Center for Tree-Ring Science

Center for Tree-Ring Science Since 1968, tree-ring research has been conducted at the University of Missouri.

Pitch pine is exceptionally fire-adapted and requires frequent-fire regimes for successful regeneration and long-term pe...
09/07/2026

Pitch pine is exceptionally fire-adapted and requires frequent-fire regimes for successful regeneration and long-term perpetuation. Its fire adaptations include thick bark, serotinous cones (in some populations), basal and epicormic resprouting buds, and the ability to survive (and record) multiple fires. The pitch pine stump pictured here contained 27 fire scars, established in 1734 with an outermost ring of 1898! This pine was located in central Pennsylvania where many ecosystems are converting to fire-intolerant communities due to a century of fire suppression. You can read more about it here! https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/7/10/224

“Frost rings” are collapsed and damaged (embolized) cells caused by prolonged freezing temperatures during the growing s...
08/24/2026

“Frost rings” are collapsed and damaged (embolized) cells caused by prolonged freezing temperatures during the growing season. This generally occurs in the spring when the cells, or xylem, are saturated and soft, actively transporting water in the tree. Water freezing in the cell causes them to deform, break, and collapse appearing crushed together and causing the darkened appearance (see red arrow). This piece, and several others from this study in central Texas, show a frost ring in Ashe juniper - a great example of tree rings recording a significant historical weather event.

08/17/2026

To closely examine wood specimens, like this Missouri post oak, we typically sand from 80 grit to 1200 grit polishing sandpaper. Fine sanding and polishing produce a pristine and scratch-free surface of the cellular detail needed for accurate measuring, viewing, and analysis, either through the microscope or a high-resolution photograph!

Look closely enough at this 5’ x 5’ longleaf pine cross section, and you will see it is covered in hundreds of pencil ma...
08/10/2026

Look closely enough at this 5’ x 5’ longleaf pine cross section, and you will see it is covered in hundreds of pencil marks! Senior Research Technician, Erin Abadir, dated every inch in every direction, giving annual resolution to every injury this piece holds. Too big to measure with our typical instruments, Erin used a magnifying glass and light while lying on the piece as she went. It was visually cross dated using the marker years, or the extremely narrow rings, aligned with those from chronologies of other pines in the area. With a pith date of 1484 and outer ring of 1884, this longleaf had 57 fire scars, most of which occurred in the growing season. The earliest fire scar was in 1540, and latest scar in 1864. This sample is from southwest Georgia.

From field collection to the lab, there are a multitude of applications of tree rings, including forest products. These ...
08/03/2026

From field collection to the lab, there are a multitude of applications of tree rings, including forest products. These ponderosa pine logs, collected from wildfire areas in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, have been cut into cubic samples to measure their specific gravity, or the density of wood in relation to water. Density is an indicator of wood strength, how well it will cure, and overall quality of the timber. CTRS Research Specialist, Josh Yantis, is dating the rings on the density samples to determine exactly when wood density changed relative to the fire. This work is being done in partnership with the Mississippi State University Department of Sustainable Bioproducts.

A whole lot of experience and dedication to the art and science of dendrochronology in one photo! We are passionate abou...
07/27/2026

A whole lot of experience and dedication to the art and science of dendrochronology in one photo! We are passionate about the discipline and all that it continues to reveal about forest ecology, fire ecology, climate dynamics, environmental chemistry, archeology and forensics, quantitative wood analysis, herbchronology development, and more!! Not pictured is a vital rotating cast of undergraduate interns, visiting scientists, frequent collaborators and partners. It takes a large net to do the work...thanks to all who are a part of it!

Along the walls and shelves of the Center are many materials and specimens from past scientists, collaborators, and inst...
07/20/2026

Along the walls and shelves of the Center are many materials and specimens from past scientists, collaborators, and institutes, including a small xylarium or wood specimen library. These voucher specimens are important for identifying woods of unknown species and origins.

From the CTRS archives: Tree-rings and archeology! Determination of felling dates of historical timbers relies on severa...
07/13/2026

From the CTRS archives: Tree-rings and archeology! Determination of felling dates of historical timbers relies on several diagnostics: remaining bark on the piece, a chronology of tree growth in relative proximity, and, in the case with oak like this example, presence of tyloses. Tyloses are outgrowths of cells that fill vessels and block the flow of nutrients and water. Tyloses are a critical reason for why oak barrels are able to hold water.. or wh***ey or w**e! However, tyloses are not formed in the current year of growth causing vessels to be “open”. You can see in the third picture that the outside ring has open vessels compared to the rings further to the inside. This, as well as the other features, helped to determine the tree felling date of 1831 for the mantel in this historical Pennsylvania cabin.

One current project at CTRS is examining flooding and its effects on the regeneration and growth of oaks in greentree re...
07/06/2026

One current project at CTRS is examining flooding and its effects on the regeneration and growth of oaks in greentree reservoirs. To prepare samples for isotope analysis, each ring is cut out in two locations; once from the early wood and once from the late wood...all within a specific (tiny!) weight range. Thousands of these samples are being analyzed for isotope ratios to better understand flooding effects on oaks and specific flood conditions associated with decline.

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1111 Rollins Street
Columbia, MO
65211

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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