Last glacial–interglacial environments in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA and implications for Younger Dryas-age human occupation

The last glacial-interglacial transition (LGIT; 19–9 ka) was characterized by rapid climate changes and significant ecosystem reorganizations worldwide. In western Colorado, one of the coldest locations in the continental US today, mountain environments during the late-glacial period are poorly know...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Quaternary Research
Main Authors: Briles, Christy E., Whitlock, Cathy, Meltzer, David J.
Other Authors: Quest Archaeological Research Fund, NSF
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2012
Subjects:
Lily Pond
Parkland
Tundra
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2011.10.002
http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0033589411001268?httpAccept=text/xml
http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0033589411001268?httpAccept=text/plain
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033589400008176
id crcambridgeupr:10.1016/j.yqres.2011.10.002
record_format openpolar
spelling crcambridgeupr:10.1016/j.yqres.2011.10.002 2024-06-09T07:50:02+00:00 Last glacial–interglacial environments in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA and implications for Younger Dryas-age human occupation Briles, Christy E. Whitlock, Cathy Meltzer, David J. Quest Archaeological Research Fund NSF 2012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2011.10.002 http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0033589411001268?httpAccept=text/xml http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0033589411001268?httpAccept=text/plain https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033589400008176 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Quaternary Research volume 77, issue 1, page 96-103 ISSN 0033-5894 1096-0287 journal-article 2012 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2011.10.002 2024-05-15T13:00:18Z The last glacial-interglacial transition (LGIT; 19–9 ka) was characterized by rapid climate changes and significant ecosystem reorganizations worldwide. In western Colorado, one of the coldest locations in the continental US today, mountain environments during the late-glacial period are poorly known. Yet, archaeological evidence from the Mountaineer site (2625 m elev.) indicates that Folsom-age Paleoindians were over-wintering in the Gunnison Basin during the Younger Dryas Chronozone (YDC; 12.9–11.7 ka). To determine the vegetation and fire history during the LGIT, and possible explanations for occupation during a period thought to be harsher than today, a 17-ka-old sediment core from Lily Pond (3208 m elev.) was analyzed for pollen and charcoal and compared with other high-resolution records from the southern Rocky Mountains. Widespread tundra and Picea parkland and low fire activity in the cold wet late-glacial period transitioned to open subalpine forest and increased fire activity in the Bølling–Allerød period as conditions became warmer and drier. During the YDC, greater winter snowpack than today and prolonged wet springs likely expanded subalpine forest to lower elevations than today, providing construction material and fuel for the early inhabitants. In the early to middle Holocene, arid conditions resulted in xerophytic vegetation and frequent fire. Article in Journal/Newspaper Tundra Cambridge University Press Lily Pond ENVELOPE(-101.039,-101.039,56.829,56.829) Parkland ENVELOPE(-120.570,-120.570,55.917,55.917) Quaternary Research 77 1 96 103
institution Open Polar
collection Cambridge University Press
op_collection_id crcambridgeupr
language English
description The last glacial-interglacial transition (LGIT; 19–9 ka) was characterized by rapid climate changes and significant ecosystem reorganizations worldwide. In western Colorado, one of the coldest locations in the continental US today, mountain environments during the late-glacial period are poorly known. Yet, archaeological evidence from the Mountaineer site (2625 m elev.) indicates that Folsom-age Paleoindians were over-wintering in the Gunnison Basin during the Younger Dryas Chronozone (YDC; 12.9–11.7 ka). To determine the vegetation and fire history during the LGIT, and possible explanations for occupation during a period thought to be harsher than today, a 17-ka-old sediment core from Lily Pond (3208 m elev.) was analyzed for pollen and charcoal and compared with other high-resolution records from the southern Rocky Mountains. Widespread tundra and Picea parkland and low fire activity in the cold wet late-glacial period transitioned to open subalpine forest and increased fire activity in the Bølling–Allerød period as conditions became warmer and drier. During the YDC, greater winter snowpack than today and prolonged wet springs likely expanded subalpine forest to lower elevations than today, providing construction material and fuel for the early inhabitants. In the early to middle Holocene, arid conditions resulted in xerophytic vegetation and frequent fire.
author2 Quest Archaeological Research Fund
NSF
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Briles, Christy E.
Whitlock, Cathy
Meltzer, David J.
spellingShingle Briles, Christy E.
Whitlock, Cathy
Meltzer, David J.
Last glacial–interglacial environments in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA and implications for Younger Dryas-age human occupation
author_facet Briles, Christy E.
Whitlock, Cathy
Meltzer, David J.
author_sort Briles, Christy E.
title Last glacial–interglacial environments in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA and implications for Younger Dryas-age human occupation
title_short Last glacial–interglacial environments in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA and implications for Younger Dryas-age human occupation
title_full Last glacial–interglacial environments in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA and implications for Younger Dryas-age human occupation
title_fullStr Last glacial–interglacial environments in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA and implications for Younger Dryas-age human occupation
title_full_unstemmed Last glacial–interglacial environments in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA and implications for Younger Dryas-age human occupation
title_sort last glacial–interglacial environments in the southern rocky mountains, usa and implications for younger dryas-age human occupation
publisher Cambridge University Press (CUP)
publishDate 2012
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2011.10.002
http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0033589411001268?httpAccept=text/xml
http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0033589411001268?httpAccept=text/plain
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033589400008176
long_lat ENVELOPE(-101.039,-101.039,56.829,56.829)
ENVELOPE(-120.570,-120.570,55.917,55.917)
geographic Lily Pond
Parkland
geographic_facet Lily Pond
Parkland
genre Tundra
genre_facet Tundra
op_source Quaternary Research
volume 77, issue 1, page 96-103
ISSN 0033-5894 1096-0287
op_rights https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2011.10.002
container_title Quaternary Research
container_volume 77
container_issue 1
container_start_page 96
op_container_end_page 103
_version_ 1801383008551305216

Similar Items