Palaeoecology Laboratory (PLUS)
Facilities for Palaeoecology Research
The Palaeoecology Laboratory (PLUS) is a resource of international standing in the quality and range of its equipment and reference collections. It consists of a Preparation Laboratory with three fume cupboards, an Archive Room containing curated samples from over 30 years of research, and the main Palaeoecology Laboratory which houses 25 Nikon microscopes and ancillary equipment; a specialist library of books and reprints, including the recently donated Donald Walker collection, and a networked computer with palaeo software linked to a colour laser printer.
There are extensive reference collections of pollen and plant macrofossils and a chironomid type collection is being established. Staff are experienced in a large range of palaeoecological techniques, including analyses of pollen, plant macrofossils, diatoms, tephra, and chironomids, from a range of different sediments.
Field equipment includes six 'Russian' corers - three 50cm; two wide-bore 30cm for taking large samples; and one 100cm for field stratigraphy – an a range of other types of corer, including a 1m mini-Mackereth and Livingstone corer for sampling lake mud from an inflatable boat equipped with depth sounder and electric outboard engine.
Research in PLUS is aided by a dedicated post-doctoral Research Technician who also maintains all the equipment.
News feeds