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Palaeoenvironment of the Valsequillo Basin, Mexico | |||
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Methods |
We are using a combination of well-established and cutting edge techniques to reconstruct the climatic and environmental history of the Valsequillo basin: Isotopic analysis of lake sediments: Oxygen and carbon isotopic data from carbonates in the lake sediments will provide information on changes in lake level, precipitation and evaporation. The carbon isotope record and carbon / nitrogen ratios of organic matter will provide a record of both changes in catchment vegetation and biological productivity within the lake.Isotopic analysis of bones and teeth: Bone carbon and nitrogen isotopic values reflect the isotope composition of plants consumed by an animal and bone oxygen isotope values reflect the isotopic composition of the animals’ drinking water. Thus isotopic analysis of bones can be used to reconstruct past changes in the local vegetation, nutrient cycle, temperature and precipitation, and can provide information on the trophic structure of the ecosystem. Pollen analysis: will provide a more direct record of local and regional vegetation change Diatom analysis: Diatom analysis will provide information on lake levels and the salinity of the lake. Oxygen isotopic analysis of diatom silica can also provide information on lake level, precipitation and evaporation |
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| Fieldwork | |
January 2005: Professor Sarah Metcalfe, Dr Rhiannon Stevens, Dr Silvia Gonzalez, Professor Dave Huddart, and Professor Matthew Bennett were involved in fieldwork in January. Work included recording and sampling sediments from sections for dating, isotopic analysis and microfossil analysis, and geomorphological mapping |
| University of Nottingham | Home • The Team • Images • Methods/Fieldwork |