One method of increasing our understanding of long-term climate variability involves developing proxy-based reconstructions of past climate using signals extracted from natural archives such as lake sediment. The Environmental Change Laboratory (ECL) and its members are dedicated to using the biological, chemical, and physical properties of lake sediment to reconstruct long-term and recent patterns of climate and environmental change in arctic, sub-arctic and alpine settings North America, Central America and India. Our objective at the ECL involves identifying the forcing factors behind long-term and recent climate change, and tracing the impact of these changes on natural ecosystems and people. These records of past climate can provide important insights into centennial and millennial-scale climate variability and in doing so help society anticipate the impacts associated with projected climate change. If you’re interested in pursuing graduate research opportunities I invite you to get in touch.
