With this data, they will be able to determine a strategy for further, in-depth studies of the cores, Kelts said. Lake coring is one of a number of ways that scientists try to uncover the history of climate and environmental changes over time. Studies of tree rings in North America and ice cores from a glacier in Peru have yielded observations similar to those taken from the preliminary analysis of the Lake Milawi cores, Johnson said. One regional application of this study is to help determine the economic and agricultural planning of East Africa by predicting future drought conditions based upon historical evidence. Funding for this project and the Limnological Research Center comes largely from the National Science Foundation, a federal program which funds scientific research in different fields.
Participants generate additional grants on their own.
The research center is unique because it facilitates collaboration among scientists in different fields. These researchers study lake cores for their own interests and share the information with each other.