The Palaeoenvironmental Laboratory, University of Southampton (PLUS) was set up over 40 years ago by Professor Keith Barber. PLUS was originally created to advance research into peat bogs, peatland palaeoecology and climate change over the geological period of the Holocene, which spans last 11,700 years. The group has maintained these core themes, but expanded to include research on landscape history, lake palaeoecology, and broader Quaternary environmental reconstruction and archaeology.
PLUS now undertakes research into environmental change from the very recent period up to 3 million years ago in all geographical areas, from the tropics to the polar regions. Members of PLUS generate so-called multi-proxy environmental datasets and model past environments in order to further our understanding of this environmental change and its relationship to human societies.
We’re also incredibly proud of our alumni. Over 40 PhD students (and counting!) have learnt their trade within PLUS, of whom many now hold positions as word-class researchers or in other prestigious science-related posts.
The philosophy of PLUS has always been to provide a place for palaeoenvironmental research that not only provides all the essential facilities, but also a common intellectual-space for all PLUS staff and students.
Palaeoenvironmental Laboratory 