Application of dendrogeomorphology in snow avalanche hazard assessment: progress and prospects

Snow avalanches present a significant threat to infrastructure, affecting buildings, roads, railways, and power lines, and frequently leading to massive economic losses in livelihoods and production. With the increase in regional temperatures and the occurrence of extreme snowfall events, the frequency and intensity of avalanches have escalated, resulting in more severe incidents and higher casualty rates. As natural archives of environmental changes, tree rings offer valuable proxies for avalanche hazard assessments in regions where direct observation data is scarce, particularly in high-altitude regions. The dendrogeomorphology has been gradually being applied in avalanche hazard evaluation, however, it remains limited in China. To address this gap, this study systematically investigates the principles and methodologies for reconstructing avalanche histories and evaluates their applications in avalanche hazard assessments through a literature review and field observations. It provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in key areas, including the impact of avalanches on forest ecosystems, the reconstruction of avalanches, and the analysis of avalanche events (i.e., the spatiotemporal distribution, the historical recurrence intervals, magnitudes, and triggering conditions of avalanches). Considering the current limitations in avalanche hazard assessments and the urgent need for such research in China, we outline key priorities and future directions, including refining reconstruction methodologies, developing a comprehensive tree-ring-based avalanche database for high-altitude regions, and establishing an advanced hazard assessment framework based on dendrochronological evidence.