B E N L O C K W O O D

D AV I D C . L E B L A N C

D E P T. O F B I O L O G Y, B A L L S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

Growth-Climate Associations for White Ash (Fraxinus americana L.) in Monroe

County, Indiana

IntroductionJustification

Limited information regarding white ash

Limited time to acquire it Climate is changing

Objective Identify growth-climate association

for white ash in well drained soil Compare white ash & white oak

growth-climate associations

Study Site

Hoosier National Forest

Methods

Sampling D/C-D > 50 yrs. Undamaged 15 trees

2 cores per tree

Measuring Earlywood (EW) Latewood (LW) Total (RW)

Methods

Mean chronology 1932 – 2012 Cross-dating & standardization

Standard dendrochronological methods

Climate Data NOAA & Historical Climate

Network Monthly climate variables Seasonal climate variables

Pearson’s correlation coefficient

Mean Monthly Maximum Temperature

Total Monthly Precipitation

Palmer Drought Severity Index

White Ash & White Oak Comparison (Total RW)

Results

White ash EW Prior to growing season

White ash LW Water stress during current

growing season (June)

White ash & white oak (total RW) Similar growth-climate

associations

Summary

Discussion

Minimal influence of climate on EW during growing season

Most climate sensitivity found in LW during growing season

Carbon allocation modelFoster and LeBlanc (1993)

Acknowledgements

Indiana Academy of Science

Ball State University ASPIRE Program

Zach Jameson, Ball State University

QUESTIONS?