News | DeRose Silviculture and Applied Forest Ecology Lab

USU Statesman: What tree rings reveal for climate change

Buried within the tree rings of Utah’s forests lies a hidden history of survival and change — a history that can clue us into the future. At Utah State University, groundbreaking research is underway that could change how we understand forests and their response to climate change.

USU Researchers Pair Tree Rings With Climate Data to Understand Forest Climate Adaptation

To help understand how we can prepare and manage forests in the face of climate adaptation, USU researchers are investigating how trees have historically adjusted to changes in climate throughout their lives. Learn how USU Associate Professor Justin DeRose, and dendrochronologist Ryan Jess are using tree rings to look into the past to try and plan for the future.

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Video by Taylor Emerson, Digital Journalist, University Marketing & Communications

Close up image of tree rings. (Photo courtesy James St. John/Flickr.com/jsjgeology)

Treasure in Tree Rings: Using Untapped Tree Ring Data to Calculate Carbon Sequestration

Forests around the world have the capacity to pull carbon out of the atmosphere to battle global climate change. But how much carbon they actually absorb is a question that still needs answering, and tree ring data can help, according to a new research synthesis from Justin DeRose.