Post-Glacial Pollen Profiles from Southwest Yukon Territory

Nine radiocarbon-dated pollen profiles from a latitudinal transect in southwest Yukon Territory reconstruct postglacial environmental history. The study analyzes fossil pollen sequences to document vegetation succession from herb tundra to boreal forest over millennia. Records from the Upper Nisling Valley, Ittlemit Lake, and Bear Lakes areas provide evidence for regional climatic changes.

Use Cases

• Analyze fossil pollen records to model the sequential invasion of taxa like Betula glandulosa and Picea glauca across the study area.
• Correlate radiocarbon dates with pollen spectra shifts to reconstruct the timing of forest-tundra establishment at approximately 8,600 years BP.
• Compare pollen profiles from different lake sediments to identify synchronous phase changes to marsh conditions around 5,000-6,000 years BP.
• Use surficial sample data to aid interpretation of fossil pollen evidence for post-glacial vegetation successional development.

Strengths

• Nine distinct pollen profiles provide multi-site evidence across a broad latitudinal transect.
• Radiocarbon dating offers a chronological framework for analyzing vegetation succession events.
• Analysis includes both fossil pollen records and surficial samples for interpretive context.

Limitations

• Sample data and specific columnar structure are unavailable, limiting direct analytical use.
• The dataset is presented in HTML format, not a structured tabular data file suitable for computational analysis.
• Geographic scope is focused on a specific region in southwest Yukon, limiting broader applicability.

Provenance

Source

Government of Yukon

Collection Method

Palynological analysis of nine pollen profiles from lake sediments, combined with radiocarbon dating and surficial samples.

Time Range

Post-glacial period, with specific events dated from approximately 10,000 years BP onward.

Freshness

null

Geography

Southwest Yukon Territory, Canada, including Upper Nisling Valley, Ittlemit Lake, and Bear Lakes areas.