Determinate the Number of Growth Rings Using Resistograph with Tree-Ring Chronology to Investigate Ages of Big Old Trees

Abstract

To verify the possibility of using resistograph to estimate the age of big old living trees, we selected three Zelkova serrata and seven Pinus densiflora in Goesan. The mean diameters at breast height of Z. serrata and P. densiflora were 102 (92-116) cm and 80 (65-110) cm, respectively. The heights measured from the ground using a resistograph ranged at 1.2-4.3 m and 0.6-1.1 m for Z. serrata and P. Densiflora, respectively. The most appropriate needle speed to determine tree-ring boundaries for measuring ring width was 1500 r/min for both tree species. Alternatively, the suitable feed speeds for Z. serrata and P. densiflora were 50 cm/min and 150 cm/min, respectively. From the measured data, the mean numbers of tree rings of Z. serrata and P. densiflora were 57 (43-68) and 104 (93-124), respectively, and the mean tree-ring widths were 4.27 mm (3.18-5.09 mm) and 2.93 mm (2.32-3.34 mm), respectively. A comparison between the time series of tree-ring widths by resistograph and that from the local master chronologies tallied for the heartwood part. Finally, this study showed that resistograph can be used to estimate tree ages when a local master chronology is available.