Preparation for the chemical treatment of pollen samples
The new and fully equipped Topoi pollen laboratory and the microscope pool allow for the analysis of a variety of sediment archives concerning their composition of proxies like pollen, spores, so called Non Pollen Palynomorphs (NPP) and macro remains. The goals of these analyses were to reconstruct the changes that occurred in former landuse practices and in climate change as well. The lab was envisioned as a place for the development of new analysis techniques and approaches to gain insight into the field of Geoarchaeology. This enables a much more holistic reconstruction of natural and anthropogenic influences on palaeoecological conditions. One specific feature is that the laboratory is equipped for the use of hydrogenfluoric acid, which makes possible even the use of sediments with a low organic content as part of palaeoecological evidence. Within Topoi the laboratory cooperates with groups working in Germany, Italy, Russia and Azerbaijan.