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Counting tree rings is 1 of the most accurate ways to determine a tree'southward age. In club to do so, you need to find the stump of a tree that has been cut downwardly or go a cantankerous-section of wood from almost the bottom of the tree that shows all the rings. In one case you empathise how to count the pattern of rings, it's very piece of cake to calculate the tree'due south age. You can even learn to analyze the rings to assemble other information about the copse' past, such every bit what the climate was like during a particular twelvemonth of its life.

  1. one

    Locate the center of a tree stump or cantankerous-section of a tree that has been cut. Discover a stump of a tree that was cut downwards or become a circular piece of a tree from well-nigh the bottom. Brand sure the tree was cut horizontally so the stump or cross-section is relatively flat.[ane]

    • Don't utilise a stump or cross-section of wood that is rotten or falling apart or you won't exist able to accurately count the rings.

    Tip: Keep in mind that this method of determining a tree's historic period by counting the rings does not work for 100% of the copse on the planet. Some types of tropical trees, for instance, do not form visible rings within their trunks.

  2. 2

    Look for alternating dark-colored rings and light-colored rings in the trunk. The light rings form during the outset part of the growing season and the dark rings form at the end. Each pair of light and dark rings adds upwardly to ane yr of growth for the tree.[ii]

    • The light rings typically course in jump and early summer, while the dark rings grade in late summer and fall.

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  3. 3

    Count the dark rings to calculate the age of the tree. Offset in the heart of the stump or cross-section of wood and count the first dark band you encounter. Go on counting outwards from the center band until you reach the last dark ring. The full number of dark rings represents the age of the tree in years.[3]

    • Don't count the bawl of the tree as a nighttime band. It doesn't represent a year of growth because the bark but continues to go pushed out as the tree grows from the within.
    • You tin can use a magnifying drinking glass to help you count the rings if they are minor and close together.

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  1. ane

    Await for wide, evenly-spaced rings that represent years of good weather condition. The broadest rings on a tree indicate years during which the tree received lots of sunlight and rain. The tree was able to abound a lot during these years, leading to big rings.[iv]

    • If a tree's rings are wide on 1 side but narrower on the other, it might mean that something was pushing against the tree on one side during those years of growth. It could even signify that 1 side of the tree faced very heavy winds, then it didn't grow every bit much on that side.

  2. 2

    Spot narrowly-spaced rings to determine when there were dry out years. A narrow ring on a trees trunk represents a year when in that location was not a lot of rain. Clusters of narrow rings indicate several years of drought.[v]

    • In some cases, narrow rings can represent an insect infestation. Certain types of larvae swallow a tree's leaves and foliage buds and slow its growth down.

    Fact: Scientists can use tree rings to understand the past climate of our planet and even make predictions nigh time to come climate patterns.

  3. three

    Wait for burn scars in the rings. Expect for black scars within the tree's rings surrounded past normal wood. These represent years during which a forest burn down or perhaps lighting scorched the outside of the tree.[half dozen]

    • Over the years the tree grows new wood around such scars, but the scars stay forever within its trunk.

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Things You'll Need

  • Tree stump or horizontal cantankerous-department of a tree
  • Magnifying glass (optional)

References

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