Age determination of two South African Acacia species using ring counts and radiocarbon dating.

The article presents the possibility of using the marginal parenchyma bands to estimate the age of two South African acacia species. The process was calibrated using radiocarbon dating. The procedure adopted for determining the date is detailed. It was discovered that accurate age was difficult to determine by adopting a ring count since some years showed double bands. The article concludes that while this method may not be as accurate as radiocarbon dating, the information obtained through the analysis of growth rings has a great deal of ecological value.