This lecture by Daniel Griffin showcases the development and interpretation of a robust network of tree ring data for the Arizona-New Mexico region, records that have been updated into the 21st century and re-analyzed for spring- and summer-specific growth variations.

Southwestern tree rings provide centuries of quantitative perspective on seasonal drought history and highlight the potential for the summer monsoon to relieve or exacerbate drought conditions residual from preceding winter months.

As the American Southwest adapts to an increasingly arid climate, tree-ring data could be useful for benchmarking modern climate extremes and informing long-term drought planning.

Daniel Griffin is an assistant professor in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Society at the University of Minnesota. With funding from the NSF, NOAA, and EPA, his research is focused around climate variability and change, paleoenvironmental dynamics, and dendrochronology.