If you have been in the field, the next step is to hit the lab! After the two days in the field with my master student, it was time to first sieve out the samples, and then get to the important part: foraminifera analysis.
We didn't have an exhaustive number of samples, so it didn't take Alexander very long to sieve them and dry them. And then the real work started! I brought out the equipment, and the reference collection, and my Cushman reference book. And the handout the third year students get during our estuary fieldwork. There are some 40,000 species of benthic foraminifera; that is bit of an intimidating number. I'm not quite sure how many species the Cushman book has, but still more than is practical if you are only starting out. So I figured the handout with only some 20 species would be a good start!
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| My reference collection |
I suggested he started in the sand. These samples are always quite clean, regardless of whether you were sufficiently patient while sieving. They also tend to have a nice assemblage. So a good place to start!
When he had picked his sample I had a look. Not spectacular, but nice enough! He had a beautiful Lagena, which looks like a miniature glass vase (you don't get these in the high marsh), and some gorgeous Elphidiums. And, of course, a whole bunch of not very pretty clunky Ammonia. You can't avoid these!
I'm curious to see what else we will find. But it is was nice to look at forums again! And let's hope the entire project yields interesting results…
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| Ammonia |
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