Dendroclimatic study of Siberian juniper

For the first time, Siberian juniper (Juniperus sibirica Burgsd.) has been dendroclimatologically analyzed. Siberian juniper is a small shrub growing in the larch-forest – tundra ecotone in Polar Urals. The 636-year juniper ring-width chronology presented here is based on samples prepared from living and dry branches. Here we prove that this chronology is suitable for dendroclimatic reconstructions. The juniper chronology contains a mean May, June and July temperature signal in contrast to June–July signal in spruce and larch ring-widths. Dendroclimatic reconstructions can be based on Siberian juniper chronology as well as on combined juniper and larch chronology.