Tree-ring climate project
We will sample living and dead trees in support of the Paleocultural Research Group (PCRG) project at the La Botica site near Capulin, Colorado. PCRG describes the project as follows:
"Located in the spectacular La Jara Canyon, the La Botica site—Spanish for “the pharmacy”—is an exceptionally large and complex archaeological site that preserves a unique record of American Indian lifeways spanning 8,000 years. The site is also an important locality for the San Luis Valley's Hispano residents, who gathered medicinal plants there in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. PCRG will lead an interdisciplinary team of botanists, paleoecologists, anthropologists, archaeologists, and geologists in a week-long investigation to gather baseline data on the site and its setting. Project activities will include botanical inventory, archaeological testing, site mapping, soil sampling, and dendrochronology."
Our contribution to this project will focus on preliminary dendrochronological sampling at the La Botica site to collect increment cores from up to 20 living trees (2 cores per tree) and partial cross sections from any dead fire-scarred trees encountered at the site. From these cores we will produce a master site chronology and a wet-dry climate chronology.
Our report format will be discussed in class.
1. Abstract
2. Introduction, including Research Question
3. Location and Environment (includes a brief paragraph each on location, topographic features, climate (modern and paleo), geology, soils, flora and fauna (as observed), and paleoenvironment
4. Culture History and Past Research (includes a short description of the prehistoric, historic, and past archaeological research). See "La Botica SHF Proposal" and "Rio Grande CH 4: History of Archaeological Investigations" in Canvas.
5. Statement of Objectives of Research
6. Field Methods
7. Results (Cofecha - see Speer p. 120 for reporting Cofecha results, Arstan. use select photos as necessary, all photos should be in the Appendix, Photo Log)
a. Strengths and weaknesses of research design
b. Possible relationship between climate and human behavior
9. Conclusion
Pease click here to read more about citing sources.
APPENDIX:
1. Photo record of all trees with captions including tree name and location information (Northing and Easting)
2. Cofecha Output (separate file okay)
3. Arstan Output (separate file okay)
4. Final stand level residual chronology in text format (Year, index value)
5. Separate file of Location map and Sketch map in .pdf format
NOTES:
1. For examples of Final Reports, see Canvas, Files, folder: "Sample Final Reports"
2. All photos for sampled trees are in Canvas Files: "3_Tree Ring Project Photos" with the template for the Photo Log and field notes for each photo
Please email the final project report to Scott and Eric in Microsoft Word format.
RUBRIC:
We will read the entire report and determine a grade for everyone. We will then look at the individual section contributions identified with your names to see if any individual contributions stand out as exceptionally strong or notably weak, relative to the report in its entirety. Minor adjustments above or below the assessment of the total project grade will be made for individuals, if needed.
This is the rubric we will consider:
40 - 36 points: The final report is exceptional. The specified format was precisely followed and complete. The report is an accurate representation of our work, clearly written, pleasing to read, and understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Citations are presented accurately and do not create ambiguity as to the source of information reported. Significant progress was made answering the research question.
35.9 - 32 points: The final report meets all expectations. The specified format was precisely followed and complete. The report is a mostly accurate representation of our work, clearly written, and understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Citations are presented accurately and create only minimal ambiguity as to the source of the information reported. Progress was made answering the research question.
31.9 - 28 points: The final report meets most expectations. The specified format was followed and complete. The report is a somewhat accurate representation of our work, unevenly written, and portions of the report are understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Some citations are not presented accurately and create ambiguity as to the source of the information reported. Some progress was made answering the research question.
< 28 points: The final report does not meet expectations. The specified format was 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. The citation format was not followed and significant ambiguity is created as to the source of the information reported. Little progress was made answering the research question.
"Located in the spectacular La Jara Canyon, the La Botica site—Spanish for “the pharmacy”—is an exceptionally large and complex archaeological site that preserves a unique record of American Indian lifeways spanning 8,000 years. The site is also an important locality for the San Luis Valley's Hispano residents, who gathered medicinal plants there in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. PCRG will lead an interdisciplinary team of botanists, paleoecologists, anthropologists, archaeologists, and geologists in a week-long investigation to gather baseline data on the site and its setting. Project activities will include botanical inventory, archaeological testing, site mapping, soil sampling, and dendrochronology."
Our contribution to this project will focus on preliminary dendrochronological sampling at the La Botica site to collect increment cores from up to 20 living trees (2 cores per tree) and partial cross sections from any dead fire-scarred trees encountered at the site. From these cores we will produce a master site chronology and a wet-dry climate chronology.
Our report format will be discussed in class.
1. Abstract
2. Introduction, including Research Question
3. Location and Environment (includes a brief paragraph each on location, topographic features, climate (modern and paleo), geology, soils, flora and fauna (as observed), and paleoenvironment
4. Culture History and Past Research (includes a short description of the prehistoric, historic, and past archaeological research). See "La Botica SHF Proposal" and "Rio Grande CH 4: History of Archaeological Investigations" in Canvas.
5. Statement of Objectives of Research
6. Field Methods
7. Results (Cofecha - see Speer p. 120 for reporting Cofecha results, Arstan. use select photos as necessary, all photos should be in the Appendix, Photo Log)
- include an ArcMap Location map (ArcGIS) and Sketch map of sampled trees (see File, "OST CC 01..." Report example maps in Canvas.
a. Strengths and weaknesses of research design
b. Possible relationship between climate and human behavior
9. Conclusion
Pease click here to read more about citing sources.
APPENDIX:
1. Photo record of all trees with captions including tree name and location information (Northing and Easting)
2. Cofecha Output (separate file okay)
3. Arstan Output (separate file okay)
4. Final stand level residual chronology in text format (Year, index value)
5. Separate file of Location map and Sketch map in .pdf format
NOTES:
1. For examples of Final Reports, see Canvas, Files, folder: "Sample Final Reports"
2. All photos for sampled trees are in Canvas Files: "3_Tree Ring Project Photos" with the template for the Photo Log and field notes for each photo
Please email the final project report to Scott and Eric in Microsoft Word format.
RUBRIC:
We will read the entire report and determine a grade for everyone. We will then look at the individual section contributions identified with your names to see if any individual contributions stand out as exceptionally strong or notably weak, relative to the report in its entirety. Minor adjustments above or below the assessment of the total project grade will be made for individuals, if needed.
This is the rubric we will consider:
40 - 36 points: The final report is exceptional. The specified format was precisely followed and complete. The report is an accurate representation of our work, clearly written, pleasing to read, and understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Citations are presented accurately and do not create ambiguity as to the source of information reported. Significant progress was made answering the research question.
35.9 - 32 points: The final report meets all expectations. The specified format was precisely followed and complete. The report is a mostly accurate representation of our work, clearly written, and understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Citations are presented accurately and create only minimal ambiguity as to the source of the information reported. Progress was made answering the research question.
31.9 - 28 points: The final report meets most expectations. The specified format was followed and complete. The report is a somewhat accurate representation of our work, unevenly written, and portions of the report are understandable by an audience with a general scientific background. Some citations are not presented accurately and create ambiguity as to the source of the information reported. Some progress was made answering the research question.
< 28 points: The final report does not meet expectations. The specified format was 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. The citation format was not followed and significant ambiguity is created as to the source of the information reported. Little progress was made answering the research question.
