Paleoenvironmental Analysis of Three Subfossil Coleopteran Faunas from the Toklat River Drainage, Central Alaska
Three sediment samples were collected from exposures along the Tok lat River. Central Alaska and analyzed for subfossil Coleopteran remains. Two samples arc Holocene in age (650 ± b.p . and submodem) and the other is believed to be laic Pleistocene in age, based on stratigraphic interpretations. The...
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Digital Commons @ Colby
1992
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| Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/seniorscholars/267 https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/context/seniorscholars/article/1266/viewcontent/Churchill1992.pdf |
| Summary: | Three sediment samples were collected from exposures along the Tok lat River. Central Alaska and analyzed for subfossil Coleopteran remains. Two samples arc Holocene in age (650 ± b.p . and submodem) and the other is believed to be laic Pleistocene in age, based on stratigraphic interpretations. The Pleistocene fauna was representative of a tundra environment adjacent to a fluvial system. The older Holocene sample was indicative of a point bar deposit wi rh sl ightly moister conditions. although rhe occurrence of several tundra species was also noted. These tundra species were evidently able to make the transition from their former true tundra hab itat (which disappeared 9.500 b.p.) to the point bar habitat and allowed to survive from the Pleistocene to the Holocene. The subrnodern fauna still contains some of these transitional species., The amount of reworking. if any. is minor and undetectable. This is indicated by the internal faunal consistency. presence of tcneral specimens. scales still attached to weevils. articulated body parts and overall quality of preservation. |
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