Tree-Ring Chronology of Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur) and its Potential for Development of Dendrochronological Research in Croatia

Abstract

We present the local tree-ring chronology of pedunculate oak (Qercus robur) from Kobiljak near Zagreb, Croatia (16º09’ E, 45º49’ N, 140 m a.s.l.). The chronology is based on 17 trees and is 127 years long and covers the period of 1883-2009. The well replicated part of the residual version of the ARSTAN chronology with SSS>0.80 (interval of 88 years, period 1922-2009) was used for dendroclimatological analysis, which showed that June precipitation has positive and temperature has negative effect on tree-ring variation. Comparison with 40 available oak chronologies from the surrounding countries confi rmed its good teleconnection with 2 local oak chronologies from Austria, 2 from Hungary, and 3 from Slovenia. It also exhibits good heteroconnection, i.e. similarity with chronologies of beech (Fagus sylvatica), from various sites in Slovenia. The similarities can be ascribed to response to common climatic factors. The results indicate that the chronology could be a good reference point for constructing a longer regional chronology in Croatia and surrounding countries, which could be used for different purposes including dating of objects of cultural heritage.

Keywords

• dendrochronology
• pedunculate oak (Quercus robur)
• dendroclimatology
• teleconnection
• heteroconnection