Three years of continued support of a national lacustrine core repository and initial core analysis laboratory at the University of Minnesota (LacCore) is provided by this grant. LacCore operates open laboratories to allow community access to specialized field and laboratory equipment and staff expertise for Initial Core Description (ICD) methods including non-destructive multi-sensor core logging and digital core photography. LacCore also provides refrigerated core storage and archival services. LacCore currently houses in excess of 6000 m of lake cores. Roughly 80% of core materials were recovered from GLAD (Global LAkes Drilling) projects conducted worldwide, the remaining 20% of core materials are from smaller lake coring projects. Expansion of the archive over the period of support is anticipated. Funding provides salary for a full-time core repository curator and core analysis lab manager. The facility serves the limnological research community for studies that contribute to our understanding of past climates, ecological systems, and biogeochemical dynamics on the continents. LacCore trains undergraduate and graduate students in methods of core description and analysis and facility staff participate in outreach activities to Native American middle- and high school environmental camps in Minnesota.
