HR: 1340h
AN: PP43B-1255    [Abstracts]
TI: Sedimentary DNA from East African Rift Lakes
AU: * Epp, L S
EM: lauepp@uni-potsdam.de
AF: Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
AU: * Epp, L S
EM: lauepp@uni-potsdam.de
AF: DFG Graduate School 1364 "Shaping Earth's Surface in a Variable Environment", Karl- Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
AU: Trauth, M H
EM: trauth@geo.uni-potsdam.de
AF: Institute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
AU: Tiedemann, R
EM: tiedeman@uni-potsdam.de
AF: Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
AB: Ancient DNA research, especially that of environmental samples, has to date focused mainly on samples obtained from colder regions. We are characterizing present-day and historical planktonic communities in Kenyan Rift Lakes with the use of molecular genetic methods, focussing on rotifer and diatom assemblages. Within the eastern branch of the East African Rift System there are a series of shallow lakes in close proximity, yet with strikingly different hydrological and geological features. Between 15 and 5 kyrs ago the rift comprised several large lakes that were fresh and several 100's of meters deep. Tectonically separated, these lakes underwent a tremendously different development in the course of a trend towards a drier climate since 6,000 years ago. Today the lakes range in alkalinity from pH 11 (Lake Elmenteita) to pH 8 (Lake Naivasha) and in depth from less than a meter to 15 meters. Within this setting we are analyzing recent samples as well as samples obtained from sediment cores. Apart from presenting molecular tools to assess the presence and dominance of taxa meaningful for ecological reconstruction, we are also attempting to trace the population structure and history of single species in the course of severe environmental change.
DE: 0410 Biodiversity
DE: 0424 Biosignatures and proxies
DE: 0458 Limnology (1845, 4239, 4942)
DE: 0473 Paleoclimatology and paleoceanography (3344, 4900)
SC: Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology [PP]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting