Evaluating the annual nature of juvenile rings in Bolivian tropical rainforest trees

Knowledge on juvenile tree growth is crucial to understand how trees reach the canopy in tropical forests. However, long-term data on juvenile tree growth are usually unavailable. Annual tree rings provide growth information for the entire life of trees and their analysis has become more popular in tropical forest regions over the past decades. Nonetheless, tree ring studies mainly deal with adult rings as the annual character of juvenile rings has been questioned. We evaluated whether juvenile tree rings can be used for three Bolivian rainforest species. First, we characterized the rings of juvenile and adult trees anatomically. We then evaluated the annual nature of tree rings by a combination of three indirect methods: evaluation of synchronous growth patterns in the tree- ring series, ¹⁴C bomb peak dating and correlations with rainfall. Our results indicate that rings of juvenile and adult trees are defined by similar ring-boundary elements. We built juvenile tree-ring chronologies and verified the ring age of several samples using ¹⁴C bomb peak dating. We found that ring width was correlated with rainfall in all species, but in different ways. In all, the chronology, rainfall correlations and ¹⁴C dating suggest that rings in our study species are formed annually.     

Variation in stem radial growth of the Australian conifer, Callitris columellaris, across the world’s driest and least fertile vegetated continent

Climate change could alter the biogeography of many tree species. However, there have been few studies of tree growth across climatic gradients at a continental scale. Callitris columellaris is a widespread conifer that spans many climates and landscape positions across Australia. Our aim was to determine how stem radial growth of C. columellaris varies with tree size and with the biogeographic factors of rainfall, temperature, soil fertility and inter-tree competition. We sampled cores from trees at 85 sites in biomes ranging from tropical savanna to arid desert and temperate forest, and measured widths of the 100 outermost growth rings. We analysed ring width in relation to changes in tree age and diameter, and also evaluated the influence of the biogeographic factors on the width of the ten most recently formed rings. The average width of outermost rings varied only slightly with stem diameter, because the decrease in ring width with age and diameter within trees is offset by an increase with diameter among trees. Our analyses thus explain the weak, inconsistent relationships often observed between stem diameter and growth rate amongst trees. The most important biogeographic factors were the climatic ones: across Australia, ring width increased with both mean annual rainfall and mean annual temperature. These relationships were largely driven by continental scale differences between the tropical and the southern (arid plus temperate) sites, while relationships within climate zones were comparatively weak. Ring width decreased with intense inter-tree competition but showed little correlation with available soil nitrogen or phosphorus.     

Ages and long-term growth patterns of four threatened Vietnamese tree species

Conservation of threatened tree species requires basic information on growth rates and ages. This information is lacking for many species, but can be obtained relatively easily from tree ring analysis. We studied four threatened Vietnamese species: three conifers from high-elevation forests (Calocedrus macrolepis, Dacrydium elatum and Pinus kwangtungensis) and one broad-leaved species from lowland forest (Annamocarya sinensis). We collected increment cores from remnant populations in protected areas and measured ring width. We built chronologies and found significant correlations with rainfall (all species) and temperature (two species), indicating that rings were formed annually. Diameter-age trajectories showed that species reached reproductive size at 60–80 years. Maximum observed ages were 128–229 years. Some species showed large variation in long-term growth rates among individuals, which was partially explained by strong persistence of growth differences. We also assessed whether growth rates changed over time. For certain size categories in some species, we found higher recent growth rates of juvenile trees compared to those in the distant past. This shift requires a cautious interpretation, but is consistent with a CO₂ fertilization effect. For other size categories, we found contrasting results: extant large trees had higher growth rates as small juveniles compared to extant small trees. Such correlations, which we found for all species, suggest a ‘juvenile selection effect’: the preferential survival of fast-growing juveniles to the canopy. Information on ages, historical growth rates and juvenile selection effect is relevant for the planning of conservation actions.     

Tree-ring growth and stable isotopes (13C and 15N) detect effects of wildfires on tree physiological processes in Pinus sylvestris L.

