( ( Long ( before ( man ( exerted ( ( any influence ) ( on ( the climate ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( there ( ( were ( ( severe swings ) ( in ( ( both ( ( temperature and ) precipitation ) ) ( in ( periods ( as ( short ( ( as 10 ) years ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (NNP Long)) (PP (IN before) (NP (NP (NN man)) (VP (VBN exerted) (NP (NP (DT any) (NN influence)) (PP (IN on) (NP (DT the) (NN climate)))))))) (ADVP (RB there)) (VP (VBD were) (NP (NP (JJ severe) (NNS swings)) (PP (IN in) (NP (NP (DT both) (NN temperature) (CC and) (NN precipitation)) (PP (IN in) (NP (NP (NNS periods)) (PP (IN as) (NP (JJ short) (QP (RB as) (CD 10)) (NNS years))))))))) (. .)))
Long before man exerted any influence on the climate there were severe swings in both temperature and precipitation in periods as short as 10 years.
(ROOT (S (NP (DT The) (NN climate)) (VP (VBZ is) (VP (VBN defined) (PP (IN as) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN temperature) (IN plus) (NN precipitation)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (DT an) (NN area)) (PP (IN over) (NP (NP (DT a) (JJ long) (NN period)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN time))))))))))) (. .)))