Tree rings are commonly used proxy data for past climate variability. Probably the simplest practical solution for transforming raw tree-ring data into proxy estimates and retaining information on low-frequency tree-growth forcing is the regional curve standardization (RCS). This paper reviews the...
Author(s)
Helama, S.; Melvin, T. M.; Briffa, K. R.
Publisher
Sage Publications Ltd, London, UK
Citation
Holocene, 2017, 27, 1, pp 172-177
There is controversy regarding the limiting climatic factor for tree radial growth at the alpine treeline on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. In this study, we collected 594 increment cores from 331 trees, grouped within four altitude belts spanning the range 3550 to 4020 m.a.s.l. on a single...
Author(s)
Qin Chun; Yang Bao; Melvin, T. M.; Fan ZeXin; Zhao Yan; Briffa, K. R.
Publisher
Public Library of Sciences (PLoS), San Francisco, USA
Citation
PLoS ONE, 2013, 8, 11, pp e79362
A number of processing options associated with the use of a "regional curve" to standardise tree-ring measurements and generate a chronology representing changing tree growth over time are discussed. It is shown that failing to use pith offset estimates can generate a small but systematic...
Author(s)
Melvin, T. M.; Briffa, K. R.
Publisher
Elsevier GmbH, München, Germany
Citation
Dendrochronologia, 2014, 32, 4, pp 343-356
This is the first of a two-part description of a new software tool CRUST (Climatic Research Unit Standardisation of Tree-ring data). This program has been designed primarily to allow the convenient, routine application of "Signal-Free Regional Chronology Standardisation" (SF RCS) to different types ...
Author(s)
Melvin, T. M.; Briffa, K. R.
Publisher
Elsevier GmbH, München, Germany
Citation
Dendrochronologia, 2014, 32, 1, pp 7-20
Cubic smoothing splines with a fixed-period response are used widely in producing "expected" growth curves for ring-width and density data in dendroclimatology. A simple modification to the procedure which generates these splines enables the use of a smoothing spline with a user-specified,...
Author(s)
Melvin, T. M.; Briffa, K. R.; Nicolussi, K.; Grabner, M.
Publisher
Elsevier GmbH, Jena, Germany
Citation
Dendrochronologia, 2007, 25, 1, pp 65-69
It is generally hypothesized that tree growth at the upper treeline is normally controlled by temperature while that at the lower treeline is precipitation limited. However, uniform patterns of inter-annual ring-width variations along altitudinal gradients are also observed in some situations. How...
Author(s)
Yang Bao; He MinHui; Melvin, T. M.; Zhao Yan; Briffa, K. R.
Publisher
Public Library of Sciences (PLoS), San Francisco, USA
Citation
PLoS ONE, 2013, 8, 7, pp e69065
Dendrochronology is developing outside temperate and boreal regions. Over the past decade substantial progress has been made in Mediterranean and wet tropical regions. However, research in dry tropical regions, notably those of sub-Saharan Africa, has remained fragmentary. Here, we try to identify...
Author(s)
Wils, T. H. G.; Sass-Klaassen, U. G. W.; Eshetu, Z.; Bräuning, A.; Gebrekirstos, A.; Couralet, C.; Robertson, I.; Touchan, R.; Koprowski, M.; Conway, D.; Briffa, K. R.; Beeckman, H.
Publisher
Springer-Verlag GmbH, Berlin, Germany
Citation
Trees: Structure and Function, 2011, 25, 3, pp 345-354
We describe a potential problem with the use of standardisation techniques that fit growth curves directly to measurement data. The existence of medium-frequency variance (considered here to represent timescales of decades to a century) in the common climate-related forcing of tree growth can bias...
Author(s)
Melvin, T. M.; Briffa, K. R.
Publisher
Elsevier GmbH, Jena, Germany
Citation
Dendrochronologia, 2008, 26, 2, pp 71-86
Tree-ring based paleoclimate reconstructions entail several sequential estimation or processing steps. Consequently, it can be difficult to isolate climatic from non-climatic variability in the raw ring width measurements, estimate the uncertainty associated with a reconstruction, and directly...
Author(s)
Steinschneider, S.; Cook, E. R.; Briffa, K. R.; Lall, U.
Publisher
Elsevier GmbH, München, Germany
Citation
Dendrochronologia, 2017, 44, pp 174-186
We describe the analysis of existing and new maximum-latewood-density (MXD) and tree-ring width (TRW) data from the Torneträsk region of northern Sweden and the construction of 1500 year chronologies. Some previous work found that MXD and TRW chronologies from Torneträsk were inconsistent over the...
Author(s)
Melvin, T. M.; Grudd, H.; Briffa, K. R.
Publisher
Sage Publications Ltd, London, UK
Citation
Holocene, 2013, 23, 3, pp 364-373