Debris flows can transport large amounts of material, and therefore present a significant threat to infrastructure and human life. In this research, we used tree ring analyses to quantify the tree response to three debris flow events for which we know the time of origin. Based on the attributes of these response patterns, we tried to date similar responses in the past and compared the patterns among different tree species. Together, we sampled 147 trees across a range of species (beech, Scots pine, common ash, manna ash, sycamore maple, Norway spruce, common walnut, field maple, small-leaved lime, and European hop-hornbeam), including reference samples of trees that were not affected by debris flow activity. For 91 trees, we constructed tree ring chronologies and used pointer-year analysis to identify years that had abnormal growth. For remaining trees (mostly European hop-hornbeam, small-leaved lime and sycamore) we could not easily distinguish their tree rings or their chronologies did not match with the average of other samples. Growth patterns following debris flow events showed a weak response at the Javoršček site, and no clear responses at the other two sites. Tree species responded similarly at the same locations. Due to the lack of a clear response pattern, we were not able to reconstruct past events.
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