EEOS Graduate Student Finds Ancient Tree Stumps Signposts of Climate Change
November 25, 2011
EEOS
Environmental, Earth, and Ocean Sciences graduate student Christopher V. Maio recently shared the discovery of an ancient forest on South Cape Beach, Cape Cod with 50 interested community members at the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Maio is a student of Associate Professor of Environmental, Earth, and Ocean Sciences Allen Gontz.
Sixteen juniper stumps were exposed on the beach following a storm in March 2009. According to Maio, based on recently completed carbon dating, the youngest of these stumps are at least 340 years old, while the oldest date back at least 1,210 years. This indicates a forest once stood where the beach is now, and drowned as sea levels rose.
This research is particularly critical as the cape and other coastal areas prepare to face rising sea levels and increasing storm surges as a likely result of changes in the climate.
For full coverage, see the article in Cape Cod's Enterprise News.
Leave a Comment!
Comments are moderated and will not appear until they have been reviewed and approved.