Lydia Mackenzie’s work is currently focused in northeastern China investigating natural and anthropogenic environmental change in lake and peat archives. Her research focuses on paleoenvironmental indicators, environmental geochemistry and paleoecology. She uses a range of proxies to understand terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem dynamics, natural climate change during the Quaternary and the relationship between humans and the environment. Her research incorporates pollen, phytoliths, charcoal, radioisotopes, sedimentology and micro-XRF geochemical analysis.