Refining dendrochronology to evaluate the relationship between age and diameter for dominant riparian trees in the Redwood Creek watershed

<p>Methods of dendrochronology by means of incremental coring</p> <p>have been refined in this study for specific use in northern</p> <p>California riparian floodplains. Little information is available</p> <p>on riparian dendrochronology because of the challenges of</p> <p>analyzing riparian tree species. Three dominant tree species</p> <p>(Alnus rubra, Umbellularia californica, Acer macrophyllum)</p> <p>in the floodplain of Redwood Creek were evaluated for the</p> <p>relationship between age and diameter at breast height (DBH)</p> <p>using a least squares linear regression analysis. Through this</p> <p>study, complications with analysis for the riparian tree species</p> <p>led to a more thorough investigation as to enhancing core</p> <p>quality and annual growth ring visibility. As methods of coring</p> <p>and ring enhancement were refined, core quality and analysis</p> <p>improved. The correlation of determination for both red alder</p> <p>and California bay laurel were strong (R2= 0.957; R2= 0.982,</p> <p>respectively). Strong R2 values suggest DBH can be determined</p> <p>for red alder and California bay laurel using the specific linear</p> <p>regression equations for each species. Linear regression model</p> <p>of Bigleaf maple had a lower correlation determination value</p> <p>(R2=0.452). Big leaf maple regression models may increase in</p> <p>R2 value with more sampling. Linear regression equations for</p> <p>these red alder and California bay laurel are suitable across</p> <p>the watershed to simplify dendrochronology by requiring only</p> <p>measured diameter of trees. Regression equations from this</p> <p>study informed restoration planning of the age floodplains in</p> <p>the lower reaches of the Redwood Creek watershed, obviating</p> <p>other more destructive and expensive means of dating habitat.</p> <p>Future restoration projects in this watershed may apply this</p> <p>refined method for these species to gather pertinent historical</p> <p>information of environmental conditions. The equations may</p> <p>also be applicable to red alder and California bay laurel in other</p> <p>watersheds with similar environmental conditions, requiring only</p> <p>a few tree core samples to determine applicability. The refined</p> <p>dendrochronology method may also improve tree coring of other</p> <p>tree species with similar wood anatomy.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Environmental Management (MSEM)

Level thesis:degree_level

Project/Capstone - Global access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Environmental Management

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• Barry, Devin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gretchen C. Coffman

• dendrochronology
• riparian
• DBH
• red alder
• California bay laurel
• tree core
• Environmental Monitoring
• Natural Resources and Conservation
• Natural Resources Management and Policy
• Other Environmental Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/27

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.usfca.edu:capstone-1026