A DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL STUDY OF BLACK AND SCARLET OAK DECLINE IN THE MISSOURI OZARKS

Examination of tree-ring data revealed important relationships regarding red oak decline in the Missouri Ozarks. Red oaks, mainly black and scarlet oak, exhibiting greater than 30% crown dieback had significantly lower present-day growth rates compared with trees with less than 30% dieback. Red oaks with declining crowns first showed significantly lower radial growth than trees that are healthy at present in the 10 years following years of severe drought in southeastern Missouri. These dates for initiation of radial growth decline varied by tree age, and were 1936 for 60-79-year-old trees and 1952 for 40-59-year-old trees.