School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology

Paul Trainor

Paul Trainor

Qualifications

BSc (hons),Archaeology and Palaeoecology, QUB (2010);
MSc in Dating and Chronology, QUB (2011)

Postgraduate

Email: ptrainor03@qub.ac.uk

Address

School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology (GAP)
Queen’s University Belfast
Belfast, BT7 1NN
Northern Ireland, UK

Telephone

+44 (0)28 9097 3838

Current Research: Environmental Change (EC)

Mid to Late Holocene Records of Environmental Change in the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road (TCWR) Northwest Territories, Canada.

Background

The central aim of the project is to reconstruct the environmental conditions of the Tibbitt to Contwoyto winter road (TCWR) region of the Northwest territories in Canada over the last c. 4000 years. Particular importance is given to reconstructing past climate and tree-line dynamics. Presenting changes at as high a resolution as possible will be achievable thanks to the innovative sampling techniques employed by Carleton University, Ottawa (Macumber et al, 2011a; 2011b).Fossil-pollen and diatom analysis will be the primary means through which environmental reconstructions are carried out. The investigation will focus on two fossil records: one from Horseshoe Lake and a second from Lake P49 (unofficial project names) With approximately 100 surface samples from other lakes in the region providing modern pollen and diatom assemblage data. The pollen study carried out will provide both qualitative and quantitative observations about past vegetation dynamics and climate in the TCWR region. The diatom analysis offers a proxy for past environmental conditions; the proxy will be used qualitatively to infer environmental change, however, the proxy’s quantitative potential is particularly relevant to the current project.

Publications:

Trainor, P & Plunkett, G forthcoming ‘A note on environmental core samples taken from Ballyoran Bog’, in K Hanley & M F Hurley (eds) New Roads-New Discoveries: Archaeological Investigations along five national road schemes in County Cork. NRA Scheme Monographs. National Roads Authority, Dublin.