Drought Reconstruction Over the Past Two Centuries in Southern Myanmar Using Teak Tree-Rings: Linkages to the Pacific and Indian Oceans

Zaw Z, Fan ZX, Bräuning A, Xu CX, Liu WJ, Gaire NP, Panthi S, Than KZ (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

Geophysical Research Letters American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Book Volume: 47

Article Number: e2020GL087627

Journal Issue: 10

DOI: 10.1029/2020GL087627

Abstract

To develop a high-resolution paleoclimate proxy record facilitating adaptation measures on drought impacts, we constructed a regional composite tree-ring chronology of teak (Tectona grandis) by combining three local site chronologies from southern Myanmar. Our regional tree-ring record is strongly correlated with the November–April self-calibrated Palmer drought severity index and enabled us to reconstruct drought variability for the period 1802–2016. The reconstruction explained 46.5% of the actual self-calibrated Palmer drought severity index variance. Over the past two centuries, we detected one extreme (1812) and six severe drought years (1810, 1811, 1816, 1852, 1887, and 1980). Dry periods coincided with six major famines that occurred in India. Spatial correlation analyses revealed that drought occurrence is linked to broader-scale atmospheric circulations of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, especially during the positive phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. Our reconstruction provides a useful historical perspective for assessing adaptation measures intent on mitigating future drought impacts in Myanmar.

Authors with CRIS profile

Achim Bräuning Lehrstuhl für Geographie (Physische Geographie)

Involved external institutions

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) CN China (CN) Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) / 中国科学院 CN China (CN)

How to cite

APA:

Zaw, Z., Fan, Z.X., Bräuning, A., Xu, C.X., Liu, W.J., Gaire, N.P.,... Than, K.Z. (2020). Drought Reconstruction Over the Past Two Centuries in Southern Myanmar Using Teak Tree-Rings: Linkages to the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Geophysical Research Letters, 47(10). https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2020GL087627

MLA:

Zaw, Zaw, et al. "Drought Reconstruction Over the Past Two Centuries in Southern Myanmar Using Teak Tree-Rings: Linkages to the Pacific and Indian Oceans." Geophysical Research Letters 47.10 (2020).

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