Abstract
I will outline how different tree-ring data and methods can be used to better understand the direct and indirect effects of large volcanic eruptions on the Earth's climate system and how past climate variations have impacted ecological and societal systems at different spatiotemporal scales. Although my presentation will have an analytical focus on the past 2000 years, I will also discuss the potential and limitations of reconstructing Holocene climates and its forcing factors. Conceptual emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary approaches to unravel the human-climate nexus.