Is dendrochronology facing a crisis?
Abstract
Dendrochronology has strengthened temporal benchmarks in many scientific disciplines. The precise dating of annual rings allows quantifying trends and pinpointing events critical to understanding key processes from climate warming to forest growth. However, here I argue that dendrochronology may be in crisis. First, the tree-ring series added and made publicly available through the largest global and public repository plateaued in 1990. Second, references including relevant terms (tree ring or tree-ring, dendroecology, dendroclimatology) peaked in the early 2020 s and declined afterwards. I suggest to update dendrochronology by making more tree-ring data available in public repositories, and integrating the discipline within research frames addressing global challenges in geosciences or environmental sciences.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Tree-ring climate responses
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
Climate variability and models
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Dendrochronologia
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Volume
- 97
- Pages
- 126527–126527
- Publication date
- 17 April 2026
- Language
- EN