Researchers from the Siberian Federal University Institute of Ecology and Geography and the VN Sukachev Forestry Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences challenge the use of wood as criminal evidence in court. This stance was reported to socialbites.ca by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science.
Wood carries a history etched in yearly growth rings that reflects environmental conditions and the presence of various substances. In several countries, specialists rely on the chemical readings of wood cores to establish timelines, indicating when human impact or extreme natural events began or ended within forest ecosystems. The idea is that the chemistry inside a tree offers a record of past conditions that can be read like a timeline for investigators and researchers.
But the latest findings from Russian scientists show that the distribution and concentration of chemical elements in annual rings do not follow consistent rules. The research points to variability that cannot be predicted with reliable regularity, undermining the premise that ring chemistry can serve as a universal forensic indicator.
The team conducted a controlled study using dozens of seeds from Scotch pine, a species known for its broad ecological tolerance. All specimens were of the same age and grown in a uniform environment. The expectation was that the chemical makeup at the core of each tree would match across samples, supporting a straightforward interpretation of ring chemistry. Instead, the results revealed a surprising lack of uniformity.
As part of the analysis, scientists examined whether copper detected in the center of a tree’s core appeared in comparable amounts in the corresponding region of annual rings across other trunks. They also considered calcium, anticipating higher concentrations in the core and lower levels toward the outer rings due to known physiological and mineral processes. This expectation held true for calcium, but many other elements did not conform to such predictable patterns, challenging the assumption of stable internal distribution. These observations were reported by Vladimir Gavrikov, a leading researcher in environmental monitoring science and education, in a conversation with Gazeta.
The broader implication is clear: the results cast doubt on certain methods that have gained prominence in judicial practice and other civil applications. If elemental distribution in tree rings proves unreliable, the use of wood chemical readings as objective forensic evidence becomes problematic. The researchers emphasize the need for caution when translating laboratory observations of tree chemistry into legal or policy conclusions, underscoring the importance of validating methods with robust, repeatable data gathered under diverse conditions.