Paleoecology allows researchers to determine the relative date of species arrival in an area, or the relative interval between disturbance events, that being fire at the Flat Rock.
The Altona Flat Rock is a fire dependant sandstone pine barren dominated by jack pine (Pinus banksiana), blueberry (Vaccinium spp.), and other understory plants, such as grasses, lichen, and moss.
Results
According to a 1989 study by Stephan T. Jackson, white pine (Pinus strobus) arrived in the Adirondack region approximately 9,000 ybp, while jack pine (Pinus banksiana) arrived later at 8,500 ybp.
Each 2mm sample was found to be ~44 years old!