Pedological Investigations of Pleistocene Glacial Drift Surfaces in the Central Yukon

Smith, C. A. S.; Tarnócai, Charles; Hughes, O L

doi:10.7202/032620ar

Cited by 29 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Soil developed on montane moraines of intermediate age is similar to the Diversion Creek paleosol which is developed on deposits of Reid age. Similarly, soil developed on deposits of the oldest montane glaciation are similar to the Wounded Moose paleosol which is developed on deposits of pre-Reid age (Nansen and Klaza, undivided) (Tarnocai et al, 1985;Smith et al, 1986).…”

Section: Regional Quaternary Geologymentioning

confidence: 81%

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Age Relationships of Laurentide and Montane Glaciations, Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories

Duk-Rodkin¹,

Hughes²

2007

gpq

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The Mackenzie Mountains were glaciated repeatedly by large valley glaciers that emanated from the Backbone Ranges, and by much smaller valley glaciers that emanated from peaks in the Canyon Ranges. During the Late Wisconsinan the Laurentide Ice Sheet reached its all-time maximum position. The ice sheet pressed against the Canyon Ranges and moved up major valleys causing the diversion of mountain waters and organizing a complex meltwater system that drained across mountain interfluve areas towards the northwest. Two ages of moraines deposited by montane glaciers occur widely in the Mackenzie Mountains. Near the mountain front certain of the older moraines have been truncated by the Laurentide Ice Sheet, and others have been incised by meltwater streams emanating from the Laurentide ice margin, indicating that these older moraines predate the maximum Laurentide advance. Locally, certain of the younger montane moraines breach moraines and other ice marginal features of the Laurentide maximum, indicating that the younger montane glaciation post-dated the Laurentide maximum. Some large montane glaciers extended out from the mountains to merge with the retreating Laurentide Ice Sheet. There are several localities that display the age relationships between montane and Laurentide glaciations such as Dark Rock Creek, Durkan-Lukas Valley, Little Bear River and Katherine Creek. The older of the local montane glaciations is correlated tentatively with Reid Glaciation (lllinoian?) of central Yukon, and the younger with the Late Wisconsinan McConnell Glaciation. The Laurentide Glaciation is correlated with Hungry Creek Glaciation of Bonnet Plume Depression, which probably culminated about 30,000 years ago or somewhat later.

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Section: Regional Quaternary Geologymentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Deposits of McConnell, Reid and pre-Reid glaciations are further distinguished by major differences in soil development (Tarnocai et a/., 1985;Smith et al, 1986). Drift of McConnell age typically has a thin brunisolic soil.…”

Section: Regional Quaternary Geologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Age Relationships of Laurentide and Montane Glaciations, Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories

Duk-Rodkin¹,

Hughes²

2007

gpq

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“…the penultimate expansion of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet to the Early Wisconsinan (MIS 4) based on non-finite radiocarbon ages on sediments above penultimate (Reid) glacial deposits and correlation with classical midwestern United States stratigraphy. Later, Foscolos et al (1977), Tarnocai et al (1985), and Smith et al (1986) described an interglacial soil, presumed to be of MIS 5e age, on Reid-age glacial sediments in central Yukon Territory, implying a MIS 6 age for the drift. Non-glacial sediments filling a gully incised into Reid-age outwash along the Stewart River in east−central Yukon contain a tephra that Westgate et al (2001) correlated with the Sheep Creek tephra exposed at Fairbanks, Alaska.…”

Section: Glacial Chronologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Early Wisconsinan (MIS 4) glaciation on Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, and implications for biological refugia

