Soil micromorphological analyses (bottom photo), macrofossil (plant or insect parts) and microfossil (pollen grains and spores) analyses of peat and lake sediments, as well as studies based on charcoal, allow us to better understand the Holocene evolution of northern terrestrial ecosystems and of the vegetation since the last ice age. The research in this section of the laboratory focuses on the following themes: climate change, environmental change, fire, insect outbreaks, isostatic rebound, paludification, and anthropogenic disturbances. Moreover, analyses of archaelogical sediments are used to reconstruct past environmental conditions of archaeological sites.
The laboratories also possess reference collections (recent and fossil plant and insect parts, charcoal) and several identification guides with some in electronic form.
Contact: Martin Lavoie
Room 4101 and 0144
Abitibi-Price Building
Université Laval
2405 rue de la Terrasse
Québec, Canada
G1V 0A6
Phone: (418) 656-2131 ext. 6489 or 6174
