Chemistry, radiocarbon ages, and development of a subtropical acid peat in Queensland, Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn S. Krull ◽  
Clifford H. Thompson ◽  
Jan O. Skjemstad
Keyword(s):  
Late Pleistocene ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Relative Increase ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Geochemical Data ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Δ13c Values ◽  
Middle Holocene ◽  
14C Age

A subtropical peat, developed on a costal plain in southern Queensland, has been studied with respect to its morphology, radiocarbon (14C) age, total organic carbon (C) content, stable C isotopic (δ13C) values, and spectroscopic characteristics (13C-NMR and FTIR). The combination of techniques allowed for an interpretation of changes in peat development over time, an assessment of paleoclimatic changes that apparently occurred during peat growth, and a comparison with perched lake sediments on Fraser Island.Geochemical data from the peat showed a relative increase in abundance of aromatic C (which may include charcoal) from the Pleistocene to the early Holocene and much decreased abundances of aromatic C thereafter. This trend may be due to changes in fire frequency from the Pleistocene–early Holocene (high fire frequency) to the early and middle Holocene (relatively low fire frequency). This interpretation is consistent with other published data from this area, showing increased aridity, increased fire frequency and dominance of sclerophyll forest during the late Pleistocene–early Holocene.Another significant geochemical change in the acid peat occurred within the middle to late Holocene. This period is characterised by highly 13C-depleted organic matter and a comparably high alkyl C (lipid) content. These data are interpreted as indicating wetter and year-round waterlogged conditions, possibly associated with poor drainage during the Holocene sea level maximum c. 5500–3000 years BP. By comparison, abundance of alkyl C decreased and δ13C values increased in the latest Holocene. The geochemical data from the acid peat point to the occurrence of a dry phase during the late Pleistocene to early Holocene and a wet phase in the middle to late Holocene, followed by another dry phase. These data correspond well with published data of 2 phases of dune formation (dry periods) in the early to middle Holocene and in the latest Holocene for North Queensland.

scholarly journals Radiocarbon, Soil, and Artifact Chronologies for An Early Southern Oregon Coastal Site

Radiocarbon ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 383-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Hall ◽  
Loren G Davis ◽  
Samuel Willis ◽  
Matthew Fillmore
Keyword(s):  
Late Pleistocene ◽  
Texture Classification ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Particle Size Analysis ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Size Analysis ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Middle Holocene ◽  
History Of

Radiocarbon dates together with geoarchaeological, soil, and lithic analyses are presented to describe archaeological site 35-CS-9 in Bandon Ocean Wayside State Park, Oregon, northwestern USA. One of the few Oregon middle-Holocene coastal sites that includes sediments and artifacts dating to the early Holocene and possibly to the late Pleistocene, it was recorded in 1951 and surface surveyed by archaeologists in 1975, 1986, and 1991, but its depth and antiquity were not tested. In February 2002, we studied the site's stratigraphy and sediments and described 8 strata from the aeolian surface to bedrock at 350 cm depth. Soil samples taken from a cut bank for texture classification, particle size analysis, pH, carbon content, and chemical analysis suggested that the site represented a complete history of Holocene deposits. Excavation of 2 test units in August 2002 uncovered substantial lithic and charcoal remains that confirm a protracted middle-Holocene occupation and suggest that human occupation began in the early Holocene. Charcoal recovered at 235–245 cm dated to 11,000 14C BP, and the deepest lithic artifact was recovered in a level at 215–225 cm. Whether the human occupation was continuous throughout the Holocene, and whether it began in the early Holocene or in the late Pleistocene, can only be determined with further excavations.

