Credit: Froese et al. 2009. Posted on 10/30/2009 6:35:59 AM PDT by decimon
Credit: Froese et al. 2009.
The Klondike region of the Canadian Arctic isn't often thought of as an oasis for life. Today, the area is best known for its vast frozen wilderness, its goldfields, and as the namesake of a popular chocolate-coated ice cream treat.
However, new research shows that the Klondike goldfields of Canada's Yukon Territory hold key records of a past environment that was much different than the harsh climate experienced by today's explorers, ice truckers and miners.
The Klondike is part of a wider geographic area dubbed "Beringia," which includes parts of Siberia, Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. The term Beringia was coined in the first part of the 1900s to explain the distribution of Arctic plants and coniferous forests of the boreal environment surrounding the Bering Strait.
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Temperatures were still low in Beringia during these epochs, but a lack of moisture due to the rain shadow of the surrounding mountain ranges prevented large-scale formation of ice.
As the authors put it, "The interior of Yukon and Alaska was cold enough to support ice sheets but too dry for extensive glaciation." Because of this, Beringia was a key location for life during the Pleistocene, when the Earth's climate fluctuated between ice ages and glaciers often covered large portions of the globe.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Hall of the wild ping.
The Pleistocene was one of my favorite eras.
Cuz the ice sheets didn't reach you Ozarkians.
Mine too. Life seemed easier as I remember things from then. Food was plentiful; I have a special fondness for marinated mastodon.
I want my 50,000 Kronkites...varmit.
The greatest cartoon when he tried to climb the Smatterhorn..LOL!!
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Researchers need only look at our current era-the Obamacene- (take that where you will) for insight into the Pleistocene. Hmmmm...Looks like it’s gonna be another cold day in Hall.
Researchers discovered the remains of plants and animals in sediments from the late Pleistocene, including this Bison priscus skull. Fossils are commonly recovered from sediments exposed by mining activities in the Klondike. Credit: Froese et al. 2009. The Klondike goldfields and Pleistocene environments of Beringia. GSA Today 19(8), 4-10.
:’) Thanks!
In Alaska
IN ALASKA, to the north of Mount McKlnley, the tallest
mountain in North America, the Tanana River joins the
Yukon. From the Tanana Valley and the valleys of its
tributaries gold is mined out of gravel and “muck.*’ This
muck is a frozen mass of animals and trees.
F. Rainey of the University of Alaska described the
scene: l “Wide cuts, often several miles in length and
sometimes as much as 140 feet in depth, are now being
sluiced out along stream valleys tributary to the Tanana
in the Fairbanks District. In order to reach gold-bearing
gravel beds an overburden of frozen silt or ‘muck’ is
removed with hydraulic giants. This 4 muck’ contains
enormous numbers of frozen bones of extinct animals
such as the mammoth, mastodon, super-bison and
horse.” 2
These animals perished in rather recent times; present
estimates place their extinction at the end of the Ice Age
or in early post-glacial times. The soil of Alaska covered
their bodies together with those of animals of species still
surviving.
1 F. Rainey. “Archaeological Investigation in Central Alaska,” Ameri-
can Antiquity, V (1940), 305.
2 The horse became extinct hi pre-Columbian America; the present
horses in the Western Hemisphere are descendants of imported animals.
1
2 IN THE NORTH
Under what conditions did this great slaughter take
place, in which millions upon millions of animals were
torn limb from limb and mingled with uprooted trees?
F. C. Hibben of the University of New Mexico writes:
“Although the formation of the deposits of muck is not
clear, there is ample evidence that at least portions of this
material were deposited under catastrophic conditions.
Mammal remains are for the most part dismembered and
disarticulated, even though some fragments yet retain,
in their frozen state, portions of ligaments, skin, hair,
and flesh. Twisted and torn trees are piled in splintered
masses. ... At least four considerable layers of volcanic
ash may be traced in these deposits, although they are
extremely warped and distorted. . . .” 3
http://www.archive.org/stream/earthupheaval010880mbp/earthupheaval010880mbp_djvu.txt
By Dire Straits.
:-))
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