Analysis of light and heavy fractions $25 hour (Average analysis time of light fraction and charcoal from heavy fraction of a 10 liter flotation sample is five hours, though times vary depending on density of botanical remains in each sample.)

Analysis of wood remains $25 hour

Invoice will also include shipping and handling charges to return specimens to client.

Please send check or money order. No Credit Cards accepted at this time.


General Information on Soil Flotation Analysis and Request for Pricing

The cost for the analysis of the macrobotanical remains is $25/hour. The maximum number of hours per sample in general is eight hours which includes time for report writing and table production. Many samples require less time for analysis and it greatly depends on the volume and weight of the light and heavy fractions received. A small additional charge for postage will be included in the final invoice to return the samples and the report. For example, a maximum price for the analysis of six samples, with charcoal already separated in the heavy fraction, would be $1200.

The analysis includes the identification and interpretation of botanical remains in the light and heavy fractions of each sample. Wood and nutshell will be identified up to 20 fragments each, when possible, in the > 2mm size fraction of the light and heavy fractions. All seeds/fruit remains will be identified, when possible, in the > 0.5 mm size fraction of the light and heavy fractions.

The average time to complete an analysis depends on the number of samples sent. Please anticipate two working days per sample plus an additional ten days for report writing/production and three days for mailing. For example, the expected turn around time for six samples is five to six weeks. However, please consult with the analyst to determine if other projects are being processed as this may add time to the expected return of results.

The type of report written includes a small introduction, a section on the methodology used to analyze the samples, a results section and conclusions, and bibliography. The result section includes information on the density, ubiquity and diversity of remains recovered, as well as potential plant uses by humans, information on known ethnobotanical uses, seasonality and environmental/climatic setting, when possible. In general five tables are included at the end of the report. These tables include the raw data from the light fractions with diversity indexes, the raw data from the heavy fractions, and tables with the wood identifications, density measures of remains and ubiquity scores of remains. The final report can be sent via internet or a hard copy and disk can be mailed at the request of the client.

Initial contact, samples and payment should be sent to the following address. Upon receipt of the final report, if you have any questions, please contact me.