Biologist studies bristlecones (a favorite of dendrochronologists) looking for changes in physiologic behavior as the tree ages. Finds none

Email from reader AJ:

...There goes theory that trees "decouple" from their thermometer abilities once they get their AARP cards.

"... some dendrochronologists stubbornly see tree ring characteristics as being affected by climate. They are not."

"I also have a quarrel with the dogma of dendrochology that the cambium changes
as the tree becomes senescent. I know of no data that trees senesce -- that is, that they
undergo changes due solely to aging. This started as forestry dogma, and was accepted by
tree-ringers, who then corrected for it."

2002 ClimateGate email