Tree-ring climate-human behavior project
Climate and global warming are focal aspects of our study of sustainability. Tree-rings are the strongest proxy data used to retrodict past climates during the past several thousand years. Becoming familiar with the methods, strengths, and weaknesses of tree-ring based climate work contributes to your ability to evaluate one line of evidence used to support or refute anthropogenic, global-scale, climate warming. Comparing climate and human histories provokes important questions about the influence (or not) of climate on human behavior.
Learning Objective: As a result of this learning activity, you will gain proficiency in entry-level dendroclimatology and anthropological studies of climate and human behavior. You will also gain entry-level lab skills in a dendrochronology/climatology lab. You will improve your technical writing skills.
For an example of a report completed by students during Block 8 last year, please see Canvas, Files, La Botica. Your report will NOT be this extensive but this example will provide a model and demonstrate the type of writing expected. I strongly recommend you read this to understand what is expected in your report.
I strongly recommend you begin writing the report weeks 1 and 2. If you wait until you have the results of your tree-ring analysis, you will not have enough time to complete the report. By the end of the field trip you will have everything you need to write all sections except the Results, Discussion, and Conclusion sections.
Report Format
1. Abstract
Briefly summarize the problem under investigation, the data relied on, methods, results, and implications.
2. Introduction, including the research question
Describe the problem under investigation and why your research question is important to answer. Identify the audience you are writing to and for and why they will or should care about your results.
3. Location
Identify and describe the location of your focal area of study. Be specific so your reader know exactly where data was gathered so that the generalizability of your results can be assessed and your study replicated. Scientific inquiry requires replication; if methods and results can't be re-tested, then your work is not scientific because the requirement of replicability has not been met. Include a map using this tool, The National Map, USGS click here.
4. Socio-environmental system
A description of the socio-environmental system that characterizes and influences the data you are relying on identifies the potential influences of multiple variables, other than those you are measuring, on your results. It also provide context for the interpretation of your results. Each sub-section involves a different spatial and temporal scale, clarified below in parentheses (location/time).
Describe what you intended to learn from your efforts.
6. Field and Lab methods
Describe each step of the research and data analysis process. Explain the purpose of each step in clear language for non-specialists and specialists. Specialists will be looking at each step to see if you've followed generally accepted procedures. Non-specialists will read to gain a general understanding on the procedures.
7. Results (including a location map of sampled trees)
Present your tree-ring climate chronology. Include an x/y scatterplot comparing your your averaged raw ring width chronology to the meteorological station data. Plot all the data you have, even if you have one core that goes back further than the rest. The patterns visible in the meteorological station data should be similar to patterns in your averaged ring-width chronology, but the correlation will not be perfect.
For individuals: Your ring-width chronology will be the averaged ring-widths of your two cores.
For teams: Your ring-width chronology will be the averaged ring-widths of four or more cores.
8. Discussion
Summarize your most important results and remind the reader why your findings are significant.
**** For each section, include the name of the primary author.
Rubric
Exceeds Expectations: The final report is exceptional. The specified format was precisely followed and complete. The report is an accurate representation of your work, clearly written, pleasing to read, and understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Competence with the research methods was demonstrated. Citations are presented accurately and do not create ambiguity as to the source of information reported. Significant progress was made answering the research question. You have collaborated with another student to synthesize your data and report.
Meets Expectations: The final report meets all expectations. The specified format was precisely followed and complete. The report is a mostly accurate representation of your work, clearly written, and understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Competence with the research methods was demonstrated. Citations are presented accurately and create only minimal ambiguity as to the source of the information reported. Progress was made answering the research question. You may or may not have collaborated with another student to synthesize your data and report.
Does Not Meet Expectations: The final report does not meet expectations. The specified format may have been incompletely followed. The report is a partially accurate representation of our work, unevenly written, and variably understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Competence with the research methods was unevenly demonstrated. The citation format may not have been followed and significant ambiguity is created as to the source of the information reported. Little progress was made answering the research question. You may or may not have collaborated with another student to synthesize your data and report.
Learning Objective: As a result of this learning activity, you will gain proficiency in entry-level dendroclimatology and anthropological studies of climate and human behavior. You will also gain entry-level lab skills in a dendrochronology/climatology lab. You will improve your technical writing skills.
For an example of a report completed by students during Block 8 last year, please see Canvas, Files, La Botica. Your report will NOT be this extensive but this example will provide a model and demonstrate the type of writing expected. I strongly recommend you read this to understand what is expected in your report.
I strongly recommend you begin writing the report weeks 1 and 2. If you wait until you have the results of your tree-ring analysis, you will not have enough time to complete the report. By the end of the field trip you will have everything you need to write all sections except the Results, Discussion, and Conclusion sections.
Report Format
1. Abstract
Briefly summarize the problem under investigation, the data relied on, methods, results, and implications.
