For
those of you who do not know me my name is Edward Frank and I
serve as the webmaster for the groups website:
http://www.nativetreesociety.org
If you look on the website for the Eastern OLDLIST: A
database of maximum tree ages for Eastern North America maintained
by Dr. Neil Pederson of Eastern Kentucky University at http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~adk/oldlisteast/
you will find the maximum documented ages for 54 species of
trees native to eastern North America.
These are primarily dated by standard cross-dating methods,
a few are ring counts, and few are historical dates.
In eastern United States. There are according to a popular
field guide 364 species of trees native to this are and some
naturalized species also. That
means that less than 15% of these species have any age data at all
compiled on the Eastern OLDLIST.
I
understand that in 2000 it was decided that the International
Tree-Ring Databank would 'allow' submission of tree ring records
less than 100 yrs in length; prior to that, records shorter than
200 yrs were discouraged. So
now some ages for less long lived species may be forthcoming.
I realize many of you are looking at long term histories
such as climatic changes, fire histories, and so forth.
But there is value to other types of research which
involve ecosystem evaluations of forests populated with
many of these other shorter lived species.
What I am asking is if any of you have cross-dated ages, or
simple ring counts for any of the numerous species of trees
without age information, that we all join together and publish a
listing of these ages. I
would offer that everyone that contribute information be listed as
a co-author of the compilation.
(I may get more co-authors than data).
A simple listing as I propose would not preclude a more
detailed formal publication at a later date.
I
sent a version of this post to the Tree-Ring Forum. I would
like this data from ENTS members also. We are likely to have
data on a number of tree species as many members have coring
equipment, or in their careers as foresters, etc. have done ring
counts on downed trees. Please send in this information.
For
example I recently sent to Neil Pederson a “cookie” of an
American Basswood that is approximately 190 years old based upon a
ring count. I
know that some members of ENTS have been collecting age data for
Great Rhododendron. I
even collected a cross-section of staghorn sumac to determine its
age.
Below
is a list of ages from a sampling in Zoar Valley, New York
examining the ages of river terraces.
|
Species
|
Age
|
DBH
(cm)
|
Type
|
ID
|
Location
|
Collector/Reference
|
Commnets
|
|
Bitternut
Hickory (Carya cordiformis)
|
167
|
74
|
RC-Incomplete
core
|
|
Zoar
Valley, NY
|
Diggins,
Bulletin of ENTS, Summer 2007
|
Not
previously listed
|
|
Black
Birch (Betula nigra)
|
156
|
63
|
RC-
Complete core
|
|
Zoar
Valley, NY
|
Diggins,
Bulletin of ENTS, Summer 2007
|
Not
previously listed
|
|
America
Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
|
233
|
57
|
RC-
Complete
core
|
|
Zoar
Valley, NY
|
Diggins,
Bulletin of ENTS, Summer 2007
|
Old-list
age at 204
|
|
American
Basswood (Tilia americana)
|
122
|
67
|
RC-
Complete core
|
|
Zoar
Valley, NY
|
Diggins,
Bulletin of ENTS, Summer 2007
|
See
note above regarding basswood cookie
Not
previously Listed
|
|
Eastern
Cottonwood (Populus deltoids)
|
116
|
106
|
RC-
Complete core
|
|
Zoar
Valley, NY
|
Diggins,
Bulletin of ENTS, Summer 2007
|
Complete
core dated to 115
Not
previously listed
|
Many
of the ages listed in the Eastern OLDLIST for species, especially
those under 200 years likely do not represent realistic maximums
for those species, just the data available. If you peruse
historical sources that might be expected to have correct ring
counts, additional ages for species can also be found.
In the monograph: The
Ecology and Silvics of Forest in the High Plateaus of Pennsylvania
by A.F. Hough and R. D. Forbes, Ecological Monographs, Vol 13, No.
3, July 1943 are several old ages based upon ring counts.
These include: American beech 366 years; Sugar maple: 353
years, and Hemlock to 536 years.
This
data compilation could be published in the Bulletin of the Eastern
Native Tree Society or other outlet.
I would only include those trees dated by cross-dating,
ring counts, or historical reference.
No extrapolations would be included.
I
know many of you have collected serendipitous samples as part of
another study, singleton specimens casually collected, and the
like for many other species than what are listed in the Eastern
OLDLIST. It is
important that this information be compiled.
Edward
Frank