The research field "Climate-Environment-Human Relations" covers a wide range of possible questions and interdisciplinary approaches. The central research element of our working group is dendrochronology, i.e. the study of tree rings. As "witnesses of time", tree rings shed light on ecological and climatological aspects of tree growth. At the same time they represent an important dating method in historical or archaeological work. Thus, dendrochronology covers a classical interface of geographical research and helps to link the existing research fields at the Institute of Geography in Giessen.
Our work includes the sampling of trees in different ecosystems, the dating and analysis of tree rings in the laboratory, and their processing and interpretation in climatological, ecological, and historical contexts.
