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Lake Shoreline Evidence of Hydrologic Conditions in the Southern Basin and Range Province During the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene: Paleoclimatic and Archaeological Implications

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Human Environment Interactions - Volume 2

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Earth System Sciences ((BRIEFSEARTHSYST))

Abstract

Remnant shoreline features in hydrographically closed basins of the southern Basin and Range mark the highest stages of permanent lakes which waxed and waned during the last glacial cycle. As geomorphic footprints of these ancient lakes, fossil shorelines constitute an invaluable but largely untapped source of paleohydrologic information, with implications for the paleoclimatology and early archaeology of the region. Based on the extremely limited shoreline evidence on hand, it is known that lake highstands occurred in several basins prior to 14 Ka cal BP, while the timing of most is not confidently constrained. This suggests that Clovis (late Bølling-Allerød) and Folsom (Younger Dryas) times were generally more arid than previous periods, but does not provide specific information about conditions associated with these early occupations. Further development of shoreline records across the region is requisite for understanding the role of hydroclimatic variability in the geomorphic evolution of landscapes through the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. In turn, such knowledge will leave archaeologists better equipped to interpret spatio-temporal patterns in the cultural record with respect to the land use and settlement strategies of ancient foragers, who dependeded upon dwindling supplies of surface water and accompanying ecological resources.

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  1. Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Andrew L. Kowler

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Kowler, A.L. (2014). Lake Shoreline Evidence of Hydrologic Conditions in the Southern Basin and Range Province During the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene: Paleoclimatic and Archaeological Implications. In: Human Environment Interactions - Volume 2. SpringerBriefs in Earth System Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36880-6_1

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