Urban forest tree growth and Global climate change: Sugar Maple as an Indicator Species (03-DG-11244225-426)

This project includes analyzing sugar maple growth in order to predict future urban forestry planning in relation to global climate change.

Dendrochronology is being used to analyze sugar maple growth in Morgantown, WV. Differences in the coupling of tree growth and climate across an urban-rural gradient are being used as indicators of global climate change. Sugar maple growth in urban environments may be more sensitive to drought periods, reflecting perhaps local heat island and altered hydrological factors or sugar maple response to global climate change. Information generated on sugar maple and climate change will be useful to urban forestry groups in planning future management/planting programs that utilize species that are predicted to be sensitive to shifts in global climate factors.

Project Objectives:

a) Determine differential growth of sugar maple trees growing in urban and rural areas in response to stressful climatic conditions using dendrochronology:

•Identify target tree populations for coring

•Core sugar maple trees

•Analyze tree—ring data

b) Disseminate information on global climate change, tree growth and urban forest tree species selection and management needs to urban forest professionals.

Attachments

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