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Dendrochronology in the dry tropics: the Ethiopian case

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Abstract

Dendrochronology is developing outside temperate and boreal regions. Over the past decade substantial progress has been made in Mediterranean and wet tropical regions. However, research in dry tropical regions, notably those of sub-Saharan Africa, has remained fragmentary. Here, we try to identify the unique challenges and opportunities of dendrochronology in the dry tropics. First, we briefly review the status of dendrochronology outside temperate and boreal regions with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. Subsequently, we focus upon one of those areas where dendrochronology in the dry tropics is at the forefront of scientific advance: Ethiopia. A detailed review of tree ring studies in the lowlands and highlands highlights the complexity of ring formation and made us identify four major types of growth ring expression: anatomically not distinct rings, multiple rings per year, annual rings and multiple missing rings. This complex tree growth behaviour is associated with large-scale variations in precipitation regime (unimodal to multimodal) and relatively small-scale variations in tree sensitivity to water availability. Literature results are used to develop a scheme that can be used to predict differences in growth ring formation along gradients in these two factors. Because of the exceptional growth sensitivity of and the importance of local site conditions (topography, biological factors, etc.) for most trees sampled, those growing at the limits of their ecological amplitude are prone to possess multiple rings per year or multiple missing rings. In such circumstances, site selection should not always take place at the limits of the ecological amplitude of a species, but may sometimes have to be diverted to more mesic environments. Successful studies are now appearing, such as those reporting correlations between tree ring chronologies and Blue Nile river flows.

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Acknowledgments

We owe many thanks to all the persons and institutions that have contributed to the establishment of dendrochronology in Ethiopia. They are acknowledged by name in the cited literature. Special thanks we owe to our Ethiopian counterparts, notably Dr Alemu Gezahegn, Mr Negash Mammo, Mr Tesfaye Ayalew (Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research), governmental institutions and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for support and kind permission to work at the field sites.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, School of the Environment and Society, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK

    T. H. G. Wils & I. Robertson

  2. Department of Geography, Institute for Teacher Training, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Museumpark 40, 3015 CX, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    T. H. G. Wils

  3. Department of Geography, Institute for Teacher Training, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Goossenslaan 1-01, 5022 DM, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    T. H. G. Wils

  4. Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Centre of Ecosystem Studies, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    U. G. W. Sass-Klaassen

  5. Forestry Research Centre, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, P.O. Box 30708, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Z. Eshetu

  6. Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Kochstraße 4/4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    A. Bräuning

  7. International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), Global Headquarters, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, P.O. Box 30677-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    A. Gebrekirstos

  8. Laboratory for Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA), Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080, Tervuren, Belgium

    C. Couralet & H. Beeckman

  9. Laboratory for Wood Technology, Ghent University, Coupure links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    C. Couralet

  10. Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210058, Tucson, USA

    R. Touchan

  11. Laboratory of Dendrochronology, Institute of Ecology and Environment Protection, Faculty of Biology and Earth Science, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Gagarina Street 9, 87-100, Toruń, Poland

    M. Koprowski

  12. School of International Development, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

    D. Conway

  13. Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

    K. R. Briffa

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  1. T. H. G. Wils
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  2. U. G. W. Sass-Klaassen
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  7. I. Robertson
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  12. H. Beeckman
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Correspondence to T. H. G. Wils.

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Communicated by E. Beck.

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Wils, T.H.G., Sass-Klaassen, U.G.W., Eshetu, Z. et al. Dendrochronology in the dry tropics: the Ethiopian case. Trees 25, 345–354 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-010-0521-y

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