Dendrogeomorphological analysis of a debris flow in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, central Mexico

A dendrogeomorphological analysis reveals that the debris flow event in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, central Mexico, in February 2010 exhibited greater intensity in its transport zone. Researchers identified three types of growth anomalies—traumatic resin ducts, growth suppression, and growth releases—in Abies religiosa trees, which provided spatio-temporal data on the debris flow activity. The study utilized precipitation records from two meteorological stations, high-resolution geomorphological mapping via Unmanned Aerial Vehicle imagery, and dendrochronological sampling of 98 trees (125 cores) to generate a chronology. This approach demonstrates the potential of dendrogeomorphological techniques in understanding debris flow dynamics in intertropical montane environments, particularly where data on mass movement processes is scarce.

De La Peña Guillén, K. A., Mendoza, M. E., Carlon Allende, T., Macías, J. L., & Villanueva Díaz, J. (2024). Dendrogeomorphological analysis of a debris flow in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, central Mexico. Natural Hazards, 121(2), 1575–1598. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-024-06873-x