Tree Rings Reveal Droughts El Malpais National Monument, in west central New Mexico, has pockets of vegetation that have been surrounded by lava fields for about 3,000 years, so they have escaped wildfires, grazing animals, agricultural activity, and logging. Henri Grissino-Mayer generated a 2,129-year annual precipitation record using tree ring data from living and dead trees in this park (FIGURE 27.22).
FIGURE 27.22 Annual precipitation record for 2,129 years, inferred from compiled tree ring data in El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico. Data were averaged over 10-year intervals; the graph correlates with other indicators of rainfall collected in all parts of North America. PDSI, Palmer Drought Severity Index: 0, normal rainfall; increasing numbers mean increasing excess of rainfall; decreasing numbers mean increasing severity of drought.
* A severe drougt contributed to a series of catastrophic dust storms that turned the midwestern United States into a "dust bowl" between 1933 and 1939.
Around a.d.770, the Mayan civilization began to suffer a massive population loss, particularly in the southern lowlands of Mesoamerica. The El Malpais tree ring data show a drought during that time. Was it more or less severe than the Dust Bowl drought in 1933–1939?
To determine: Whether the drought at A.D. 770 was more or less severe than the Dust Bowl drought in 1933-1939.
Concept introduction: Tree rings are the number of concentric rings in the cross section of the tree trunks that represent a single year growth. Tree ring dating is done to find the exact year of their formation. Tree ring dating helps to analyze the atmospheric condition during the different periods in history. The researchers have created the record of drought dating back hundreds to thousands of years by using tree rings.
Explanation of Solution
The Mayan civilization suffers a massive population loss in the 770 AD. Between 1933 and 1939, a severe drought contributed to the series of the catastrophic dust storms that turned the Midwestern Unites States into a dust bowl. From the data, there is a point that extends to about -1.5 PDSI at 770 A.D. It indicates a severe drought. The dust bowl drought which is indicated by a * on the graph has a PDSI of about -1. Comparing to the drought at 770 A.D. it was more severe than the dust bowl.
The drought in the 770 A.D. was more severe than the drought during the dust bowl.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 27 Solutions
Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap Course List)
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
Genetics: From Genes to Genomes
Campbell Essential Biology (7th Edition)
HUMAN ANATOMY
Chemistry: Atoms First
Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals
- Tree Rings and Droughts El Malpais National Monument, in west central New Mexico, has pockets of vegetation that have been surrounded by lava fields for about 3,000 years, so they have escaped wildfires, grazing animals, agricultural activity, and logging. Henri Grissino-Mayer generated a 2,129-year annual precipitation record using tree ring data from living and dead trees in this park (FIGURE 27.23). FIGURE 27.23 A 2.129-year annual precipitation record inferred from com pled tree ring data in El Malpais National Monument Now Mexico. Data ware averaged over 10-yeer intervals; graph correlates with other indicators of rainfall collected in all parts of North America. PDSI, Palmer Drought Severity Index: O, normal rainfall increasing numbers mean increasing excess of rainfall decreasing numbers mean increasing severity of drought A severe drought contributed to a series of catastrophic dust stem's that turned the rid western United States into a oust bow between 1933 and 1939. 2. One of the worst population catastrophes ever recorded occurred in Mesoamerica between 1519 and 1600 a. d., when around 22 million people native to the region died. Which period between 137 B.C. and 1992 had the most severe drought? How long did that drought last?arrow_forwardTree Rings Reveal Droughts El Malpais National Monument, in west central New Mexico, has pockets of vegetation that have been surrounded by lava fields for about 3,000 years, so they have escaped wildfires, grazing animals, agricultural activity, and logging. Henri Grissino-Mayer generated a 2,129-year annual precipitation record using tree ring data from living and dead trees in this park (FIGURE 27.22). FIGURE 27.22 Annual precipitation record for 2,129 years, inferred from compiled tree ring data in El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico. Data were averaged over 10-year intervals; the graph correlates with other indicators of rainfall collected in all parts of North America. PDSI, Palmer Drought Severity Index: 0, normal rainfall; increasing numbers mean increasing excess of rainfall; decreasing numbers mean increasing severity of drought. A severe drougt contributed to a series of catastrophic dust storms that turned the midwestern United States into a "dust