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An Introduction to Paleoecological Data and their Utility in Ecosystem Restoration
Andrea Brunelle, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Many land managers are familiar with dendrochronology and the utility of those records for ecosystem restoration. These records are valuable but are limited by the preservation of the wood on the landscape and the length of the record. While some records exceed 1000 years before present it is more common to have records less than 500 years old. Paleoecological records or reconstructions from lake or wetland sediments using pollen, charcoal and other sedimentological proxy provide a way to extend records of vegetation composition and disturbance regime further back in time, with many records covering the last 10-15,000 years and some basins going back even further. Historically there has not been much collaboration between paleoecologists and land managers. This presentation will demonstrate how and what we can learn from sedimentary records and present some results about how they are being used on the landscape for restoration and management. Comments and input on how to make these data more accessible and useful are requested.