Underground coal mining induces long-lasting ground deformation that may persist for decades after extraction ceases, posing challenges for environmental monitoring and land management. Instrumental and remote-sensing techniques capture recent surface movements but are often limited by short observation periods and reduced applicability in forested environments. This study evaluates tree-ring growth disturbances as biological archives of mining-induced ground instability and presents a regional reconstruction for the former Ostrava–Karviná coalfield (Czechia). We analysed 854 conifer trees ( Larix decidua , Picea spp., Pinus spp.) from 19 sites (~30 km 2 ), identifying compression wood, eccentric growth, and abrupt growth suppression as proxies of subsidence-related processes. In total, 3290 growth disturbances were detected, dominated by compression wood (49.7%) and eccentric growth (40.3%), with growth suppression accounting for 10.0%. Despite missing rings (~25% of trees), high cross-dating quality confirms the robustness of the dataset. Species-specific differences indicate that larch is particularly sensitive to mechanical disturbance, although all species provide consistent signals. A regional chronology reveals pronounced subsidence phases during the 1960s–1970s and 1990s, with peak years in 1986, 1997, 2007–2009, and 2016–2018. These periods correspond with documented mining activity and independent monitoring records. Tree-ring records most reliably capture subsidence events separated by intervals of approximately 6–10 years, whereas closely spaced events may be underrepresented. Tree-ring disturbances provide reliable multi-decadal evidence of ground instability, extending monitoring beyond instrumental records and offering a cost-effective tool for hazard assessment and land-use planning in post-mining landscapes.
Tichavský et al. (Wed,) studied this question.