Geological Society of America

T121 Advances in Beringian Environments and Paleoclimate during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene I

Wednesday, 28 October 2020
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Meeting Rooms

MEGAHERBIVORE DYNAMICS AT THE PLEISTOCENE-HOLOCENE TRANSITION IN EASTERN BERINGIA USING MULTIPROXY PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL RECORDS

Paper number: T121-9
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 11:25 AM – 11:40 AM

Authors

Scott Cocker Presenting Author
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Scott Cocker Presenting Author
University of Alberta Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Edmonton, AB
Tyler J. Murchie
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
Jordan Harvey
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Michael Pisaric
Brock University, St. Catharines, ON
Duane G. Froese
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Hendrik N. Poinar
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
Britta Jensen
University of Alberta Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Edmonton, NY

Abstract

Pleistocene-Holocene extinctions are a long-recognised feature of North American megafaunal loss. One major challenge of reconstructing megaherbivore dynamics at this transition is the scarcity of skeletal remains. Subsequently, the spores of coprophilous fungi preserved in lake sediments have been shown to successfully indicate the presence of megaherbivore populations. This study presents the first multiproxy analysis from Yukon Territory combing coprophilous fungi and pollen records from Gravel Lake (ca. 15 000 – 9400 cal yr BP) with radiocarbon dated megaherbivore remains from East Beringia spanning the last 25 000 years. A decline in spores of Sporomiella, Sordaria, Cercophora, Delitschia, Gelasinospora and Coniochaeta from Gravel Lake indicate the local extirpation of megaherbivores at ca. 11 000 – 10 400 cal yr BP. Bone records concur with this conclusion with the exception of mammoth and horse populations that are lost from the record 2000 years earlier at ca. 13 000 cal yr BP when palynological assemblages indicate some of the last environments contiguous with the mammoth steppe in this region. The remaining taxa (bison, caribou, elk, moose and muskox) are all extant in Yukon Territory indicating the reestablishment of their populations despite dramatic restructuring of northern ecosystems at the end of the Pleistocene.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 52, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2020AM-357517

© Copyright 2020 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.