The Center for Tree-Ring Science (CTRS) consists of faculty, staff, students, and facilities dedicated to the science of dendrochronology. Dendrochronology involves precise dating and interpretation of annual growth rings in trees to inform a wide variety of scientific disciplines and real-world problems. At CTRS, we specialize in using tree-rings to address questions in the fields of forestry, climatology, wildland fire, and archeology, among others.
The Center for Tree-Ring Science is located in the Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO. Our facilities include two laboratory spaces equipped with tree-ring measuring stations, a lab for quantitative wood anatomy, a wood shop for sample preparation, and archive facilities for wood samples.
Dendrochronology, also known as tree-ring dating, is the science of dating and interpreting the annual growth rings of trees. While many people are aware that you can count the rings on a tree stump to get an approximate age for the tree, dendrochronology uses specific methods and techniques to determine the calendar year that each ring formed. The primary technique used is ‘crossdating’, in which the patterns of growth rings (narrow vs. wide annual rings) from individual trees at a site are matched together to build a tree-growth record for that site that is longer than just the lifespan of an individual tree.
Tree-ring studies have been conducted at the University of Missouri since 1968, beginning with early studies focused on wood science and wood characteristics. Beginning in 1980, increased emphasis was placed on climate research. Soon after, research topics expanded to include environmental chemistry, fire history, and forest ecology. The lab has steadily grown in staff and capacity to include a wide variety of research. In 2021, the Missouri Tree-Ring Laboratory was recognized by the University of Missouri as a research center and was renamed the Center for Tree-Ring Science.