There's a long list of sources scientists use to measure climate change and to interpret its implications. This article shows that you can add California's ancient redwood trees to that list.
By studying the rings, scientists hope to be able to forecast how the redwoods will change as the Earth warms up. One thing they've already learned is that these trees play a huge role in removing from the atmosphere the carbon dioxide that traps heat on Earth and leads to global warming. [...]"Embedded in this tree ring is a remarkable record of climate," said Todd Dawson, the director of the Center for Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry at UC Berkeley, as he held up a core sample from a Montgomery Woods redwood. "Based on what has happened in the past, we can really project what will happen in the future."
-- Brian Foley
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