lichenometry
nounEtymology From licheno- + -metry.
1
Archaeology, Biology, Geography, Geology, Geomorphology, History, Human sciences, Natural sciences, Paleontology, Sciences A geomorphic method of geochronologic dating that uses lichen growth to determine the age of exposed rock.
- In lichenometry, a lichen is presumed to grow radially at a specific, constant rate: this rate is used to estimate the age of the largest lichen on a rock surface, and thus the length of time the rock has been exposed.
- The sophistication of approach to lichenometry has increased markedly in the last decade or two.2004, Jean M. Grove, Little Ice Ages: Ancient and Modern, Volume 1, 2nd edition, Taylor & Francis (Routledge), page 7:
2 more examples
- Lichenometry is a surface-exposure dating method that uses lichen-growth rates to infer the age of young ([a] few thousand years old or younger) glacial landforms, typically bouldery deposits such as moraines.[…]Several approaches have been employed to measure lichens, and a distinct advantage of lichenometry over other techniques is its simplicity (Bradwell, 2009).2011, Jason P. Briner, “Dating Glacial Landforms”, in Vijay P. Singh, Pratap Singh, Umesh K. Haritashya, editors, Encyclopedia of Snow, Ice and Glaciers, Springer, page 177:
- Lichenometry is a dating method which is based upon the direct relationship between lichen diameter and age.2012, Matti Saarnisto, “I.4: Time-scales and dating”, in B. Huntley, T. Webb III, editors, Handbook of vegetation science, Volume 7: Vegetation history, Kluwer Academic, page 102:
- Derived terms
- lichenometric