LIBS on Mussels from Santa Rosa Island
Alexandria Marie Firenzi is a doctoral researcher at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR; Reno, Nevada, USA). Her work focuses on reconstructing past sea-surface temperature and salinity variability along the northeastern Pacific coast of North America, with particular attention to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and coastal current dynamics within the Southern California Bight. She visited our lab and is keen to share some data!
Year-round prehistoric limpet exploitation at the Haua Fteah
Our new paper provides high-resolution data into the seasonality of prehistoric shellfish exploitation at the Haua Fteah (northern Cyrenaica, Libya). The research applies laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to analyse Mg/Ca ratios in Patella caerulea Linnaeus 1758 shells recovered from the Haua Fteah by past human populations.
Seasonal Oyster Collection by Gullah/Geechee Communities of the American Southeast through Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
A new student-led research project examining seasonal oyster harvesting by Gullah/Geechee communities on Ossabaw Island, Georgia, before and after Emancipation. Using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) on archaeological oyster shells, the study compares enslaved and post-Emancipation contexts. Preliminary results show consistent winter–spring harvesting across both periods, suggesting enduring ecological, health, and cultural constraints. The work highlights oysters’ role in Gullah/Geechee subsistence and demonstrates LIBS as a powerful method for reconstructing past harvesting practices