The Underwater Archaeology of Paleolandscapes, Apalachee Bay, Florida

2004 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael K. Faught
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Late Pleistocene ◽  
Settlement Patterns ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Faunal Remains ◽  
Middle Holocene ◽  
Early Archaic ◽  
Archaeological Methods ◽  
Middle Archaic ◽  
Aucilla River

Submerged prehistoric sites investigated in northwest Florida along the margins of the drowned Aucilla River channel (or PaleoAucilla) extend our understanding of prehistoric settlement patterns and paleolandscape utilization. Bifacial and unifacial tools indicate Late Paleoindian and Early Archaic logistical activities at these sites, as well as later Middle Archaic occupations. Other evidence for terrestrial conditions at these sites include extinct and extant terrestrial faunal remains, in-place tree stumps, and possible eroded middle Holocene shell middens. This report outlines the methodologies used for site investigations, and then discusses the geomorphic setting, character, cultural-historical connections, and timing of full inundation for these offshore sites. During late Pleistocene and early Holocene times, the coastline was much farther out on the continental shelf, and this segment of the PaleoAucilla was forested and well inland. Later, during the middle Holocene stages of transgression, the segment was more of a wide grassy marsh with brackish water tidal creeks and oysters. In this continental shelf setting, submerged archaeological sites remain in clustered arrays accessible by underwater archaeological methods, and the data provide a critical supplement to our present understanding of late Pleistocene and early Holocene settlement patterns and paleolandscape utilization.

Biogeographic Implications of a Packrat Midden Sequence from the Sacramento Mountains, South-Central New Mexico

1984 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 344-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Van Devender ◽  
Julio L. Betancourt ◽  
Mark Wimberly
Keyword(s):  
New Mexico ◽  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Desert Grassland ◽  
Creosote Bush ◽  
Oak Woodland ◽  
Middle Holocene ◽  
Sacramento Mountains ◽  
South Central

Thirteen packrat (Neotoma spp.) and two porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) middens from 1555 to 1690 m elevation from the Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico, provide an 18,000-yr vegetation record in the northern Chiuahuan Desert. The vegetation sequence is a mesic, Wisconsin fullglacial (18,000–16,000 yr B.P.) pinyon-juniper-oak woodland; a xeric, early Holocene (ca. 11,000–8000 yr B.P.) juniper-oak woodland; a middle Holocene (ca. 8000-4000 yr B.P.) desert-grassland; and a late Holocene (ca. 4000 yr B.P. to present) Chihuahuan desertscrub. The frequency of spring freezes and summer droughts in the late Wisconsin probably set the northern limits of Pinus edulis and Juniperus monosperma at about 34°N, or 6° south of today's limit. Rising summer tempratures in the early Holocene eliminated pinyon and other mesic woodland plants from the desert lowlands and allowed the woodland to move upslope. At this time pinyon-juniper woodland and pine forest dominated by Pinus ponderosa probably began their spectacular Holocene expansions to the north. Continued warming in the middle Holocene led to very warm summers with strong monsoons, relatively dry, cold winters, and widespread desert-grasslands. Desertscrub communities in the northern Chihuahuan Desert did not develop until the late Holocene when the biseasonal rainfall shifted slightly back toward the winter, catastrophic winter freezes decreased, and droughts in all seasons increased. The creosote bush desertscrub corridor across the Continental Divide between the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts was probably connected for the first time since the last interglaciation.

scholarly journals Topographic Thresholds and Soil Preservation along the Southern High Plains Eastern Escarpment, Northwest Texas, USA

Geosciences ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 476
Author(s):  
Travis Conley ◽  
Stance Hurst ◽  
Eileen Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Late Pleistocene ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
High Plains ◽  
Buried Soils ◽  
Lateral Migration ◽  
South Fork ◽  
The South ◽  
Southern High Plains ◽  
Middle Holocene ◽  
Semi Arid

The eastern escarpment of the Southern High Plains (USA) is today a semi-arid erosional landscape delineated by canyon breaks and topographic relief. A series of buried soils were identified, described, and sampled at 19 soil profile localities exposed along terraces of the South Fork of the Double Mountain Fork of the Brazos River (South Fork) and two associated tributaries (Spring Creek and Macy 285 drainage). Radiocarbon dating revealed late-Pleistocene to early Holocene (~12,580–9100 14C B.P.), middle-Holocene (~6025–4600 14C B.P.), and late-Holocene (~2000–800 14C B.P.) buried soils. The late-Pleistocene to middle-Holocene soils were preserved only at higher elevations within the upper section of the South Fork and Spring Creek. A topographic position analysis was conducted using GIS to identify and examine the impacts of a soil topographic threshold on the preservation and distribution of buried soils within this geomorphic system. Above the identified ~810 m threshold, lateral migration of channels was constrained. Extensive channel migration below the threshold removed older terraces that were replaced with late-Holocene terraces and associated buried soils. Landscape topography constraints on geomorphic processes and soil formation impacted the preservation of archaeological sites in this semi-arid region.

