The genesis of landscapes through time can provide important insight into landscape formation rates, and the genesis of associated soils and vegetation. Sediments deposited during the Pleistocene have recorded a complex history of former permafrost environments and the following periods of warming during the Holocene. Our research in this area examines how soils and landscapes responded to the Pleistocene and what their story can tell us about landscape and ecosystem evolution since.
Periglacial soils and gemorphology
Several of our projects are investigating aeolian additions to soils from various outwash and glacial lake sources in the northcentral Appalachians and beyond.
We are also investigating rates of landform development following ~Marine Isotope Stage 10 in the northcentral Appalachians.
Current Projects
- Loess incorporation to soils in the northcentral Appalachians and sourcing mechanisms.
- Grain patterns indicative of aeolian transport mechanisms.
- Hillslope gemorphology: development of Pleistocene periglacial slope deposits during and following the Pleistocene.
- Paleoecology and genesis of vernal pool and riparian environments.
- Proxies for periglacial environments from the past.
