REVIEW article

Front. Ecol. Evol.

Sec. Paleoecology

Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fevo.2025.1593675

Advancing dendrochronology with R: an overview of packages and future perspectives

Provisionally accepted
Jan  AltmanJan Altman1Nela  AltmanovaNela Altmanova1Pavel  FibichPavel Fibich1Kirill  KorznikovKirill Korznikov1Patrick  FontiPatrick Fonti2*
  • 1Institute of Botany (ASCR), Průhonice, Czechia
  • 2Landscape Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Modern analytical tools are essential for advancing research and facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration. The R software serves as a comprehensive solution for statistical computing and graphics in all scientific disciplines, including dendrochronology.Beyond managing traditional tasks like data processing, analysis, and results visualization, R is pivotal in integrating innovative techniques, such as multi-proxy datasets, artificial intelligence or machine learning, to address emerging challenges in tree-ring research.However, a comprehensive overview of R's functionalities in dendrochronology is lacking, despite its growing importance and increasing role in interdisciplinary research. Here we present an overview of 38 R packages relevant to tree-ring research, categorized by functionality. For each R package, concise descriptions and examples of usage are provided to facilitate the identification and selection of suitable tools for researchers, academicians, and students within and outside the field. We further discuss the transformative potential of R in building a centralized, open-access ecosystem, emphasizing its role in standardizing workflows, enhancing reproducibility, and expanding dendrochronology's integration with other scientific disciplines in a digital era. We propose that these advancements not only streamline dendrochronological workflows but also provide valuable insights for addressing global environmental and ecological challenges.

Keywords: Forestry, Software, time series, Paleoecology, Paleoclimatology, Dendrochronology, Data measurement, data analysis

Received: 14 Mar 2025; Accepted: 30 Apr 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Altman, Altmanova, Fibich, Korznikov and Fonti. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Patrick Fonti, Landscape Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), Birmensdorf, CH-8903, Switzerland

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.