Gothenburg University Laboratory for Dendrochronology (GULD)
Short description
The Gothenburg University Laboratory for Dendrochronology (GULD) is a fully equipped laboratory for tree-ring research, focusing on late-Holocene climate varibility and its impact on forest ecosystems and human systems.
Research topics include:
• Past atmospheric circulation patterns
• Common Era hydroclimate variability, with a focus on Norhern Europe
• Exploration of quantitative wood anatomy in climate reconstructions
• Arctic climate change
• Climate extremes and tree growth
About us
GULD was founded in 2003 by Professor Hans Linderholm at the University of Gothenburg, and is closely linked with the Regional Climate Group (RCG), where much of the research aim at combining the knowledge from RCG and GULD. This includes studies of circulation patterns from observations and proxies, or utilizing climate models, tree-ring data and calcareous algae in paleoclimate research. Nationally, we collaborate with researchers from Stockholm and Lund Universities, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Internationally, GULD is a partner of the Sino-Swedish Centre for Tree-Ring Research (SISTRR), and collaborate with leading scientists and institutes from e.g. Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Germany, Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and USA.
GULD provides good laboratory facilities, and through close collaboration with Swiss Federal Institute WSL and the Universities of Stockholm and Swansea, we analyse most proxies from tree rings (ring widths, blue intensity, density, stable isotopes, xylem cell anatomical properties). Of the two GULD laboratories, one is dedicated to teaching, and is frequently used in many undergraduate and graduate courses in Earth Sciences, especially in the international Bachelor Programme in Climatology.
Past projects
- “Bridging paleoclimate records and climate model simulations with a novel model/proxy comparison framework” (2020-2022, funded by Formas, PI: Kristina Seftigen)
- “Are droughts part of the new normal for Sweden - integrating proxy data and model simulations for insight into past and future hydroclimate” (2020-2023, funded by VR, PI: Kristina Seftigen)
- “Climate change impacts on human health in the pre-industrial era - combining paleoclimate data and ancient DNA” (2018-2020, funded by Formas, PI: Hans Linderholm)
- “Northern Hemisphere warm-season jet stream variability and its links to climate extremes over the last millennium: JETCLIM” (2016-2020. funded by VR. PI: Hans Linderholm).
