Physical Geography Laboratory
The Physical Geography Lab supports all levels of teaching and research both on location and in the field. It includes two large classrooms and processing units with fume hoods and centrifuges. The microscopy section holds 12 compound microscopes and 12 dissecting microscopes for plant-component analyses. A modest herbarium and pollen slide collection are also available. Twelve stereomicroscopes with mirrors are used for air-photo analysis.
Major emphasis is on soil and sediment sampling and analyses, on hydrological and micro-meteorological monitoring and on paleo-environmental studies. The laboratory has gravity ovens for moisture-content items, a large muffle furnace for loss-on-ignition and carbonate analyses, a variety of settling tubes for texture analysis, and a large array of sieves for analyzing everything from cobbles to sand.
For field courses and exercises, the laboratory holds compasses, clinometers, hand-held GPSs, a theodolyte, pocket stereoscopes, specialized sediment samplers and tree corers. Field and laboratory assets also include multi-parameter measuring instruments. Data-loggers and sensors are used in micro-meteorology and hydrology laboratory exercises.
A full-time technician manages the day-to-day operation of the physical geography laboratory. This includes implementing health and safety practices through hands-on training; coordinating the distribution and storage of laboratory supplies, hazardous products, equipment and samples; helping professors design laboratory and field exercises; and acting as a resource-person for purchasing scientific equipment and applying standard methods.