The Madison-Hills Paleoecology Project ("MPEP")

Introduction

The MPEP is a privately funded endeavor that will drill and sample the layers of soft sediment that have accumulated in the deepest part of Big Pea Porridge Pond ("BPPP") in Madison, New Hampshire during the past +/- 14,000 years. The purpose of the work is to scientifically analyze, technically describe/catalogue, and radiocarbon/proxy date these progressively deposited materials to establish the ecologic change-sequence history of the Pond's basin since the departure of the last ice sheet. The work described above will begin in late January or early February 2008 and be completed by late Spring or Summer 2008.

Scientific Basis of the MPEP

Lake-bottom sediments represent the most continuously detailed records of post-glacial (Pleistocene to Holocene) climate and environmental change available, and such records provide the best long term context for the dramatic physical and biological/ecological changes that have occurred during what has become to be known as the "Anthropocene" period (time since the beginning of extensive human habitation).

Who's Involved

The scientific staff of MPEP includes the following individuals, all of whom are donating their professional expertise to the project:

P. Thompson Davis, Ph.D., Dept. of Natural & Applied Sciences, Bentley College.
Brian Fowler, Quaternary Scientist, Project Director.
Lee Pollock, Ph.D., Dept. of Biology, Drew University.
Lisa Doner, Ph.D., Center for the Environmental, Plymouth State University



Saturday, March 15, 2008

Social Posting #6

We're going with Monday, March 17, St. Paddy's Day, to core for a 2nd time to see if we can reach further down into the depths below where we left off last Tues. If you want to help or just observe we are starting to haul equipment out at 7AM and will go until we can't drill down any further. We can, also, use help at the end hauling the equipment off the pond. There may be refreshments at the site, but don't count on it since I don't know how many donut holes will be left from Tuesday or if Sylvia's delicious muffins are still uneaten. Hope to see you Monday.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As before, the staging area and point of access will be at the Pollock's (670 Allard Hill Road, Madison). If you are planning to come on Monday, know that there is enough new snow cover (Fri nite and today) to make x-country skiing the easiest, fastest way to get to the site. If you have some sort of gripping device for the soles of your boots once you are out there, that would help too.

Lee

March 16, 2008 at 10:55 AM

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