et al. 2015

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Sea cliffs at Cape Ball on Graham Island, British Columbia, expose a thick sequence of Pleistocene sediments deposited during at least two glaciations. In sequence, from the base of the section, the units are (1) stony mud, (2) till, (3) silt, sand, and peat, (4) stony mud, (5) laminated sand and silt, (6) cross-bedded sand, and (7) till. Of special interest is unit 4, a massive to weakly stratified mud containing scattered stones that was deposited during the penultimate Pleistocene glaciation (marine isotope stage (MIS) 4). This unit contains wood and marine shell fragments that have yielded non-finite radiocarbon ages. Sand and silt with thin stringers of peat (unit 3) directly underlie this stony mud, and returned an optical age of 57.3 ± 5.7 ka. The stony mud is unconformably overlain by ponded sediments (unit 5) and advance outwash (unit 6) and till (unit 7) deposited during the Fraser Glaciation (MIS 2). The optically dated unit and a correlative peat and silty sand unit at a nearby exposure have pollen spectra with almost 100% non-arboreal pollen. Very low values of tree pollen, coupled with high frequencies of sedges, grasses, composites, Ericales, and the arctic−alpine indicator Koenigia islandica, indicate tundra vegetation and a cold climate. Abundant coprophilous Sporormiella (69%-91%) and Sordaria type (14%-47%) fungal spores in the peat samples indicate the former presence of grazing mammals at Cape Ball during MIS 4. During the MIS 3 interstade, subalpine forest existed at low elevations on Graham Island, providing environments suitable for the development of genetically distinct bird and mammal populations that survived in lowland refugia during the Fraser Glaciation.Résumé : Dans les falaises maritimes de l'île de Graham, Colombie-Britannique, affleure une épaisse séquence de sédiments, datant du Pléistocène, déposée durant au moins deux glaciations. En séquence, à partir de la base de la section, les unités sont : (1) une boue pierreuse, (2) un till, (3) du silt, du sable et de la tourbe, (4) une boue pierreuse, (5) du sable et du silt laminés, (6) du sable à stratification entrecroisée et (7) un till. L'unité 4 est d'un intérêt particulier, c'est une boue massive à faiblement stratifiée contenant des pierres éparpillées qui a été déposée durant l'avant-dernière glaciation au Pléistocène (étage isotopique marin (MIS) 4). Cette unité contient du bois et des fragments de coquillages marins qui ont donné des âges 14C non significatifs. Du sable et du silt avec de minces filons de tourbe (unité 3) se trouvent directement sous cette boue pierreuse et ils ont donné un âge optique de 57,3 ± 5,7 ka. Des sédiments endigués (unité 5), une avancée de matériel fluvio-glaciaire (unité 6) et un till (unité 7), déposés durant la glaciation Fraser (MIS 2), reposent de manière discordante sur la boue pierreuse. L'unité datée optiquement ainsi qu'une unité corrélative de tourbe et de sable qui affleure à proximité contiennent un spectre de pollen dont le pollen est près de 100 % non arboricole. De trè...

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“…Throughout central Yukon Territory, they have been used to differentiate deposits of various Early to Late Pleistocene glaciations for the purpose of surficial geologic mapping and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction (Hughes et al 1972;Foscolos et al 1977;Rutter et al 1978;Tarnocai et al 1985;Smith et al 1986;Tarnocai 1987;Tarnocai & Smith 1989;Bond 1996;Jackson et al 1999;Ward & Jackson 2000;Duk-Rodkin et al 2001;Froese et al 2001;Nelson & Jackson 2003). Due to the lack of dateable material found within high-level terrace gravels, the presence of palaeosols provides a valuable tool for their correlation and determination of age.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of high-level glaciofluvial terraces and re-evaluation of the established soil stratigraphy for Early and Middle Pleistocene surfaces, central Yukon, Canada

Huscroft

Ward

Jackson

et al. 2008

Boreas

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February): Investigation of high-level glaciofluvial terraces and re-evaluation of the established soil stratigraphy for Early and Middle Pleistocene surfaces, central Yukon, Canada. Boreas, Vol. 35, pp. 96 Á/105. Oslo. ISSN 0300-9483.Palaeosols developed on the highest Yukon River glaciofluvial terraces were investigated in order to reconstruct the Plio-Pleistocene evolution of the river valley beyond Late Pleistocene glacial limits. A record of at least two pre-Reid (/311 kyr) glaciations is chronicled by the presence of two populations of glaciofluvial terraces within the study area. The populations of pre-Reid terraces were identified based on their degree of soil development and elevation. Pre-Reid terraces 200 Á/250 m above river level have preserved morphological and mineralogical features of the Wounded Moose palaeosol, a palaeosol previously associated with pre-Reid surfaces in central Yukon. Clay mineralogy and colour indicate that the Wounded Moose palaeosol developed in part during warm and sub-humid as well as temperate and humid interglacials. A second set of pre-Reid terraces between 110 and 30 m above river level are characterized by the presence of the less-developed Diversion Creek palaeosol, a palaeosol previously associated with only Reid-aged (B/311 kyr) surfaces in central Yukon. In contrast to the Wounded Moose palaeosol, the Diversion Creek palaeosol developed during comparatively cool and humid interglacial conditions. The presence of Diversion Creek palaeosols on pre-Reid outwash terraces suggests that a transition from dominantly warmer to cooler interglacial conditions occurred prior to 311 kyr in Yukon Territory. In addition, the presence of a Diversion Creek palaeosol cannot be used to differentiate stable Reid and stable pre-Reid surfaces across central Yukon.

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Pedological Investigations of Pleistocene Glacial Drift Surfaces in the Central Yukon

Cited by 29 publications

References 7 publications

Age Relationships of Laurentide and Montane Glaciations, Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories

Age Relationships of Laurentide and Montane Glaciations, Mackenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories

Early Wisconsinan (MIS 4) glaciation on Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, and implications for biological refugia

Investigation of high-level glaciofluvial terraces and re-evaluation of the established soil stratigraphy for Early and Middle Pleistocene surfaces, central Yukon, Canada

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