Method to measure tree-ring width, density, elemental composition, and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes using one sample

Abstract

Tree-ring width (RW), density, elemental composition, and stable carbon and oxygen isotope (δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O) are widely used as proxies to assess climate change, ecology, and environmental pollution; however, a specific pretreatment has been needed for each proxy. Here, we developed a method by which each proxy can be measured in the same sample. First, the sample is polished for ring width measurement. After obtaining the ring width data, the sample is cut to form a 1-mm-thick wood plate. The sample is then mounted in a vertical sample holder, and gradually scanned by an X-ray beam. Simultaneously, the count rates of the fluorescent photons of elements (for chemical characterization) and a radiographic grayscale image (for wood density) are obtained, i.e. the density and the element content are obtained. Then, cellulose is isolated from the 1-mm wood plate by removal of lignin, and hemicellulose. After producing this cellulose plate, cellulose subsamples are separated by knife under the microscope for inter-annual and intra-annual stable carbon and oxygen isotope (δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O) analysis. Based on this method, RW, density, elemental composition, δ¹³C, and δ¹⁸O can be measured from the same sample, which reduces sample amount and treatment time, and is helpful for multi-proxy comparison and combination research.

Keywords

Tree-ring width / Tree-ring density / Tree-ring elemental composition / Tree-ring stable carbon and oxygen isotopes