Postglacial vegetation and fire history of the southern Cascade Range, Oregon

2015 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia White ◽  
Christy Briles ◽  
Cathy Whitlock
Keyword(s):  
Late Holocene ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Late Glacial ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Cascade Range ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Glacial Period ◽  
Holocene Thermal Maximum ◽  
History Of

The Cascade Range of southwestern Oregon contains some of North America's most diverse forests, but the ecological history of this area is poorly understood. A 7900-yr-long pollen and charcoal record was examined to better understand past changes in vegetation and fire activity in relation to large-scale climate variability. From 7900 to 3500 cal yr BP, the dominance of xerophytic species and the frequent fires are consistent with a climate that was warmer and drier than at present. The period from 3500 cal yr BP to present experienced an abundance of mesophytic taxa and reduced fire frequency, suggesting cooler and wetter conditions. The regional history of Abies indicates that it was most widespread during the late-glacial period; its range contracted during the early Holocene thermal maximum, and it steadily expanded during the middle and late Holocene. In contrast, Pseudotsuga was restricted in range during the glacial period, became abundant at low-elevation sites in the Coast and northern Cascade ranges during the early Holocene, and was more prevalent in southern mid-elevation sites as the climate became cooler and wetter in the late Holocene. The sensitivity of these species to past climate change suggests that biogeographic responses to future conditions will be highly variable in this region.

The Bonneville Estates Rockshelter rodent fauna and changes in Late Pleistocene–Middle Holocene climates and biogeography in the Northern Bonneville Basin, USA

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave N. Schmitt ◽  
Karen D. Lupo
Keyword(s):  
Late Pleistocene ◽  
Salt Lake ◽  
Taxonomic Diversity ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Pocket Gopher ◽  
Middle Holocene ◽  
Thomomys Talpoides ◽  
Neotoma Cinerea ◽  
Bonneville Basin ◽  
Desert Woodrats

AbstractExcavations at Bonneville Estates Rockshelter, Nevada recovered rodent remains from stratified deposits spanning the past ca. 12,500 14C yr BP (14,800 cal yr BP). Specimens from horizons dating to the late Pleistocene and early Holocene include species adapted to montane and moist and cool habitats, including yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) and bushy-tailed woodrat (Neotoma cinerea). Shortly after 9000 14C BP (10,200 cal yr BP) these mammals became locally extinct, or nearly so, taxonomic diversity declined, and the region became dominated by desert woodrats (Neotoma lepida) and other species well-adapted to xeric, low-elevation settings. The timing and nature of changes in the Bonneville Estates rodent fauna are similar to records reported from nearby Homestead and Camels Back caves and provide corroborative data on terminal Pleistocene–early Holocene environments and mammalian responses to middle Holocene desertification. Moreover, the presence of northern pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides) at Bonneville Estates adds to a sparse regional record for that species and similar to Homestead Cave, it appears that the ca. 9500 14C yr BP (10,800 cal yr BP) replacement of the northern pocket gopher by Botta's pocket gopher in the Great Salt Lake Desert vicinity was also in response to climate change.

scholarly journals The Lateglacial-Early Holocene dynamics of the sedimentation environment based on the multi-proxy abiotic study of Lieporiai palaeolake, Northern Lithuania

Baltica ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-106
Author(s):  
Laura Gedminienė ◽  
Laurynas Šiliauskas ◽  
Žana Skuratovič ◽  
Ričardas Taraškevičius ◽  
Rimantė Zinkutė ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Late Holocene ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Mineral Matter ◽  
Climate Regime ◽  
Glacial Retreat ◽  
Peat Accumulation ◽  
Middle Holocene ◽  
Sedimentation Environment ◽  
Time Periods ◽  
Sequence Study

