Multi Proxy 500

This project aims to develop reconstructions of past summer precipitation extremes in southern and central Fennoscandia for the last 500 years, using precipitation sensitive Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and penduculate oak (Quercus robur) tree-ring chronologies.

Spatial and temporal extents, durations and frequencies of past droughts will be estimated, and the relations of these events to forest fire activity explored. This will be done through joint analyses of instrumental climate data, regional tree-ring chronologies (including tree-ring width, density, and isotope chronologies), and analysis of a network of independently reconstructed forest fire histories.

Furthermore, reconstructions of spatiotemporal patterns of precipitation dynamics will be used to detect historical changes in atmospheric circulation patterns. Subsequent coupling of precipitation reconstructions and independently derived regional fire activity history will help to understand how variations of dominant circulation patterns have affected Fennoscandian forests over the last 500 years. This knowledge will be of particular interest when predicting the outcome of future climate change on the fire regime.

The project is supported by the Swedish Research Council for Strategic Research FORMAS.

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