References

[1]	Binda G, Di Iorio A, Monticelli D (2021) The what, how, why, and when of dendrochemistry: (paleo)environmental information from the chemical analysis of tree rings. Sci Total Environ 758:143672
[2]	Bj?rklund J, Arx G, Nievergelt D, Wilson R, Van den Bulcke J, Günther B, Loader NJ, Rydval M, Fonti P, Scharnweber T, Andreu-Hayles L, Büntgen U, D’Arrigo R, Davi N, De Mil T, Esper J, G?rtner H, Geary J, Gunnarson BE, Hartl C, Hevia A, Song H, Janecka K, Kaczka RJ, Kirdyanov AV, Kochbeck M, Liu Y, Meko M, Mundo I, Nicolussi K, Oelkers R, Pichler T, Sánchez-Salguero R, Schneider L, Schweingruber F, Timonen M, Trouet V, Van Acker J, Verstege A, Villalba R, Wilmking M, Frank D (2019) Scientific merits and analytical challenges of tree-ring densitometry. Rev Geophys 57:1224–1264
[3]	Büntgen U, Urban O, Krusic PJ, Rybní?ek M, Kolá? T, Kyncl T, A? A, Koňasová E, ?áslavsky J, Esper J, Wagner S, Saurer M, Tegel W, Dobrovolny P, Cherubini P, Reinig F, Trnka M (2021) Recent European drought extremes beyond common era background variability. Nat Geosci 14:190–196
[4]	Chen F, Yuan YJ, Yu SL, Chen FH (2019) A 391-year summer temperature reconstruction of the Tien Shan, reveals far-reaching summer temperature signals over the midlatitude eurasian continent. J Geophys Res Atmos 124:11850–11862
[5]	Cook ER, Anchukaitis KJ, Buckley BM, D’Arrigo RD, Jacoby GC, Wright WE (2010) Asian monsoon failure and megadrought during the last millennium. Science 328:486–499
[6]	Cook ER, Krusic PJ, Anchukaitis KJ, Buckley BM, Nakatsuka T, Sano M (2012) Tree-ring reconstructed summer temperature anomalies for temperate East Asia since 800 C.E. Clim Dynam 41:2957–2972
[7]	Fan ZX, Br?uning A, Yang B, Cao KF (2009) Tree ring density-based summer temperature reconstruction for the central Hengduan Mountains in southern China. Global Planet Change 65:1–11
[8]	Fang OY, Qiu H, Zhang QB (2020) Species-specific drought resilience in juniper and fir forests in the central Himalayas. Ecol Indic 117:106615
[9]	Frank DC, Poulter B, Saurer M, Esper J, Huntingford C, Helle G, Treydte K, Zimmermann NE, Schleser GH, Ahlstr?m A, Ciais P, Friedlingstein P, Levis S, Lomas M, Sitch S, Viovy N, Andreu-Hayles L, Bednarz Z, Berninger F, Boettger T, Dalessandro CM, Daux V, Filot M, Grabner M, Gutierrez E, Haupt M, Hilasvuori E, Jungner H, Kalela-Brundin M, Krapiec M, Leuenberger M, Loader NJ, Marah H, Masson-Delmotte V, Pazdur A, Pawelczyk S, Pierre M, Planells O, Pukiene R, Reynolds-Henne CE, Rinne KT, Saracino A, Sonninen E, Stievenard M, Switsur VR, Szczepanek M, Szychowska-Krapiec E, Todaro L, Waterhouse JS, Weigl M (2015) Water-use efficiency and transpiration across European forests during the Anthropocene. Nat Clim Change 5:579–583
[10]	Freund MB, Helle G, Balting DF, Ballis N, Schleser GH, Cubasch U (2023) European tree-ring isotopes indicate unusual recent hydroclimate. Commun Earth Environ 4:26
[11]	Fritts HC (1976) Tree rings and climate. Academic Press, London, p xii+567
[12]	Gagen M, McCarroll D, Loader NJ, Robertson I, Jalkanen R, Anchukaitis KJ (2007) Exorcising the “segment length curse”: summer temperature reconstruction since AD 1640 using non-detrended stable carbon isotope ratios from pine trees in northern Finland. Holocene 17:435–446
[13]	George SS, Esper J (2019) Concord and discord among northern hemisphere paleotemperature reconstructions from tree rings. Quat Sci Rev 203:278–281
[14]	Gou XH, Chen FH, Cook E, Jacoby G, Yang MX, Li JB (2007) Streamflow variations of the Yellow River over the past 593 years in western China reconstructed from tree rings. Water Resour Res 43:W06434
[15]	Grie?inger J, Br?uning A, Helle G, Schleser G, Hochreuther P, Meier W, Zhu HF (2019) A dual stable isotope approach unravels common climate signals and species-specific responses to environmental change stored in multi-century tree-ring series from the Tibetan Plateau. Geosciences 9:151
[16]	Guerrieri R, Belmecheri S, Ollinger SV, Asbjornsen H, Jennings K, Xiao J, Stocker BD, Martin M, Hollinger DY, Bracho-Garrillo R, Clark K, Dore S, Kolb T, Munger JW, Novick K, Richardson AD (2019) Disentangling the role of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance on rising forest water-use efficiency. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 116:16909–16914
[17]	Holmes R (1983) Computer-sssisted quality control in tree-ring dating and measurement. Tree Ring Bull 43:69–78
