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Diatom, Pollen, and Chemical Evidence of Postglacial Climatic Change at Big Lake, South-Central British Columbia, Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Joseph R. Bennett ,
Brian F. Cumming ,
Peter R. Leavitt ,
Marian Chiu ,
John P. Smol  and
Julian Szeicz
Joseph R. Bennett
Affiliation:
Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory (PEARL), Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada
Brian F. Cumming
Affiliation:
Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Laboratory (PEARL), Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada
Peter R. Leavitt
Affiliation:
Limnology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada
Marian Chiu
Affiliation:
PEARL, Department of Biology and Department of Geography, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
John P. Smol
Affiliation:
PEARL, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada
Julian Szeicz
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada
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Abstract

Postglacial climatic conditions were inferred from cores taken from Big Lake in southern British Columbia. Low concentrations of nonarboreal pollen and pigments near the base of the core suggest that initial conditions were cool. Increases in both aquatic and terrestrial production suggest warmer and moister conditions until ∼8500 cal yr B.P. Hyposaline diatom assemblages, increases in nonarboreal pollen, and increased concentrations of pigments suggest the onset of arid conditions from ∼8500 to ∼7500 cal yr B.P. Slightly less arid conditions are inferred from ∼7500 until ∼6660 cal yr B.P. based on the diatoms, small increases and greater variability in biogenic silica and pigments, and higher percentages of arboreal pollen. At ∼6600 cal yr B.P., changes in diatoms, pigments, biogenic silica, and organic matter suggest that Big Lake became fresh, deep, and eutrophic until ∼3600 cal yr B.P., when water levels and nutrients decreased slightly. Our paleoclimatic inferences are similar to pollen-based studies until ∼6600 cal yr B.P. However, unlike these studies, our multiple lines of evidence from Big Lake imply large changes in effective moisture since 6000 cal yr B.P.

Keywords

HoloceneclimateBritish Columbialake sedimentsdiatomspollenpigmentseffective moisture
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 55 , Issue 3 , May 2001 , pp. 332 - 343
Copyright
University of Washington

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