New data were obtained from the sedimentary sequence study of Lieporiai palaeolake, Northern Lithuania, employing a multi-proxy abiotic approach, for the description of the Lateglacial-Early Holocene palaeoenvironmental dynamics in the basin. The study reveals significant differences in sediments deposited in the Lateglacial, at the end of Lateglacial/Early Holocene and in the Late Holocene time periods. Six main environmental stages are described. After glacial retreat, the formed landscape was re-organized by very fast currents that might have appeared later than previously thought. Rapid water flow stabilized and lacustrine sedimentation began together with the appearance of scarce pioneer vegetation shortly before 14 600 cal yr BP, (GI-1e). The development of the lake with mostly undisturbed sedimentation continued up to the final stages of the Lateglacial Interstadial. The warm period caused maximum precipitation of Ca and Sr carbonates, which strongly affected sediment saturation with other components. Increase in humidity in the later Lateglacial Stadial (GS-1) period is indicated by the abrupt appearance of the coarser-sized mineral matter accompanied by weathering elements, i.e. Ti, Al, Si, Mg, and the early immigration of Picea. About 11 500 cal yr BP, the mineral matter input started decreasing, and stabilization of the climate regime began about 10 200 cal yr BP. (A)biotic proxies highlight slow sedimentation mechanisms that recover shallow- and trophic-lake stages. The Lieporiai palaeolake record clearly shows the sedimentation hiatus between the Early and the Middle Holocene. Further stages are characterized by paludification processes. Finally, peat accumulation was interrupted by humans.

Forests, steppes, and coastlines

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis A. Borrero
Keyword(s):  
Late Holocene ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Coastal Resources ◽  
Human Diet ◽  
Hunter Gatherers ◽  
Middle Holocene ◽  
European Contact ◽  
Southern Patagonia ◽  
Coastal Birds ◽  
Human Colonization

The human colonization of southern Patagonia began over 11,500 radiocarbon years bp. The first colonizers exploited Pleistocene megamammals and camelids. During the Early Holocene, after the extinction of the megamammals, hunter-gatherers concentrated on the exploitation of camelids. During the Middle Holocene a full exploitation of coastal resources began—pinnipeds, molluscs, and coastal birds. The main trends observed in the exploitation of these animals through time were in the intensity of utilization. Huemul and Rheidae were discontinuously exploited in the interior, particularly in the forests. On the coasts, molluscs, fish, and birds complemented the human diet, especially during the Late Holocene. The main subsistence changes after the European contact resulted from the introduction of sheep and horses.

A Record of Late Quaternary Vegetation from Davis Lake, Southern Puget Lowland, Washington

1981 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy W. Barnosky
Keyword(s):  
Late Pleistocene ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
Late Quaternary ◽  
Early Holocene ◽  
Thuja Plicata ◽  
The Core ◽  
Fibrous Peat ◽  
Tsuga Mertensiana ◽  
Temporary Rise ◽  
Inorganic Clay

AbstractPollen and macrofossil analyses of a core spanning 26,000 yr from Davis Lake reveal late Pleistocene and Holocene vegetational patterns in the Puget Lowland. The core ranges lithologically from a basal inorganic clay to a detritus gyttja to an upper fibrous peat and includes eight tephra units. The late Pleistocene pollen sequence records two intervals of tundra-parkland vegetation. The earlier of these has high percentages of Picea, Gramineae, and Artemisia pollen and represents the vegetation during the Evans Creek Stade (Fraser Glaciation) (ca. 25,000–17,000 yr B.P.). The later parkland interval is dominated by Picea, Tsuga mertensiana, and Gramineae. It corresponds to the maximum ice advance in the Puget Lowland during the Vashon Stade (Fraser Glaciation) (ca. 14,000 yr B.P.). An increase in Pinus ontorta pollen between the two tundra-parkland intervals suggests a temporary rise in treeline during an unnamed interstade. After 13,500 yr B.P., a mixed woodland of subalpine and lowland conifers grew at Davis Lake during a period of rapid climatic amelioration. In the early Holocene, the prolonged expansion of Pseudotsuga and Alnus woodland suggests dry, temperate conditions similar to those of present rainshadow sites in the Puget Lowland. More-mesic forests of Tsuga eterophylla, Thuja plicata, and Pseudotsuga, similar to present lowland vegetation, appeared in the late Holocene (ca. 5500 yr B.P.).

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