[meteorite-list] 2 abstracts re YD and humans in North America: Daryl Freje et al -- and Ted Goebel et al, 2011.04.08 Quarternary International: Rich Murray 2011.07.22

From: Rich Murray <rmforall_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2011 21:53:58 -0700
Message-ID: <CAHqJ8pbWHhLUCOfXrauCSYQhuTj=8rjDc+dkEHYKQXQjyOSgYQ_at_mail.gmail.com>

2 abstracts re YD and humans in North America: Daryl Freje et al --
and Ted Goebel et al, 2011.04.08 Quarternary International: Rich
Murray 2011.07.22

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040618211001881

Quaternary International
Article in Press, Corrected Proof - Note to users
doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2011.03.042

Younger Dryas environments and archaeology on the Northwest Coast of
North America

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Daryl Fedje a, , ,
Quentin Mackie b,
Terri Lacourse c and
Duncan McLaren b
a Parks Canada, 2349 Florence Street, Victoria BC, Canada
b Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
c Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria BC, Canada
Available online 8 April 2011.

Abstract

This paper reviews the current archaeological and palaeo-environmental
evidence from the Younger Dryas period on the Northwest Coast of North
America.
Sea level histories are region-specific, ranging from 100 m lower to
150 m higher than modern at ca. 12,200 cal BP, the mid-point of the
Younger Dryas.
Palaeo-environmental evidence shows temperature decrease across the
study area, but in some regions this is accompanied by greater
precipitation and glacial advance whereas in other conditions were
drier.
Terrestrial vegetation reflects this variability, with northern areas
in particular showing evidence for expansion of herb and shrub tundra
and southern areas marked by increased mountain hemlock and other
species.
Marine, intertidal and terrestrial fauna indicate productive
ecosystems, with some sub-regional changes, such as extirpation of
deer and bison, perhaps associated with the Younger Dryas onset.
Stable isotope analysis of bear remains show these species, which are
a good ecological analogue for humans, exploited both marine and
terrestrial resources.
Despite patchy and dynamic marine and terrestrial environments, these
results suggest a challenging, yet viable environment for humans.
Archaeological evidence for Younger Dryas human occupation is
currently limited to six sites, of which four are associated with
karst caves.
The earliest of these are in Haida Gwaii, where bear hunting is dated
to at least 12,650 cal BP, during the heart of the Younger Dryas
interval.
Other sites in southeast Alaska and in the Fraser River lowlands date
to around 12,100 cal BP.
In Puget Sound, the presence of ca. 13,000 cal BP Clovis surface
collections, and the emerging data from the pre-Clovis Ayer Pond bison
butchery site, suggest pre-Younger Dryas occupation.
The Northwest Coast was open to population movement from both the
north and south in the poorly known interval before the Younger Dryas,
when conditions may have been more moderate and stable.
The sub-regional variation and the scale of environmental change in
the Younger Dryas, especially sea level fluctuation, makes discovery
of Pleistocene archaeological sites challenging.
The Younger Dryas may therefore be seen as something of a worst-case
scenario for both the human occupation and the archaeological
investigation of the Northwest Coast.

Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Environment
2.1. Sea level
2.2. Vegetation
2.3. Paleontology
2.4. Discussion of palaeoenvironment
3. Younger Dryas archaeological evidence
4. Discussion
4.1. Marine and terrestrial productivity
4.2. Human adaptation: maritime vs. coastal vs. terrestrial
5. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References


http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040618211001893

Quaternary International
Article in Press, Corrected Proof
doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2011.03.043

Climate, environment, and humans in North America?s Great Basin during
the Younger Dryas, 12,900?11,600 calendar years ago

Purchase $ 31.50
Ted Goebel a, , ,
Bryan Hockett b,
Kenneth D. Adams c,
David Rhode c and
Kelly Graf a
a Center for the Study of the First Americans, Department of
Anthropology, Texas A&M University, 4352-TAMU, College Station, TX
77843, USA
b Nevada State Office, U.S.D.I. Bureau of Land Management, 1340
Financial Blvd., Reno, NV 89502, USA
c Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Desert Research Institute,
2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, NV 89512, USA
Available online 8 April 2011.

Abstract

Global climate change associated with the onset of the Younger Dryas
chronozone affected different regions of the northern hemisphere in
different ways.
In the Great Basin of western North America, the effect was positive
for human populations.
Relatively cool temperatures causing effectively wetter conditions
filled some pluvial basins with shallow but permanent lakes and other
basins with well-watered marshes or meadows.
Vegetation communities dominated by sagebrush and grasses promoted
healthy and diverse animal populations.
Ten archaeological sites from the region have been dated to the
Younger Dryas chronozone.
Evidence from these sites indicates that Paleoindians with skull
shapes and mitochondrial DNA similar to modern western North American
Indians occupied the region.
These early humans produced a material culture characterized
predominantly by large stemmed bifacial points, although one site
contained a small fluted point.
Curated tool forms and technological activities represented in
analyzed lithic assemblages suggest a highly mobile settlement
strategy, and redundant short-term occupations of sites indicate
frequent and long-distance residential moves across territories
spanning distances of up to 400 km.
Paleoindian subsistence pursuits focused on artiodactyls (primarily
mule deer, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope), leporids (chiefly
jackrabbits), birds (sage grouse and waterfowl), insects
(grasshoppers), and possibly fish.
Easy-to-process plants like cactus pads were also eaten, but small
seeds do not seem to have been an important part of Great Basin human
diets until long after the Younger Dryas, closer to 9500 cal BP.
The Great Basin record contains no evidence for natural catastrophe at
the onset of the chronozone.
Instead, the Younger Dryas appears to have been among the best of
times for human foragers in this region of North America.

Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Great Basin physical environments during the Younger Dryas
2.1. Bonneville basin
2.2. Lahontan basin
2.3. Other Great Basin regions
2.4. Discussion
3. Great Basin vegetation communities during the Younger Dryas
3.1. Bonneville basin
3.2. Lahontan basin and other Great Basin subregions
3.3. Discussion
4. Large-mammal extinctions
5. Archaeology
5.1. Bonneville Estates Rockshelter
5.2. Smith Creek Cave
5.3. Danger Cave
5.4. Sunshine Well
5.5. Buhl
5.6. Handprint Cave
5.7. Pyramid Lake artifacts
5.8. Paisley Five Mile Point Caves
5.9. Fort Rock Cave
5.10. Connley Cave 4
6. Discussion and conclusions
6.1. Physical environments of the Younger Dryas
6.2. Biotic environments of the Younger Dryas
6.3. Archaeological chronology
6.4. Human biology and genetics
6.5. Lithic artifacts and technologies
6.6. Osseous and perishable technologies
6.7. Human diets
6.8. Settlement organization
6.9. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References

In mutual service, Rich Murray
rmforall at gmail.com 505-819-7388
Received on Sat 23 Jul 2011 12:53:58 AM PDT