Department of Geography California State University

Paleoecology Laboratory
Department of Geography
California State University, Sacramento

THE LAB

Thank you for visiting the Paleoecology Laboratory web site at California State University, Sacramento. The lab is located on the 3rd floor of Amador Hall and was established in 2004. The mission of the laboratory is to conduct environmental research to further our understanding of past and present physical landscapes and to promote student education and research. The lab emphasizes sediment research and tree-ring research.

LAB EQUIPMENT

Sedimentology Equipment

Livingstone-type piston corer with 50of extension rods

1.6 cubic ft lab oven

127.5 cubic in muffle furnace

Analytical balance with 0.1 mg readability

10-45X stereo microscope

Compound microscope with 10X, 40X, and 100X objectives

Bartington MS2 magnetic susceptiblity meter

Dendrochronology Equipment

10", 14”, 16”, and 20” Haglof tree increment borers

24” Travel Velmex Measurement System with 0.001 mm Accu-Rite readout

10-40X Stereozoom binocular microscope with boom-arm and fiber optic illuminator

Voortech Measurement Software

16" Solo chain saw and accessories

Bosch 3" X 21" belt sander

Bosch oscillating sander

ABOUT SEDIMENTOLOGY
Sedimentology is concerned with the use of lake and marsh deposits in reconstructing past environments. Layers of lake sediment can accumulate undisturbed over long periods of time, forming a repository of information about changing environmental conditions. When carefully collected and examined, these layers can be read like pages in a book describing the environmental history of a region. Sediment characteristics such as grain size, organic content, magnetic susceptiblity, and elemental composition give insight into past climate and erosion in a watershed. The study of microfossils in lake sediments, such as pollen and charcoal, allows for the reconstruction of regional vegetation patterns and fire frequencies. Continuous sediment records spanning time periods from decades to hundreds of thousands of years have been used to study changing environments around the world.

CURRENT SEDIMENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

Klamath Mountains

Western Basin and Range

California Coast Ranges

ABOUT DENDROCHRONOLOGY

The science of dendrochronology is based on the doctrine that the "the past is the key to the future." By evaluating annual growth rings of suitable tree species we are given a glimpse of past environmental conditions. Knowledge of past environments helps us to better understand the environments in which we currently live and how these environments may change in the future. By evaluating changes in annual growth rings dendrochronologists are able to create records of environmental change that may extend back hundreds or even thousands of years. Tree rings have been used to study population dynamics of forests, volcanic eruptions, the rise and fall of ancient cultures, changes in insect and fish populations, earthquakes, tsunamis, river flow, atmospheric and soil pollution, deception in art masterpieces, radiocarbon dating, sunspots, and more. To learn more about the intriguing art and science of dendrochronology go to the Ultimate Tree Ring Pages.

CURRENT TREE-RING RESEARCH PROJECTS

Tehachapi Mountains

Sierra Nevada Mountains

Northern Nevada

ABOUT SAC STATE

Sac State is one of the 23 campuses of the California State University. Student enrollment is approximately 30,000. Collectively, the California State University System comprises one of the largest universities in the country. To take a virtual tour of campus click here. Click here and here to view the former campus-resident poultry. Follow this link to learn more. To explore Sac State click here, and here.

Lab Directors:

Bruce Gervais

James Wanket

Department of Geography

California State University, Sacramento

6000 J Street

Sacramento, California 95819-6003

916.278.6109; fax 916.278.7584

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