Forest fires may alter the physiological and growth processes of trees by causing stress in trees and modifying the availability of soil nutrient. We investigated if, after a high-severity fire, changes in tree-ring growth can be observed, as well as changes in the nitrogen and carbon isotope composition of tree rings of surviving trees. Two wildfires that occurred in Pinus sylvestris L. stands in Northern Italy, one at the beginning and one at the end of the vegetative season, were chosen as the focus of this study. After the fires, the surviving trees showed growth suppression with very narrow tree rings or locally absent rings. The carbon isotope ratio was more negative in tree rings formed in the 5 years following fire, indicating better water supply in a situation of less competition. The nitrogen isotope ratio followed opposite trends in the two wildfire stands. In trees cored in the stand where the fire happened at the beginning of the vegetative season, there was no change in the nitrogen isotope ratio, whereas in samples collected in the other fire site, higher nitrogen isotope ratios were observed in the tree rings formed after the fire, reflecting changes in the soil nitrogen supply. Modifications in the growth and isotope composition of the fire-stressed trees disappeared from 6 to 10 years after the fire. By studying trees before and after fire, we were able to show that fire affects not only the growth of surviving trees, but also their physiological processes.     

Characterizing growth rings in the trees of Perú: A wood anatomical overview for potential applications in dendroecological-related fields

Sustainable forestry requires accurate ecological information such as species composition, growth rates and recruitment dynamics. Tree growth rates are usually obtained through long-term periodic re-measurements of individual trees or through the analysis of tree growth rings in stem cross sections. However, tree growth ring analysis was traditionally thought to be only possible in biomes with strong seasonality such as those found in high latitude temperate regions. A lack of data on the occurrence and characteristics of tree rings in tropical trees may be due to a lack of investigations. Here we characterise the growth rings of 183 tree species from seven forest types across an altitudinal gradient in northern and central Perú at macro- and microscopic levels. A correspondence analysis showed an association between phylogenetic relatedness and the level of distinctiveness in the growth rings. Deciduous species of seasonally dry tropical forests were associated with distinct growth rings and mainly delimited by marginal parenchyma, while indistinct growth rings were associated with evergreen trees from lowland Amazonian and pre-montane wet forests. Additionally, for the first time the presence of growth ring boundaries defined by marginal phloem is reported in two tropical tree species, Gallesia integrifolia (Spreng.) Harms and Vochysia mapirensis Rusby. This contribution represents the most exhaustive record to date of the occurrence and anatomy of growth rings in trees of the Peruvian tropics, which can be used to inform future dendrochronological studies.     

南京栖霞山地区黑松,马尾松年轮Pb,Zn含量与降水量的谱分析

南京栖霞山地区黑松、马尾松年轮Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ含量与降水量的谱分析董雅文,潘良宝,钱君龙,黄景苏（中国科学院南京地理与湖泊研究所２１０００８）ＳｐｅｃｔｒａｌＡｎａｌｙｓｉｓｏｆＰｂａｎｄＺｎＣｏｎｔｅｎｔｓｉｎＴｒｅｅＲｉｎｇｓｏｆＢｌａｃｋＰｉｎｅａｎ...     

黄土高原南北样带尺度人工刺槐林对气候响应的敏感性分析

根据黄土高原南北样带尺度的人工刺槐林(Robinia pseudoacacia)的年轮宽度资料,分析了该地区刺槐树木生长趋势,以及刺槐年表对气候响应随降雨梯度变化规律。研究结果表明延安以北的刺槐样点(绥德、神木)年轮指数近期趋于下降,树木有生长衰退现象;而延安以南刺槐样点(延安、富县、宜君、永寿)年轮指数近期趋于上升,树木无生长衰退现象。气候响应结果表明,刺槐年表对气候响应均以延安样点最为敏感,表现年表与温度的负相关关系,以及年表与降雨和干旱指数的正相关关系,而延安以北和以南刺槐样点对气候响应敏感性均较低。黄土高原中部延安地区地处森林草原过渡带,刺槐生长对外界环境变化最为敏感,年表中气候信号也较强;延安以南地区地处森林植被带,气候条件较为适宜刺槐林生长,因而年表中气候信号较弱;延安以北地区地处草原植被带,气候条件比较恶劣,刺槐生长对干旱气候已有一定适应性特征,因而年表中气候信号也较弱。     

Long-term increase of March temperature has no negative impact on tree rings of European larch (Larix decidua) in lowland Poland

European larch trees grown outside their natural range were intensively studied in terms of their adaptability to increased late winter temperature. A total of 264 cores of larch were taken from 12 sites throughout northern Poland at sites outside of its natural range. Clustering of de-trended chronologies reveal that research sites are grouped geographically. The mean ring widths, however, are similar amongst the four regions. In total, 21?% of the single correlations for all months for tree-ring widths were significant at the 5?% error level. For earlywood and latewood, the figures are 18 and 19?%, respectively. A generally positive precipitation effect was found, however, no significant negative effect was observed. Temperature had mixed effects on ring width. Higher temperatures in late winter and early spring increased ring width in region 2. High summer temperatures in both the previous and the current year, on the other hand, generally had a negative impact on tree-ring width during the growing season. On most of the sites, the observed long-term trend for increasing temperatures in March had no significant negative influence on tree growth. The visual condition of European larch together with the lack of any negative response of tree rings to observed March temperature increase suggest that it may be beneficial to introduce this species into new areas.     

