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Soil, archaeological, biotic, and climatic relationships for the late holocene of the Wyoming basin: The case of the Garrett Allen (Elk Mountain) site (48CR301)
Author(s) -
Reider Richard G.,
Hayter Michael A.,
Zeimens George M.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
geoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1520-6548
pISSN - 0883-6353
DOI - 10.1002/gea.3340020403
Subject(s) - glacial period , soil water , geology , unconformity , holocene , physical geography , structural basin , geography , geomorphology , paleontology , soil science
Soils at the Garrett Allen (Elk Mountain) site (48CR301) along Quealy Spring in Carbon County, Wyoming, indicate nearly continuous, although episodic, meadow soil formation during much of Neoglacial or post‐Altithermal time at a mountain‐basin edge (elev. 2237 m) of the Wyoming Basin. Seven relict and buried meadow soils now under sagebrush (Haplaquents or Fluvaquents, Haplaquolls, and Argiaquolls) of the T 1 terrace date less than 200 B.P. as well as around 200, 600, 900, 1700, and two soils at greater than 3100 B.P. Composite‐superposed soils of two or more of the individual soils are common. Some soils have E horizons and the older ones have intensely gleyed cambic or argillic subsoils. Development of meadow soils and deposition of their respective parent materials seem to coincide with glacial episodes in the region when the climate may have been somewhat humid. Occupations of the meadow by Archaic and younger cultural groups, whose artifacts occur mainly in A(O?) horizons of meadow soils, appear to coincide with these humid–glacial climates when the meadow grew and flourished. Changes in subsistence and settlement of these peoples may have been partly influenced by humid climates during glacial episodes when rangeland and habitat were able to support large human and animal populations. However, four major erosional unconformities separate some soils. These unconformities may coincide with times of lessened glacial activity when the climate may have become drier and the meadow decreased in size. During these times, human groups may have abandoned the meadow, left the region, or only sparsely occupied the plains and basins. The youngest unconformity developed when Quealy Spring cut from T 1 to the T 0 level in the last century. This appears to coincide with sagebrush invasion across portions of the meadow, although a small relict meadow still exists. Sagebrush invasion and downcutting of the drainage may relate to climatic drying in the last century. Fluvents are now forming in alluvium of the T 0 level along the Quealy Spring drainage.