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This project investigates the environmental fluctuations documented in fossils and sediments of Lake Turkana, Kenya over the past four million years. Reconstructing a record of biotic and sedimentary responses to climate change, volcanism and landscape evolution is a prerequisite to understanding environmental factors as driving forces in development of the savanna biome and human ancestors in the ancient record. Students will investigate sediment samples from modern and ancient lake systems to reconstruct biotic diversity, sediment accumulation patterns and landscape changes, and integrate this data with established databases. Basic sediment processing and analysis, microfossil preparation, isotopic analysis, mineralogical and chemical analysis will be undertaken.
Students will develop a familiarity with sedimentological and paleontological techniques, and collect primary data linked to environmental change in past and future contexts. Following a progression from field samples through separation and analysis will develop fundamental tools of investigation as well as basic scientific procedures for geological studies. Individual projects will focus on isotopic investigations of water-body evolution problems and sedimentary investigation of depositional systems.
This research is part of a long-term investigation of environment and evolution in Africa, and seeks to address questions within three time frames:
1. Modern ecology of Lake Turkana, Kenya.
2. Neogene history of precursors to Lake Turkana.
3. Future prospects for ecosystem stability or collapse with man-made environmental perturbations.
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