Research
My research concentrates on the reconstruction of past climates of two inland lakes on Michigan’s west coast by studying marl horizons deposited at times of known climate variability. Lacustrine cores from Silver and Stony Lakes, Oceana County, MI were obtained by vibracoring in order to determine climate variability recorded during the Little Ice Age, the hypsithermal episode, the 8.2ka event and the Younger Dryas cold period. Lab analysis consists of: 1) 14C dating of wood in cores to determine marl deposition rates, 2) description of sediment type and 3) molluscan identification, which provides an insight into the paleoecology at the time of formation. d 18O and d 13C isotopic analysis will also be performed. I will be presenting this work at the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters March 3, 2006 and the North-Central GSA meeting April 20th or 21st, 2006.