Dendrochonology of Aspidosperma pyrifolium in a Caatinga site

• Grant number: 23/11001-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Peter Stoltenborg Groenendyk
• Grantee: Nicole Riatto Victor
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/01847-0 - DendroGrad: Tree-rings, wood anatomy and hydraulic traits do evaluate long-term CO2-fertilisation effects across environmental gradients on three tropical tree species, AP.JP

Abstract

Many trees produce annual rings that record the environmental conditions the plant experienced during the growth season. By measuring tree-ring width it is possible to unravel these environmental conditions recorded in tree-rings. Several factors may limit tree growth, in the tropical forests water is often the limiting factor for growth. The relations between climatic variables and tree-rings can be used to reconstruct climate further back in time than the climate records in meteorological stations. Forming young scientists in the ecology of tropical forests is important to install upon them the interest in this area of research and to lay a basis for further research in these ecosystems. The main objective of this work plan is to introduce an undergraduate student to the science of tree rings. In this project the student will produce a chronology for Aspidosperma pyrifolium, an important and widespread tree species in the Brazilian Caatinga. Next, the student will evaluate the effect of environmental factors on tree growth of A. pyrifolium and perform reconstructions of past climatic condition. In this project the student will be exploring the following question:- How is interannual variation in the ring widths of Aspidosperma pyrifolium influenced by variation in local climate and in global climatic phenomena (ENSO, NAO, and SST-anomalies)?