One of the main driving forces behind this change is climate. Climate affects and shapes the land, plants and animals. The climate of one region today, may have been completely different than the climate of the past. To understand and interpret the paleoclimate of a region, scientists have invested a vast amount of research in this area. Dendrochronology is an important tool in order to understand the past, present and future climates of an area.
Trees exhibit certain annular growth patterns, depending on the species.
It is difficult to decipher the disturbances within and outside a forest and to uncover the random processes that hindered or perpetuated the growth of a tree. Climate, however, is a factor that can be examined and linked to the extent of the growth of tree rings. Since trees are living they need certain factors in which to grow and survive. These factors need to be ideal in order for a tree to sustain vigorous growth. If one of the factors is unsuitable for the tree, that limiting factor will be seen in that tree's ring record.