Abstract
Climatic events that occurred in the Northern Hemisphere during the Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA) and the Little Ice Age (LIA) led to cooling periods and glacier growth that killed trees in Glacier Bay National Park (GBNPP). Researchers have been trying to close this 300 year gap by examining how the LALIA and LIA affected the death of trees. These researchers go to GBNPP to collect well preserved tree cores and samples from detrital logs in the alluvial fans that showed the most rings. This will help figure out how the LALIA affected the growth and death of trees and how the LIA caused the displacement of the trees and provide the best data into the age of the tree. The research consisted of gathering tree samples and cores in Alaska, preparing the samples and cores collected, cross dating the tree cores, and then processing them in COFECHA to provide the best dates. From the data collected, the tree samples collected in GBNPP by means of chainsaw gave us data that dated further back into the past compared to the tree cores collected by means of increment borers. Although we were not able to close the gap, we were able to make great strides and strengthen the master series previously created. Future work will be to go back to GBNPP, collect more samples and cores, find more hidden logs, and then venture into different alluvial fans to new cores and samples to close the 300-year gap.
Advisor
Wiles, Greg
Department
Geology
Recommended Citation
Whitehouse, John D., "Tree Ring–Dated Glacial History for the First Millennium CE, Lower Muir Inlet, Glacier Bay, Alaska, U.S.A." (2023). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 11709.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/11709
Disciplines
Other Forestry and Forest Sciences
Publication Date
2023
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2023 John D. Whitehouse