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Logistics
Date: 24 July - 2 August 2023
Location: Kitwe, Zambia
Venue: Copperbelt University
Description
Africa is the most under-studied continent for dendrochronology, providng opportunity for new research and the necessity to fill this data gap in our global environmental network.
Wilson et al. (2016) published evidence of rapid warming since 1900CE for the Northern Hemisphere that demonstrates global warming but there is not an equivalent dataset from the Southern Hemisphere, which is necessary to develop a full understanding of global change. Extensive chronologies have been developed in South America, New Zealand, and Tasmania, but there is a critical gap in global datasets due to the lack of African chronologies. Because of this paucity of information, our current understanding of climate change in the Southern Hemisphere is limited and can be further expanded by developing chronologies.
Our work is the first major systematic exploration of tree species in Africa.
Trouet (Trouet 2004; Trouet et al. 2006, Trouet et al. 2010) demonstrated annual ring formation and climatic responses in multiple African species while Fichtler et al. (2004) demonstrated crossdating in Burkea and Pterocarpus species. Ngoma (Ngoma et al. 2017, Ngoma et al. 2018) demonstrated that Baikiaea plurijuga could be dated on a climatic transect across Zambia. Our preliminary work described two species that form annual rings and have statistically significant climate responses, with an additional ten to twenty species showing potential for annual dating.
We also identified living trees that extend back 160 years, which can be used to increase the coverage and extent of the existing meteorological station data through climatic reconstruction. However, more explorations are needed to generate extended chronologies back in time for climate reconstruction.
About the workshop
The workshop will focus on dating of tree-rings and interpretation of past events on the Land surface. From this training workshop, we will build chronologies that will be used for climate reconstruction. Intellectual capacity will be built to enable continuous study of the tropical trees.
Who is the workshop for?
The training is open to anyone who is interested.
Students and early-career researchers are encouraged to be involved.
For students and researchers, participants should have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree. However, for participants from the industry, a lower qualification (certificate and diploma) is acceptable as they already have practical knowledge from the industry.
Key speakers/mentors/lecturers
We have eight (8) facilitators coming from three (3) countries to provide the training. While five (5) are more experienced researchers, three (3) are early career researchers as follows:
1) Prof James Speer- Indianan state University, USA, Confirmed, experienced researcher
2) Prof. Mathew Bekker- Brigham Young University, USA, Confirmed, experienced researcher
3) Prof. Stephen Syampungani-Copperbelt University, Zambia, Confirmed, experienced researcher
4) Prof. Felix Kanungwe Kalaba-Copperbelt University, Zambia, Confirmed, experienced researcher
5) Mr. Paul Kruisc – University of Cambridge, UK, Confirmed, Experienced researcher
6) Dr. Justine Ngoma-Copperbelt University, Zambia, Confirmed, Early career researcher
7) Dr. Francis Munalula-Copperbelt University, Zambia, Confirmed, Early career researcher
8) Dr. Charles Mulenga-Copperbelt University, Zambia, Confirmed, Early career researcher
Early-career researchers will work under the guidance of experienced researchers.
Important dates
Application opens: 20 February 2023
Committee’s review and response to applications: On a rolling basis
Closing date of receiving participation fees: 30 June 2023
Arrival date of participants: 23 July 2023
Departure date of participants: 3 August 2023
Registration
Register online: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeRirDiUIryfSe0vuIVi07WWdJmJTduK6zaTa6IMON5i-krYA/viewform
More information
For further details, please visit the website here: https://www.cbu.ac.zm/coe/afridendro
or contact Justine Ngoma via email: justinangomayahoo.com (justinangoma[at]yahoo[dot]com)