2. Introduction, including the research question
Describe the problem under investigation and why your research question is important to answer. Identify the audience you are writing to and for and why they will or should care about your results.
3. Location
Identify and describe the location of your focal area of study. Be specific so your reader know exactly where data was gathered so that the generalizability of your results can be assessed and your study replicated. Scientific inquiry requires replication; if methods and results can't be re-tested, then your work is not scientific because the requirement of replicability has not been met. Include a map using this tool, The National Map, USGS click here.
4. Socio-environmental system
A description of the socio-environmental system that characterizes and influences the data you are relying on identifies the potential influences of multiple variables, other than those you are measuring, on your results. It also provide context for the interpretation of your results. Each sub-section involves a different spatial and temporal scale, clarified below in parentheses (location/time).
- Topography (near tree/now) - describe the shape and features of your study area including geological and fluvial processes.
- Climate (nearest climate station/modern and paleo). Modern: find the climate station nearest your study area. The station should contain at least 30 years of information on precipitation and temperature. Include an x/y plot graph that includes both precipitation and temperature by month. You will find these data here: https://wrcc.dri.edu/CLIMATEDATA.html . All Figures should be identified/explained in the main body of the text. Paleoclimate: brief description of the major climatic episodes for the Southwest (e.g., Little Ice Age, Younger Dryas). The Sheppard et al. 2002 (in Canvas) can be used as a primary source for the modern climate section. You can use the Library search tools to find a peer-reviewed article that describes the broad patterns in Southwestern paleoclimate.
- Soils (near tree/now)- color, type (sandy loam, silty clay, clay, etc.). Here is an additional resource, click here.
- Flora and Fauna (near tree/now - as observed and for fauna, as expected). Ok to include photos.
- Human history (northern San Luis Valley/all periods with recorded human history) - some description of the human history of the area discloses the potential impacts of prior human action on your results. The Canvas document "Baca Ranch History" in addition to chapters from Simmons and Mitchell and Krall should be sufficient sources for this section. Don't forget to cite your sources whenever you are using the ideas of others and what you are writing is not common knowledge! I recommend that your summary of the human history not extend much beyond one page.
Describe what you intended to learn from your efforts.
6. Field and Lab methods
Describe each step of the research and data analysis process. Explain the purpose of each step in clear language for non-specialists and specialists. Specialists will be looking at each step to see if you've followed generally accepted procedures. Non-specialists will read to gain a general understanding on the procedures.
7. Results (including a location map of sampled trees)
Present your tree-ring climate chronology. Include an x/y scatterplot comparing your your averaged raw ring width chronology to the meteorological station data. Plot all the data you have, even if you have one core that goes back further than the rest. The patterns visible in the meteorological station data should be similar to patterns in your averaged ring-width chronology, but the correlation will not be perfect.
For individuals: Your ring-width chronology will be the averaged ring-widths of your two cores.
For teams: Your ring-width chronology will be the averaged ring-widths of four or more cores.
8. Discussion
- Strengths and Weakness of Research: Describe strengths and weaknesses of your research and/or research design.
- Climate and Human Behavior in the Study Area: Describe possible relationships between climate and human behavior during the period covered by your climate retrodiction (IMPORTANT!). Be specific and rely on the data you generated from you analysis of ring-widths and the known human history. The Dean and Ingram readings will guide your thinking and writing.
- This document (click here) provides more information about the Baca Ranch history. Our project area was once a part of the Baca Ranches. You now have data to describe the specific climatic context of the events occurring on the Baca Ranch. You can also consider what was happening in Crestone - you may need to do an internet search for some history of Crestone.
Summarize your most important results and remind the reader why your findings are significant.
**** For each section, include the name of the primary author.
Rubric
Exceeds Expectations: The final report is exceptional. The specified format was precisely followed and complete. The report is an accurate representation of your work, clearly written, pleasing to read, and understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Competence with the research methods was demonstrated. Citations are presented accurately and do not create ambiguity as to the source of information reported. Significant progress was made answering the research question. You have collaborated with another student to synthesize your data and report.
Meets Expectations: The final report meets all expectations. The specified format was precisely followed and complete. The report is a mostly accurate representation of your work, clearly written, and understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Competence with the research methods was demonstrated. Citations are presented accurately and create only minimal ambiguity as to the source of the information reported. Progress was made answering the research question. You may or may not have collaborated with another student to synthesize your data and report.
Does Not Meet Expectations: The final report does not meet expectations. The specified format may have been incompletely followed. The report is a partially accurate representation of our work, unevenly written, and variably understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Competence with the research methods was unevenly demonstrated. The citation format may not have been followed and significant ambiguity is created as to the source of the information reported. Little progress was made answering the research question. You may or may not have collaborated with another student to synthesize your data and report.