New tree-ring network in Khakassia and Tuva

As of now, the project has developed a network of precipitation-sensitive tree rings along the upper reaches of the Yenisei River. The new tree-ring data updates and extends the historical network of tree-ring width chronologies in this region to 2019f. Additionally, we developed a set of pseudo tree-ring records via VS-forward simulation. This new tree-ring dataset will be incorporated into the TRISH-tool database.

Large stone of the Great Salbyk kurgan. This tree-ring sampling area has some of the richest archaeological heritage in Siberia. Many kurgan fields have well-preserved timbers inside burials suitable for tree-ring analysis.

Sampling on extremely steep slopes ensures a strong hydrological signal in the tree-ring widths. The signal in these trees is so strong because growth conditions are very dry on these slopes. However, these dry conditions also make these forests more susceptible to the increasingly-frequent fires in this region.

Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam, 242 m high, on the Yenisei River in Khakassia, Russia. This is the largest power plant in Russia and holds 9th place in the ranking of the world's largest hydroelectric plants. The dam impacts the natural river flow since 1963.

Larch and pine trees sampled in the vicinity of the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam in fall 2019. We search for old-growth trees on steep slopes in forest-steppe ecotones. The oldest trees reach up to 400–430 years in age, but these trees are rare and hard to find.