BRIAN ROOD
Paleoreconstruction
One on-going research project focuses on the paleoreconstruction of the
natural and cultural history of the Ocmulgee Old Fields Reserve. The extensive
peat soil deposit near the Ocmulgee National Monument has accumulated in
the Ocmulgee River floodplain over the past twelve thousand years. This
deposit (as deep as 19 feet in some places) is the second deepest peat deposit
in Georgia -- the Okefenokee Swamp is the deepest. A peat core was collected
from this site in the spring of 1997, and the layers of peat were radiocarbon
dated. By examining the core layers for charcoal, corn pollen, clay, and
other constituents, it is possible to reconstruct the history of fires,
floods, and land use changes by prehistoric societies in the region. Students
may learn about field sampling techniques and laboratory analyses that will
help to reconstruct the twelve-thousand-year history of human habitation
in the Ocmulgee Old Fields region, the cradle of the Muscogee Nation.
River Initiative
The Ocmulgee Riverwatch component of the Ocmulgee River Initiative collects
samples along the Ocmulgee River four times each year to study trends in
water quality along the river and changes in water quality over time. Volunteers
collect the samples and deliver them to the Environmental Science Program
at Mercer. Students may learn how to analyze water samples for nutrients,
toxic trace metals, and organic pollutants, such as pesticides, herbicides,
and gasoline. Interested students can also learn about computerized mapping
and database management, i.e. Geographic Information Systems (GIS).