National lacustrine core repository (LacCore)

Abstract

This paper announces the launch of the first National Lacustrine Core Repository (LacCore) in the United States under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation, Earth Systems History program, in cooperation with the University of Minnesota, Limnological Research Center (LRC) and Large Lakes Observatory (LLO). Policies are being developed in consultation with a national External Advisory Group (EAG), with requested input from the international paleolimnological community. The dynamic growth of national and international coring programs brings exciting new developments in paleolimnology and also brings a growing need for multi-proxy, cost-efficient usage of core material, similar to practices common in the marine sciences. The goals of this shared program and repository are to: (1) curate cores as a material documentation of scientific analysis and basin archives; (2) increase the quality and scope of paleoecological science by developing procedural standards and by facilitating interdisciplinary interaction among scientists; (3) provide community access to cores; and (4) create web-based access to an ongoing, developing data base. LacCore is a community venture and input is welcome in these early stages. The central idea is that curation of lake cores is significantly more than storage. A curation repository requires professional expertise and advice to assure consistent and coherent conventions for Initial Core Descriptions (ICD), data management, sample oversight, and pro-active dissemination of information on opportunities. Careful curation of cores allows maximum core utilization because maintained and documented cores are available for re-sampling, for comparative, interdisciplinary investigations, for application of new proxy techniques, and for correlation of proxies of environmental change across the continents.