University of Geosciences, China

Four different preparation techniques to calculate coccolith abundances, using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) as well as the light microscope (LM), are briefly described and compared to each other. Sample preparation techniques applied include smear-slides, a modified settling method for the LM, a modified settling method for the SEM, and a filtration technique for the SEM. All samples were prepared from the same site (ODP Site 643, Norwegian Sea). In addition, the reproducibility of the individual counts, and the homogeneity of the individual methods, were tested and the data of the individual counts have been checked with each other.