The extent of amino acid racemization, moisture content, and the abundance of terpenes, sugars, and melanoidin-type substances were determined in two bristlecone pine logs of the same age, 3240-3210 B. C. The samples were interior portions of heartwood from two logs collected at elevations of 2804 and 3453 m. At the lower elevation site, the mean annual tempera-ture is +6°; the log rested on soil (pH congruent 6.3) containing more moisture than the ground at the higher elevation. The annual mean temperature at the higher elevation is 0° and the log rested on practically dry ground (ph congruent 8.0). The D-/L-aspartic acid ratio and the soluble sugar content were lower, and the moisture, terpene, and melanoidin-type substances were more abundant in the sample from the lower elevation site than in the sample from the higher elevation. Pre-vailing conditions in paleoenvironments affect aspartic acid racemization rates. Paleothermom-etry must therefore consider the paleoenvironmental history of bristlecone pine remnants. -- AATA