A 538-year record of climate and treeline dynamics from the lower Lena River region of northern Siberia, Russia

A 538-yr tree-ring chronology and reconstruction of June temperatures were developed from living and dead Larix dahurica trees. The samples were obtai ned near the lower Lena River in northern Siberia. Dendrochronological tech niques were used to estimate the ages of establishment and mortality of Lar ix dahurica on the presently treeless uplands and to determine the establis hment dates of living trees in the lowlands. The 20th century may have expe rienced the greatest prolonged period of high June temperatures over the pa st 538 yr. In contrast the greatest prolonged period of told appears to hav e occurred during the first half of the 19th century. It was during the 19t h century that the uplands lost much of their tree and soil cover. Recruitm ent of trees occurred in the lowlands during the 20th century, but trees ha ve not been able to recolonize the uplands, possibly due to the lack of sui table soil.