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Tree-Ring Dated Landslide Movements and Seismic Events in Southwestern Montana, USA

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Tree Rings and Natural Hazards

Part of the book series: Advances in Global Change Research ((AGLO,volume 41))

Abstract

Because many tree species can live for several centuries or longer (Brown 1996), tree-ring analysis can be a valuable tool to date geomorphic events such as landslides, earthquakes, and avalanches in regions lacking long historical records. Typically, a catastrophic landslide will destroy all trees on the landslide, but trees on slower moving landslides may survive. For example, the Slumgullion earthflow, in southwestern Colorado, moves 0.5–5.5 m annually, yet is covered by aspen (Populus tremuloides) and conifers (Baum and Fleming 1996). Trees that survive such movements undoubtedly suffer damage, such as topping, tilting, impact, or root breakage. This damage is commonly recorded in the tree-ring record and analysis of this record can be used to reconstruct past landslide activity.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank L.W. Anderson, R.A. Crovelli, H.C. Fritts, T.C. Hanks, D.K. Keefer, and D.R. Lageson whose knowledge and ideas contributed to this paper. Previous versions of this manuscript benefited from reviews by F.C. Brunstein, D.R. Butler, J.R. Giardino, H.L. Goldstein, K.M. Haller, and J.S. Pigati, and an anonymous reviewer

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO, 80225, USA

    Paul E. Carrara & J. Michael O’Neill

Authors
  1. Paul E. Carrara
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  2. J. Michael O’Neill
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Correspondence to Paul E. Carrara .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inst. Geologie, Labor für Dendrogeomorphologie, Universität Bern, Baltzerstr. 1-3, Bern, 3012, Switzerland

    Markus Stoffel

  2. Inst. Geologie, Labor für Dendrogeomorphologie, Universität Bern, Baltzerstr. 1-3, Bern, 3012, Switzerland

    Michelle Bollschweiler

  3. Dept. Geography, Texas State University, University Drive 601, San Marcos, 78666-4616, Texas, USA

    David R. Butler

  4. Dept. Geography, University of Western Ontario, London, N6A 5C2, Ontario, Canada

    Brian H. Luckman

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Carrara, P.E., O’Neill, J.M. (2010). Tree-Ring Dated Landslide Movements and Seismic Events in Southwestern Montana, USA. In: Stoffel, M., Bollschweiler, M., Butler, D., Luckman, B. (eds) Tree Rings and Natural Hazards. Advances in Global Change Research, vol 41. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8736-2_39

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