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Paleoenvironment of the Folsom archaeological site, New Mexico, USA, approximately 10,500 14C yr B.P. as inferred from the stable isotope composition of fossil land snail shells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Meena Balakrishnan ,
Crayton J. Yapp ,
David J. Meltzer  and
James L. Theler
Meena Balakrishnan
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275-0395, USA
Crayton J. Yapp*
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275-0395, USA
David J. Meltzer
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275-0336, USA
James L. Theler
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology and Archaeology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601, USA
*
*Fax: +1 214 768 2701. E-mail address:cjyapp@mail.smu.edu (C.J. Yapp).
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Abstract

Well-preserved aragonitic land snail shells (Vallonia) from late Pleistocene Eolian sediment in the Folsom archaeological site in New Mexico exhibit an overall decrease of δ18OPDB from maximum values of +2.7‰ (more positive than modern) to younger samples with lower average values of about −3.6‰ (within the modern range). The age of the samples (approximately 10,500 14C yr B.P.) suggests that the decrease in δ18O may manifest climatic changes associated with the Younger Dryas. Some combination of increased relative humidity and cooler temperatures with decreased δ18O of precipitation during the times of snail activity can explain the decrease in shell δ18O. A well-known Paleoindian bison kill occurred at the Folsom site during this inferred environmental transition.

Average δ13C values of the aragonite shells of the fossil Vallonia range from −7.3 to −6.0‰ among different archaeological levels and are not as negative as modern values. This suggests that the proportion of C4 vegetation at the Folsom site approximately 10,500 14C yr B.P. was greater than at present; a result which is consistent with other evidence for higher proportions of C4 plants in the region at that time.

Keywords

Oxygen isotopesCarbon isotopesLand snailsPaleoenvironmentFolsom siteC4 plantsYounger Dryas
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 63 , Issue 1 , January 2005 , pp. 31 - 44
Copyright
University of Washington

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