Nonannual tree rings in a climate‐sensitive Prioria copaifera chronology in the Atrato River,Colombia

In temperate climates, tree growth dormancy usually ensures the annual nature of tree rings, but in tropical environments, determination of annual periodicity can be more complex. The purposes of the work are as follows: (1) to generate a reliable tree‐ring width chronology for Prioria copaifera Griseb. (Leguminoceae), a tropical tree species dwelling in the Atrato River floodplains, Colombia; (2) to assess the climate signal recorded by the tree‐ring records; and (3) to validate the annual periodicity of the tree rings using independent methods. We used standard dendrochronological procedures to generate the P. copaifera tree‐ring chronology. We used Pearson correlations to evaluate the relationship of the chronology with the meteorological records, climate regional indices, and gridded precipitation/sea surface temperature products. We also evaluated 24 high‐precision ¹⁴C measurements spread over a range of preselected tree rings, with assigned calendar years by dendrochronological techniques, before and after the bomb spike in order to validate the annual nature of the tree rings. The tree‐ring width chronology was statistically reliable, and it correlated significantly with local records of annual and October–December (OND) streamflow and precipitation across the upper river watershed (positive), and OND temperature (negative). It was also significantly related to the Oceanic Niño Index, Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and the Southern Oscillation Index, as well as sea surface temperatures over the Caribbean and the Pacific region. However, ¹⁴C high‐precision measurements over the tree rings demonstrated offsets of up to 40 years that indicate that P. copaifera can produce more than one ring in certain years. Results derived from the strongest climate–growth relationship during the most recent years of the record suggest that the climatic signal reported may be due to the presence of annual rings in some of those trees in recent years. Our study alerts about the risk of applying dendrochronology in species with challenging anatomical features defining tree rings, commonly found in the tropics, without an independent validation of annual periodicity of tree rings. High‐precision ¹⁴C measurements in multiple trees are a useful method to validate the identification of annual tree rings.     

Climatic signals in tree‐rings of Araucaria angustifolia in the southern Brazilian highlands

Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) O. Kuntze (Araucariaceae) is a Neotropical tree, widely distributed in subtropical mountain rain forests and nearby natural grasslands of Southern Brazil. This species produces annual growth rings, but its dendroclimatic potential is barely known. In the present paper, the long‐term growth patterns of A. angustifolia were investigated using annual growth ring time series and association to climate over the last century. Wood cores of A. angustifolia trees growing in forest and grassland habitats were obtained with an increment borer. The cores were surfaced, measured and cross‐dated. The dated ring‐width time series were standardized and submitted to correlation and principal component analysis to verify growth trends among sites and trees. Growth‐climate relationships were investigated using correlation and regression analyses, comparing the ordination axes scores to regional time series of precipitation and temperature. Due to anatomical irregularities, mainly partial rings, only 35 out of 60 trees were cross‐dated. The correlation and ordination analyses showed common tree‐growth trends within and between sites, indicative of a regional environmental force determining inter‐annual cambial activity variation. Despite growing in distinct habitats and disturbance regimes, A. angustifolia trees share a common long‐term growth pattern, which is significantly related to thermal conditions during the current and previous growing seasons. Moreover, site‐specific characteristics may have influenced opposite growth responses and association to climate conditions between forest and grassland trees.     

