Tree Core Analysis with X-ray Computed Tomography

De Mil, Tom; Van den Bulcke, Jan

doi:10.3791/65208

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…We unmounted the cores, placed them into paper straws and refluxed in a Soxhlet apparatus for 24h in an ethanol/toluene mixture, followed by a 24h hot water bath. We used the X-ray CT toolchain (De Mil & Van den Bulcke, 2023) to process the dried and conditioned cores. We scanned the cores at 15 μm approximate volume pixel (voxel) pitch (further referred to as resolution) (70 kV, 20W, 180ms, source detector distance 540 mm, source object distance 54 mm, 4250 projections per full rotation) using a helical scanning procedure (Van den Bulcke et al, 2014) with the CoreTOM scanning system (TESCAN -XRE, Ghent, Belgium).…”

Section: Scanning and Processing Of Tree-ring Coresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The resulting projections were then reconstructed to 3D volumes using Octopus Reconstruction software (Vlassenbroeck et al, 2007). We then treated the 3D images with the X-CT software (www.dendrochronomics.ugent.be (De Mil & Van den Bulcke, 2023)). We first extracted 3D core volumes from the virtual sample holder (Figure 1b) and then calibrated the volume with the reference material and air hole of the sample holder (De Ridder et al, 2011).…”

Section: Scanning and Processing Of Tree-ring Coresmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Bristlecone Pine Maximum Latewood Density as a Superior Proxy for Millennium-length Temperature Reconstructions

Mil,

Matskovskiy,

Salzer

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) (PILO) trees exhibit exceptional longevity. Their tree-ring width (TRW) series offer valuable insights into climatic variability. Maximum latewood density (MXD) typically correlates better with temperature variations than TRW, yet PILO MXD records are non-existent due to methodological challenges related to their tree-ring structure. Here, we used an X-ray Computed Tomography (X-ray CT) toolchain on 51 PILO cores from the California White Mountains to build a chronology that correlates significantly (r=0.66, p<0.01) with warm-season (March-September) temperature over a large spatial extent. This led to the first X-ray CT-based temperature reconstruction (1625 – 2005 CE). Good reconstruction skill (RE=0.51, CE=0.32) shows that extending MXD records across the full length of the PILO archive could yield a robust warm-season temperature proxy for the American Southwest over millennia. This breakthrough opens avenues for measuring MXD in other challenging conifers, increasing our understanding of past climate further, particularly in lower latitudes.

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Section: Scanning and Processing Of Tree-ring Coresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Scanning and Processing Of Tree-ring Coresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bristlecone Pine Maximum Latewood Density as a Superior Proxy for Millennium-length Temperature Reconstructions

Mil,

Matskovskiy,

Salzer

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Bristlecone Pine Maximum Latewood Density as a Superior Proxy for Millennium‐Length Temperature Reconstructions

De Mil,

Matskovsky,

Salzer

et al. 2024

Geophysical Research Letters

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) (PILO) trees exhibit exceptional longevity. Their tree‐ring width (TRW) series offer valuable insights into climatic variability. Maximum latewood density (MXD) typically correlates better with temperature variations than TRW, yet PILO MXD records are non‐existent due to methodological challenges related to tree‐ring structure. Here, we used an X‐ray Computed Tomography (X‐ray CT) toolchain on 51 PILO cores from the California White Mountains to build a chronology that correlates significantly (r = 0.66, p < 0.01) with warm‐season (March‐September) temperature over a large spatial extent. This led to the first X‐ray CT‐based temperature reconstruction (1625–2005 CE). Good reconstruction skill (RE = 0.51, CE = 0.32) shows that extending MXD records across the full length of the PILO archive could yield a robust warm‐season temperature proxy for the American Southwest over millennia. This breakthrough opens avenues for measuring MXD in other challenging conifers, increasing our understanding of past climate further, particularly in lower latitudes.

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Multi-year drought strengthens positive and negative functional diversity effects on tree growth response

Serrano-León,

Blondeel,

Glenz

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Mixed–species forests are proposed as an adaptation strategy to cope with drought stress. However, evidence suggest that increasing tree species richness does not consistently enhance tree growth responses to drought. Moreover, tree diversity effects under unprecedented multiyear droughts remain uncertain. This calls for a better understanding of the mechanisms at stake. Here, we used a network of planted tree diversity experiments to investigate how drought–induced growth responses of individual trees are influenced by neighborhood tree diversity and the functional traits of the focal tree species. We analyzed tree cores (948 trees across 16 species) from nine experiments across Europe featuring gradients of tree species richness (1–6 species), which experienced severe droughts in recent years. Radial growth response to drought was quantified as tree–ring biomass increment using X–ray computed tomography. We applied hydraulic trait-based growth models to analyze single–year drought responses across all sites and site–specific responses during consecutive drought years for six sites as a function of neighborhood tree diversity. The large variability in tree growth responses to a single–year drought was partially explained by the hydraulic safety margin (representing species′ drought tolerance) of the focal species and drought intensity, but independent of neighborhood species richness or functional trait diversity. However, tree diversity effects on growth responses strengthened during consecutive drought years, with contrasting direction of site–specific tree diversity effects (both positive and negative). This indicated opposing pathways of diversity effects under consecutive drought events, which might result from competitive release or greater water consumption in diverse mixtures. We conclude that tree diversity effects on growth responses to single–year droughts may differ considerably from responses to consecutive drought years. Our study highlights the need to consider trait–based approaches (specifically, hydraulic traits) and tree neighborhood scale processes to understand the multifaceted growth responses of tree mixtures under prolonged multi–year drought stress.

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Tree Core Analysis with X-ray Computed Tomography

Cited by 3 publications

References 32 publications

Bristlecone Pine Maximum Latewood Density as a Superior Proxy for Millennium-length Temperature Reconstructions

Bristlecone Pine Maximum Latewood Density as a Superior Proxy for Millennium-length Temperature Reconstructions

Bristlecone Pine Maximum Latewood Density as a Superior Proxy for Millennium‐Length Temperature Reconstructions

Multi-year drought strengthens positive and negative functional diversity effects on tree growth response

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