In her PhD thesis Frederike Verbruggen shows that a new method for climate reconstructions is working. The method uses fossil remains of larvae of non-biting-midges found in lake sediments. Stable oxygen isotopes in lake water are very sensitive to temperature changes. By measuring the ratio of these isotopes in fossils found in lake sediments past climate changes can be reconstructed. Frederike tested this method for the Late Glacial and early Holocene in Europe.

On 25 February 2010 Frederike Verbruggen will defend her PhD thesis. She is the first Darwin PhD student to reach this stage.

Supervisor: Prof. dr. Andy Lotter
Co-supervisor: Dr. Oliver Heiri
Date: 25 February 2010
Time: 2.30 p.m.
Location: Academiegebouw, Utrecht University, Domplein 29, Utrecht.

Thesis title:
Stable oxygen isotopes in fossil chironomids: development of a new proxy for past climate change.

Darwin Center project 2013:
Chitinous aquatic organisms as proxies for lake surface temperature