树木年轮宽度与气候变化关系研究进展

 树木的生长和立地环境密切相关并受多种气候因子的影响。树木年轮宽度的增加与温度、降水、太阳辐射、CO2浓度等气候因子有着复杂的相关关系。在干旱或半干旱地区,温度是限制树木生长的重要气候因子。生长季开始时最低温度的升高有利于延长生长季,与年轮宽度正相关;但是当生长季温度过高时,即使降水非常充裕,当年也只能形成窄年轮。生长季的温度过高则会加快土壤蒸发失水量并提高蒸汽压差,使土壤水分不足而不利于树木生长,因而生长季的高温多表现为与年轮宽度的负相关。生长期内降水量与树木的径向生长也成正相关,但当生长季的降水量充足或过多时,降水对树木径向生长不相关或负相关。受温度和降水共同调控的土壤湿度是树木径向生长的主要限制因子,良好的水分状况对树木生长起决定性作用。某一地区的太阳辐射能量高常会导致高温少雨,故高强度的太阳辐射使表土的湿度降低而不利于树木的径向生长。而在受季风影响的地区,树木年轮宽度的增加与当年雨季的气候变化关系不大。当年季风到来之前的气候（温度和降水）是树木生长的主要限制因子。有关CO2浓度的升高对树木生长的影响,研究的结果很不一致。一些温室实验及田间控制实验证明,CO2浓度的升高能对短命的一年生草本植物和植物幼苗产生“施肥效应”,并有利于其生长;还有些研究证明CO2浓度的升高能使高海拔地带的树木年轮宽度增加;但也有些研究认为CO2浓度的升高对生长在自然条件下的自然植被影响不大。近年来,有关树木径向生长和气候变化的研究越来越引起人们的关注,相关研究也取得了较大的进展。这些研究在帮助人们了解和研究古气候变化对森林植被的影响,以及预测未来全球变化对陆地生态系统的影响等方面有重要的理论和现实意义。综述了气候变化对树木年轮宽度影响的研究进展和应用,并概述了研究方法和发展前景,希望能加快和拓宽这一领域的发展。     

Relating tree growth to rainfall in Bolivian rain forests: a test for six species using tree ring analysis

Many tropical regions show one distinct dry season. Often, this seasonality induces cambial dormancy of trees, particularly if these belong to deciduous species. This will often lead to the formation of annual rings. The aim of this study was to determine whether tree species in the Bolivian Amazon region form annual rings and to study the influence of the total amount and seasonal distribution of rainfall on diameter growth. Ring widths were measured on stem discs of a total of 154 trees belonging to six rain forest species. By correlating ring width and monthly rainfall data we proved the annual character of the tree rings for four of our study species. For two other species the annual character was proved by counting rings on trees of known age and by radiocarbon dating. The results of the climate–growth analysis show a positive relationship between tree growth and rainfall in certain periods of the year, indicating that rainfall plays a major role in tree growth. Three species showed a strong relationship with rainfall at the beginning of the rainy season, while one species is most sensitive to the rainfall at the end of the previous growing season. These results clearly demonstrate that tree ring analysis can be successfully applied in the tropics and that it is a promising method for various research disciplines.     

Frequency of partial and missing rings in Acer saccharum in relation to canopy position and growth rate

Locally absent growth rings are known to occur in trees during periods of environmental stress, but little evidence has been available on their frequency in moist temperate forests or on their potential for causing problems in dendroecological studies. In this study, 95 stem disks of Acer saccharum cut from trees representing a wide range of size and age were examined for ring anomalies using three techniques – inspection of disks for partial rings, crossdating of each tree against regional master chronologies, and use of stand history evidence. The number of ring anomalies in Acer saccharum was inversely related to growth rate and vigor. Mean percentage of ring anomalies was 1.3% in dominant canopy trees, 4.6% in trees of the intermediate crown class, and 16.2% in overtopped trees. All of the overtopped trees had partial or missing rings, with a mean of 10 per tree and a range of 2 to 20. Use of crossdating to correct for ring anomalies appeared to be successful in 88% of the canopy trees. However, crossdating results were inconclusive in 32% of the overtopped trees because of low ring width variability, multiple missing rings, and short duration of trouble-free segments. Because overtopped trees are of limited value in reconstructing disturbance history and often cannot be crossdated reliably, we suggest that they normally be excluded from disturbance chronologies.     

CLIMTREG: Detecting temporal changes in climate–growth reactions – A computer program using intra-annual daily and yearly moving time intervals of variable width

Analysing climate–growth relationships is one of the key areas in dendrochronological research. One problem however remained unsolved – the discrepancy between the trees continuous growth over the vegetation period and the mean climate variables stretching over much longer periods. Here we present the possibility to calculate climate–growth correlations based on daily climate data using variable temporal width together with moving correlations to accommodate for short term as well as long term influences on tree growth. For the first time this offers the opportunity to acknowledge annual changes in the growing seasonal length and effects of short extreme events. Numerous outputs in data- and graphic-files allows a comparison of varying periods with significant correlations between climate and tree growth. Furthermore the use of climate scenarios is an optional tool for growth predictions.     

