study site (W) and reference site (R).

Fig. 4

Subsequent steps of tree-ring eccentricity analysis in a tree affected by landsliding in the Suchawa study site with respective formulas allowing transformation of ring widths [mm] on the upslope (Ux) and downslope (Dx) sides of stems into eccentricity [mm] (Ex), then eccentricity index [%] (Eix) and its yearly variation [percentage points] (vEix) and disturbance (eccentricity) events dated with the use of reference thresholds (method after Wistuba et al., 2013). Example of ring width graph, eccentricity index graph, graph of yearly variation of eccentricity index.
Subsequent steps of tree-ring eccentricity analysis in a tree affected by landsliding in the Suchawa study site with respective formulas allowing transformation of ring widths [mm] on the upslope (Ux) and downslope (Dx) sides of stems into eccentricity [mm] (Ex), then eccentricity index [%] (Eix) and its yearly variation [percentage points] (vEix) and disturbance (eccentricity) events dated with the use of reference thresholds (method after Wistuba et al., 2013). Example of ring width graph, eccentricity index graph, graph of yearly variation of eccentricity index.

Fig. 5

Examples of tree-ring eccentricity developed by individual Norway spruce trees affected by landsliding (Suchawa study site), by prevailing wind (Hubertka study site) and by trees growing in reference sites, in the absence of landsliding and prevailing wind (Suchawa reference site and Hubertka reference site). Note the difference in vertical scale between the eccentricity index developed in the Hubertka study site and in other sites.
Examples of tree-ring eccentricity developed by individual Norway spruce trees affected by landsliding (Suchawa study site), by prevailing wind (Hubertka study site) and by trees growing in reference sites, in the absence of landsliding and prevailing wind (Suchawa reference site and Hubertka reference site). Note the difference in vertical scale between the eccentricity index developed in the Hubertka study site and in other sites.

Fig. 6

Sample depth and the number of eccentricity events dated in all trees sampled in both study sites. The response index calculated for the Suchawa study site (landslide impact) and for the Hubertka study site (impact of prevailing wind) with periods of sample depth >50% marked.
Sample depth and the number of eccentricity events dated in all trees sampled in both study sites. The response index calculated for the Suchawa study site (landslide impact) and for the Hubertka study site (impact of prevailing wind) with periods of sample depth >50% marked.

Statistical parameters describing sets of eccentricity index values calculated for sample populations of trees affected by landsliding (Suchawa study site), prevailing wind (Hubertka study site) and for sample populations of reference trees growing in sites unaffected by landsliding and prevailing wind (Suchawa reference site, Hubertka reference site). Upslope/windward (up./wind.) and downslope/leeward (down./lee.) eccentricity was separated in the calculations.

Parameters of eccentricity indexSuchawa (active landslide) study siteSuchawa reference siteHubertka (prevailing study wind) siteHubertka reference site
Max up./wind1833.33320.69636.59127.55
Min down./lee–467.57–339.22–4350.00–522.06
Mean up./wind68.9637.3771.7924.45
Mean down./lee–42.50–28.43–206.77–33.33
Mean34.245.41–162.48–8.86
Standard deviation up./wind104.4038.76114.4623.44
Standard deviation down./lee56.5833.16361.4941.98
Standard deviation105.6648.87349.7745.42
Median up./wind38.7625.3331.4316.75
Median down./lee–25.00–19.43–92.11–22.38
Median18.331.90–73.29–4.67
Total no of rings under analysis15446961302562
Up./wind. eccentricity [% of rings]68.8551.4415.9042.35
Down./lee. eccentricity [% of rings]31.1548.5684.1057.65
eISSN:
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Language:
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