[18]	Jacquin P, Longuetaud F, Leban JM, Mothe F (2017) X-ray microdensitometry of wood: a review of existing principles and devices. Dendrochronologia 42:42–50
[19]	Kagawa A, Sano M, Nakatsuka T, Ikeda T, Kubo S (2015) An optimized method for stable isotope analysis of tree rings by extracting cellulose directly from cross-sectional laths. Chem Geol 393–394:16–25
[20]	Liang HX, Lyu LX, Wahab M (2016) A 382-year reconstruction of August mean minimum temperature from tree-ring maximum latewood density on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, China. Dendrochronologia 37:1–8
[21]	Liu XH, Shao XM, Zhao LG, Qin DH, Chen T, Ren JW (2007) Dendroclimatic temperature record derived from tree-ring width and stable carbon isotope chronologies in the middle Qilian Mountains, China. Arct Antarct Alp Res 39:651–657
[22]	Liu XH, Zhao LG, Chen T, Shao XM, Liu QA, Hou SG, Qin DH, An WL (2011) Combined tree-ring width and δ13C to reconstruct snowpack depth: a pilot study in the Gongga Mountain, west China. Theor Appl Climatol 103:133–144
[23]	Loader NJ, Robertson I, Barker AC, Switsur VR, Waterhouse JS (1997) A modified method for the batch processing of small whole wood samples to α-cellulose. Chem Geol 136:313–317
[24]	Mathias JM, Thomas RB (2021) Global tree intrinsic water use efficiency is enhanced by increased atmospheric CO2 and modulated by climate and plant functional types. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 118(07):e2014286118
[25]	McCarroll D, Loader NJ (2004) Stable isotopes in tree rings. Quat Sci Rev 23:771–801
[26]	Nguyen HTT, Galelli S, Xu CX, Buckley BM (2021) Multi-proxy, multi-season streamflow reconstruction with mass balance adjustment. Water Resour Res 57:e2020WR029394
[27]	Nguyen HTT, Galelli S, Xu CX, Buckley BM (2022) Droughts, pluvials, and wet season timing across the Chao Phraya River Basin: a 254-year monthly reconstruction from tree ring widths and δ18O. Geophys Res Lett 49:e2022GL100442
[28]	Rocha E, Gunnarson B, Kylander ME, Augustsson A, Rindby A, Holzkamper S (2020) Testing the applicability of dendrochemistry using X-ray fluorescence to trace environmental contamination at a glassworks site. Sci Total Environ 720:137429
[29]	Schweingruber FH, Fritts HC, Br?ker OU, Drew LG, Sch?r E (1978) The X-ray technique as applied to dendroclimatology. Tree-Ring Bull 38:61–91
[30]	Singh V, Misra KG, Singh AD, Yadav RR, Yadava AK (2021) Little ice age revealed in tree-ring-based precipitation record from the Northwest Himalaya, India. Geophys Res Lett 48:e2020GL091298
[31]	Wang H, Shao XM, Fang XQ, Jiang Y, Liu CL, Qiao Q (2017) Relationships between tree-ring cell features of Pinus koraiensis and climate factors in the Changbai Mountains. Northeastern China J Forestry Res 28(1):105–114
[32]	Xu CX, Sano M, Nakatsuka T (2011) Tree ring cellulose δ18O of Fokienia hodginsiiin northern Laos: a promising proxy to reconstruct ENSO? J Geophys Res Atmos 116:D24109
[33]	Xu CX, Sano M, Nakatsuka T (2013a) A 400-year record of hydroclimate variability and local ENSO history in northern Southeast Asia inferred from tree-ring δ18O. Palaeogeogr Palaeocl 386:588–598
[34]	Xu CX, Zheng HZ, Nakatsuka T, Sano M (2013b) Oxygen isotope signatures preserved in tree ring cellulose as a proxy for April–September precipitation in Fujian, the subtropical region of southeast China. J Geophys Res Atmos 118:12805–12815
[35]	Xu CX, Zhu HF, Nakatsuka T, Sano M, Li Z, Shi F, Liang EY, Guo ZT (2019) Sampling strategy and climatic implication of tree-ring cellulose oxygen isotopes of Hippophae tibetana and Abies georgei on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Int J Biometeorol 63:679–686
[36]	Xu CX, Wang SYS, Borhara K, Buckley B, Tan N, Zhao YR, An W, Sano M, Nakatsuka T, Guo ZT (2023) Global warming strengthens the linkage of Asian–Australian summer monsoons with ENSO. Npj Clim Atmos Sci 6:1–9
[37]	Yan BQ, Yu J, Liu QJ, Wang LH, Hu LL (2020) Tree-ring response of Larix Chinensis on regional climate and sea-surface temperature variations in alpine timberline in the Qinling mountains. J Forestry Res 31(1):209–218
[38]	Zhao QY, Xu CX, An WL, Liu YC, Xiao GQ, Huang CJ (2023) Increasing tree growth in subalpine forests of central China due to earlier onset of the thermal growing season. Agr Forest Meteorol 333:109391