Millennium-Scale Crossdating and Inter-Annual Climate Sensitivities of Standing California Redwoods

Extremely decay-resistant wood and fire-resistant bark allow California’s redwoods to accumulate millennia of annual growth rings that can be useful in biological research. Whereas tree rings of Sequoiadendron giganteum (SEGI) helped formalize the study of dendrochronology and the principle of crossdating, those of Sequoia sempervirens (SESE) have proven much more difficult to decipher, greatly limiting dendroclimatic and other investigations of this species. We overcame these problems by climbing standing trees and coring trunks at multiple heights in 14 old-growth forest locations across California. Overall, we sampled 1,466 series with 483,712 annual rings from 120 trees and were able to crossdate 83% of SESE compared to 99% of SEGI rings. Standard and residual tree-ring chronologies spanning up to 1,685 years for SESE and 1,538 years for SEGI were created for each location to evaluate crossdating and to examine correlations between annual growth and climate. We used monthly values of temperature, precipitation, and drought severity as well as summer cloudiness to quantify potential drivers of inter-annual growth variation over century-long time series at each location. SESE chronologies exhibited a latitudinal gradient of climate sensitivities, contrasting cooler northern rainforests and warmer, drier southern forests. Radial growth increased with decreasing summer cloudiness in northern rainforests and a central SESE location. The strongest dendroclimatic relationship occurred in our southernmost SESE location, where radial growth correlated negatively with dry summer conditions and exhibited responses to historic fires. SEGI chronologies showed negative correlations with June temperature and positive correlations with previous October precipitation. More work is needed to understand quantitative relationships between SEGI radial growth and moisture availability, particularly snowmelt. Tree-ring chronologies developed here for both redwood species have numerous scientific applications, including determination of tree ages, accurate dating of fire-return intervals, archaeology, analyses of stable isotopes, long-term climate reconstructions, and quantifying rates of carbon sequestration.     

SPACING OF PARENCHYMA BANDS IN WOOD OF CARYA GLABRA (MILL.) SWEET,PIGNUT HICKORY,AS AN INDICATOR OF GROWTH RATE AND CLIMATIC FACTORS

Variations in the spacing of concentric, tangential bands of apotracheal axial wood parenchyma cells in the annual growth rings of Carya glabra (Mill.) Sweet constitute a record of changes in radial growth rate and of fluctuations in climatic factors. This relationship was determined from trees that were growing under moisture stress and consequently had highly consistent ring-width patterns from tree to tree. Band spacing decreased across a growth ring and was generally greater in wide than in narrow rings. Thus, the proportion of xylem cross-sectional area occupied by axial parenchyma tissue was inversely related to ring width. Average numbers of bands in each of 67 years were analyzed relative to ring widths. Years in which bands were unusually numerous relative to ring width were years of low April-May precipitation, leading to slow spring growth and closely spaced bands early in the growing season. Years in which band numbers were unusually low relative to ring width were years of high April-May precipitation, leading to rapid growth and widely spaced bands early in the season; low July precipitation in these years apparently curtailed growth before much of the typical late-season wood, with its closely spaced bands, could form. Parenchyma bands were aggregated within some rings, suggesting that a slowing of growth had been followed by a growth spurt. Evidence for a late-season spurt was that rings with aggregations were significantly wider than rings formed the same year and not having aggregations of bands. The number of vessels per unit of cross-sectional area was inversely related to ring width.     

帽儿山地区兴安落叶松人工林树木年轮气候学研究

通过帽儿山兴安落叶松（Larix gmelinii）人工林树木年轮样本和气象资料,对该地区兴安落叶松进行了树木年轮气候学研究,结果表明：过去50年年均温度上升达到了显著水平（p<0.05）,平均温度每10年约上升0.4℃,年平均最高气温每10年约上升0.3℃,年平均最低气温每10年约上升0.5℃,但是年降水量随着年份变化不显著（p>0.05）。从月均温度来看,所有月份均出现明显上升趋势,其中冬季2月份温度上升最为明显,达到0.9~1℃/10年,而夏季（6~8月）上升的较小,达到0.2~0.7℃/10年;多数月份降雨量随年龄变化不显著（p>0.05）。在这一气候变暖过程中,早材及总年轮宽度生长随着夏季（6~7月）温度上升而下降,春季(5月)温度的升高而升高,晚材随着秋季（9月）温度上升而增加,导致在年水平上,年轮生长随着年均温的变化不显著（p>0.05）。降雨量在未来气候变化过程中,没有稳定的变化趋势,但是对年轮影响明显,在年水平上,早材与年轮的生长均受降水量的影响较大(p<0.05)。如果未来东北地区气候变暖趋势明显,而降水量变化不明显,春季和秋季温度升高导致的年轮生长增加会被夏季过高温度抑制年轮生长所抵消,因此,落叶松林径向生长受到的影响可能不大。     

