Professor, Director of LUECI
Geological Sciences/LUECI/CLAS
Email: brenner@ufl.edu
Phone: 1 (352)-392-2231
Website: http://lueci.clas.ufl.edu/mark-brenner/
Relevant Past Projects:
HISTORICAL TROPHIC STATE CHANGE IN FLORIDA LAKES – 210Pb-dated sediment cores from Florida lakes were studied to evaluate recent human impacts on Florida basins and to assess the feasibility of lake restoration.
HISTORICAL ECOLOGY OF THE MAYA REGION – Long sediment cores from Guatemalan and Mexican lakes were used to reconstruct Pleistocene/Holocene climate change and the impact of Maya agro-engineering on tropical lowland watersheds. These sediment stratigraphies record acute human-mediated deforestation and soil erosion for the period from about 3,000 to 400 years ago.
PALEOCLIMATE OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA- Lake sediments from Mexico and Guatemala were studied to evaluate climate shifts and consequent ecological changes during the past 85,000 years.
PALEOECOLOGY OF YUNNAN, CHINA – Long sediment profiles were used to study the development of the Asian Monsoon and to evaluate soil erosion and lacustrine pollution that accompanied recent intensive agricultural development in watersheds of the Yunnan Plateau.
ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY OF THE BOLIVIAN ALTIPLANO – Long sediment cores from lake Titicaca provided insights into environmental changes during the past 3500 years. Paleoecological studies were coupled with experiments in raised-field agricultural techniques to evaluate the sustainability of this ancient food-producing method.
THE HISTORY OF EL NINO EVENTS – Sediment profiles from saline lakes of the Galapagos Islands were studied to gain historical perspectives on the frequency and intensity of El Niño events.
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION OF RA-226 – Freshwater mussels accumulate high levels of Ra-226 as a consequence of groundwater pumping for lake augmentation in Florida
Current Projects:
Development of new proxies to study past climate on the Yucatan Peninsula
Assessment of atmospheric trace metal deposition in Florida
History of eutrophication in Lake Amatitlan, Guatemala
Investigation of the relation between past climate change and cultural collapse
Grant Experience:
Numerous projects supported by NSF, NASA, USGS, and Florida Water Management Districts
Sustainability related courses:
- GLY 4930 Tropical Ecology
- GLY 4930 Humans and the Environment of the Yucatan Peninsula
- GLY 6932 Paleolimnology
- GLY 4930 Limnology