The Palaeoecology Laboratory of IBED contains space and the facilities necessary for sub-sampling and/or sieving soils and sediments, physical and chemical preparation of palaeoecological samples, and mounting palaeoecological samples on microscope slides. Fume hoods and centrifuges are available for the chemical preparation of palaeoecological samples. The laboratory actively processes pollen, phytolith, and charcoal samples, and has the materials necessary for diatom and macrofossil preparation.

The samples prepared in the Palaeoecology Laboratory undergo further analysis via light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Researchers at IBED have pioneered the use of FTIR to characterize ecological parameters from microfossils, such as the burn temperature of charcoal fragments or taxonomic identification of pollen grains. Further developments of this technology are still in progress!

Contact information

Please contact us for more information: IBED-lab-science@uva.nl