bowl" between 1933 and 1939. One of the worst population catastrophes ever recorded occurred in Mesoamerica between 1519 and a.d. 1600, when around 22 million people native to the region died. Which period between 137 b.c. and 1992 had the most severe drought? How long did that drought last?arrow_forwardQuestion 9 of 190 FINAL - Science The question is based on the following information. ©Sally A. Morgan/Ecoscene/CORBIS According to the Costa Rica Rainforests Outward Bound School, the rain forests of the world are disappearing at a rate of 80 acres per minute, day and night. In December 2000, 53,694,993 acres of rain forest were destroyed. Which of the following facts about rain forests illustrates the negative effect of their destruction on the environment?arrow_forward
- (a) 10% Woody Cover (b) R-0.24 8 P=0.01 5 20 30 50 Years After Abandonment 10 0 0 00 0 0 30 35 40 Degrees Latitude 45 50 30 R-0.34 P<0.01 50% Woody Cover Years After Abandonment 10 20 30 50 5 8 30 35 40 Degrees Latitude 45 In eastern Ohio, most climax communities are forest, defined as having a closed canopy (75%-100% cover) allowing very little light to penetrate to the ground.2 By the end of the study in 2000, is it likely that this old field site (at 40°N) had reached the relative stability of a climax community? (the study began in 1950) A. No. Most forest communities take at least 100 years to reach 75% cover. B. No. According to the graphs, the old field will be at ~50% coverage after 50 years. C. Yes. Unless the area has been disturbed again, it should stay stable after 10% cover. D. Yes. At 40° latitude, over 50% of the old fields were above the stability line on the graph. O A B OC ODarrow_forwardAlbuquerque: Temperature and Precipitation 30 Temperature -Precipitation 25 20 15 60 10 50 40 30 Jan Feb Mar 20 Based on the above climate diagram from Albuquerque, New Mexico, when are Apr May Jun Jul Aug 10 Oct Nov plants most likely experiencing water stress (i.e. there is a water deficit)? Dec Only in December and January From March to October The period of water stress cannot be determined from this graph Only in February and November 6.) d Sep Precip (mm)arrow_forward© Bureau of Land Management The vegetation pictured here is predominantly: Sparsely occurring plants adapted to extreme dryness and drought Grasses and other low, nonwoody plants A mixture of woody shrubs and nonwoody plantsarrow_forward
- The following age and volume data are for a stand of trees Age(yrs) Volume (cubic units) 10 8 20 20 30 38 40 59 50 77 60 92 70 101 How would you estimate the best biological rotation age? If there is a difference between optimal biologic rotation and economic rotation age, explain why. Where does the growth rate peak?arrow_forwardForests covering approximately 30% of the U.S. land area supply about two-thirds of the nation's surface water. True Falsearrow_forwardTo produce about 3 tons of fish and fishery products annually, approximately how many hectares of mangrove must be protected/preserved from human activities? 3ha 2ha 1ha 5haarrow_forward
- All of the following are reasons why tropical rain forests less likely to grow back as secondary growth forests after widespread deforestation (when compared to temperate forests) EXCEPT: Question 25 options: - All of the above are significant reasons why tropical rain forests may not grow back after widespread deforestation. The soil of tropical rain forests contains much less organic matter and nutrients compared to the soil of temperate forests. - The trees in tropical rain forests are largely responsible for returning water vapor back to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration, so when they are gone, the rains come less frequently. - A larger percentage of the nutrients in a tropical rain forest system are stored in the trees themselves than in temperate forests. - Almost all tropical rain forest species are wind-pollinated, which is less reliable than insect-pollination so tree reproduction is affected more by “chance.”arrow_forwardIt’s not answer choice Darrow_forwardWhat is the monthly NPP during the growing season for each forest type? Annual Net primary production for boreal forest is 8, temperate forest 13, tropical is 20. Growing seasons in order are 3 mon, 6 mon and 12 months.arrow_forward
- Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781305073951Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781337408332Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305389892Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage Learning
- Biology (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781337392938Author:Eldra Solomon, Charles Martin, Diana W. Martin, Linda R. BergPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology 2eBiologyISBN:9781947172517Author:Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi, Mary Ann ClarkPublisher:OpenStaxHuman Biology (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305112100Author:Cecie Starr, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage Learning