Paleoecology

I bring a strong interdisciplinary background to archaeology with technical expertise in paleoecology (pollen and macrobotanical analyses). Plant remains found in archeological and paleoecological sites, both large (seeds, fruits, leaves) and small (starch granules and pollen grains), provide clues to local resources and past climate. Over long periods of time, environmental change affects the distribution of species and consequently the dietary choices of humans that occupy a particular place. Coupling archaeology and paleoecology allows me to explore how people coped with environmental change during the late Pleistocene and Holocene in western North America.