How to measure tree rings?
To read our tree rings, we used a stereo microscope with a ruler imbedded in one eyepiece. The ruler enabled us to measure the width of each individual ring. By measuring the width of each ring, we will be able to gauge the rates growth for individual years. Counting tree rings is a laborious process, so we decided to limit our counting back to the year of 1980. The time period of 1980 to 1997 allowed us to look at the trees growth patterns during both the gypsy moth and pear thrip years. We tackled the ring measuring in teams of two people. One person looked through the microscope and read off the ring widths to a second person who recorded the widths alongside the corresponding year. We started measuring at year 1997 and measured backward to year 1980. Challenges to accurate measurement Hickory, Ring Porous Sugar Maple, Diffuse Porous White Oak, Ring Porous Annual growth is measured from spring to spring. The earlywood, which represents relatively fast growth in the spring, is charac