Direct effects of tephra fallout from the Puyehue–Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex on Nothofagus pumilio ring widths in northern Patagonia

We evaluated the radial growth response of adult Nothofagus pumilio (Poepp. et Endl) Krasser trees affected by tephra deposition following historical volcanic eruptions of the Puyehue–Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex (PCCVC) in northern Patagonia. Standard tree–ring width chronologies were developed for trees from two sites that were affected by up to 55 cm of tephra during the 2011 eruption, which allowed us to detect the general tree–growth response to eruptions VEI ≥ 3 and VEI ≤ 2. The tree growth trend satisfactorily followed the mean temperature record (r = 0.42); however, the analysis of studentized residuals identified outliers (≥ ± 2 SD) directly related to the volcanic eruptions of the years 1921–1922 and 2011 and the respective post–eruption years, while for the 1960 eruption and following year, they largely exceeded the mean value of the residuals. The large amount of tephra deposited during the 1921–22 and 2011 eruptions caused physical damage to the tree canopy leading to the appearance of white rings and to locally absent rings. The rate of change in radial growth of trees during these eruptions presented significant declines in relation to the growth of five years before the eruption and to the following year. The low amount of tephra deposited during the 1960 eruption did not cause damage to the stands and trees increased their radial growth. In general, trees that had reduced radial growth experienced a remarkable recovery starting in the second or third post–eruption year. The amount of tephra deposited and the time of year of the volcanic eruptions had an important influence on tree rings. Some ecophysiological causes that could explain the growth responses of N. pumilio to tephra fall are discussed herein. Our study may provide useful insights to clarify the uncertain characteristics of some eruptions in the past or to detect the occurrence of large, undocumented volcanic eruptions throughout the Andes.     

千山油松年轮宽度年表的建立及其与气候的关系

以千山油松为样本,建立了年轮宽度标准化年表、差值年表和自回归年表.结果表明,油松年轮宽度与5—7和9—11月温度指标的相关性较高,且与低温呈正相关,其中与7月的极端最低温、9月的平均最低温显著相关.3种年表与上年12月和当年1月的极端最低温、1月的平均最低温呈显著相关,且其与全年、上年12月、当年5月的降水量显著相关,与4月的降水量极显著相关.油松与水汽压、相对湿度的月和年指标均有较强的相关性.蒸发的年指标和绝大部分月指标对油松生长具有负效应,其中4—7月最明显.油松年表的窄化突变佐证了1800年以来的30次主要的旱灾年历史记录.千山油松的生长受全球或半球尺度气候变化的影响.年表与太阳活动存在显著的11、23和50年左右的公共周期,与地磁指标在10、20和45年左右存在共同的周期变化.     

Age and Growth Patterns of Brazil Nut Trees (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.) in Amazonia,Brazil

Various techniques have been used to estimate the age of Brazil nut trees (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.), but these techniques produce large discrepancies. Here, we first verified that two individuals of known ages from a plantation in central Amazonia, Brazil, have a congruent number of growth rings. The indexed average tree‐ring curve was significantly correlated with total precipitation during the rainy season (November–June) over a 50‐yr period, confirming the annual nature of the tree rings. Second, we analyzed Brazil nut trees from two populations in the Trombetas (eastern Amazon) and Purus (central Amazon) regions, performing tree‐ring analysis to estimate tree age and diameter increment rates. We compared age–diameter relationships, mean passage time through 10‐cm diameter size classes, and growth trajectories of individual trees. The maximum age of Brazil nut trees analyzed was 361 yr in the Purus and 401 yr in the Trombetas. Trees at the Purus site had higher mean diameter increment rates and showed more variation compared to trees at the Trombetas site. Individual growth trajectories show that the majority of trees attained the canopy by direct growth, while a smaller number passed through one release or one suppression event before becoming established in the canopy. None of the trees passed through multiple release and suppression events. The age estimations presented here are comparable to previous tree‐ring analyses for the species, and the observed growth patterns support earlier work indicating B. excelsa as a gap‐dependent tree species.