Quartz Lake, Alaska 11,200 Year Chironomid and Stable Isotope Data Wooller, M.J.; Kurek, J.; Gaglioti, B.V.; Cwynar, L.C.; Bigelow, N.H.; Reuther, J.D.; Gelvin-Reymiller, C.; Smol, J.P. Wooller, M.J. Kurek, J. Gaglioti, B.V. Cwynar, L.C. Bigelow, N.H. Reuther, J.D. Gelvin-Reymiller, C. Smol, J.P. Arctic PAGES Arctic 2k earth science/paleoclimate/paleolimnology (carbon/nitrogen,sediment,null,dimensionless,null,paleolimnology,null,null,N,null) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Sergentia coracina) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Cryptochironomus sp.) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Pagastiella sp.) earth science/paleoclimate/paleolimnology (nitrogen,sediment,null,percent,null,paleolimnology,null,null,N,null) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Corynocera ambigua) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Psectrocladius sordidellus) earth 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science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Pseudochironomus sp.) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Polypedilum sp.) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Stempellinella/Zavrelia) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Ablabesmyia sp.) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Parakiefferiella bathophila) earth science/paleoclimate/paleolimnology (delta 13C,organic matter,null,per mil VPDB,null,paleolimnology,null,null,N,null) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Chironomus plumosus) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Tanytarsus sp.) earth science/paleoclimate/climate reconstructions|insect|paleolimnology (depth at sample start,null,null,centimeter,null,climate reconstructions|insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,null) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Micropsectra insignilobus) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Paratanytarsus sp.) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Heterotrissocladius marcidus) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Cladotanytarsus mancus) earth science/paleoclimate/insect|paleolimnology (identified midge,null,null,percent,null,insect|paleolimnology,null,null,N,Microtendipes pedellus) earth science/paleoclimate/paleolimnology earth science/paleoclimate/paleolimnology earth science/paleoclimate/paleolimnology earth science/paleoclimate/paleolimnology earth science/paleoclimate/paleolimnology (Quartz Lake>LATITUDE 64.2133>LONGITUDE -145.8211) Wetlands and lakes in the Tanana Valley, Alaska, have provided important resources for prehistoric humans who inhabited this region. We examine an ~11,200 cal yr BP record of environmental and paleolimnological changes from Quartz Lake in the middle Tanana Valley. Our data are also presented in the context of recent archaeological findings in the lake's general vicinity that have 18 associated AMS 14C dates. We analyzed the stable- carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of total organic matter from the core, coupled with oxygen and carbon isotope analyses of Pisidiidae shells (fingernail clams), in addition to chironomid assemblage changes. Lacustrine sediments began to accumulate at ~11,200 cal yr BP. Initially, autochthonous production was low and allochthonous organic input was negligible between 11,000 and 10,500 cal yr BP, and were associated with relatively cool conditions at Quartz Lake at ~10,700 cal yr BP. After 10,500 cal yr BP, autochthonous production was higher coincident with a shift to chironomid assemblages dominated by taxa associated with warmer summer climates. A decrease in d13C values of total organic carbon (TOC) and organic content of the sediment between 9,000 and 4,000 cal yr BP may indicate declining autochthonous primary production. This period ended with an abrupt (~7 ‰) decrease in the d18O values from Pisidiidae shells at ~3,000 cal yr BP, which we hypothesize represented an episodic connection (flood) of the lake with flow from the nearby (~6 km) Tanana River. Our findings coincide with evidence for major flooding at other locations connected to the Tanana River and further afield in Alaska. From ~3,000 cal yr BP Quartz Lake subsequently appeared to become a relatively closed system, as indicated by the d18OPisidiidae and d13CPisidiidae data that are positively correlated and generally higher, which also correlates with a shift to moderately higher abundances of littoral chironomids. The cause of the transition to closed-basin conditions may have been geomorphic rather than climatic. This evidence of a progressively stronger evaporative influence on the lake's closed hydrology after ~3,000 cal yr BP is consistent with our modern d18O and dD water data from Quartz Lake that plot along a regional evaporative line we base on isotopic measurements from other local lakes and rivers. STUDY NOTES: Chironomid and stable isotope data from sediments recovered from Quartz Lake, Alaska for the past 11,200 years. Quartz Lake: 64°12'48"N, 145°49'16"W, 293m elevation NCDC-Paleoclimatology https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-access/paleoclimatology-data - Bauer Bruce Investigator : Wooller, M.J. Investigator : Kurek, J. Investigator : Gaglioti, B.V. Investigator : Cwynar, L.C. Investigator : Bigelow, N.H. Investigator : Reuther, J.D. Investigator : Gelvin-Reymiller, C. Investigator : Smol, J.P. 2012-06-30 ONLINE Files online, ASCII https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/13079 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/paleolimnology/northamerica/usa/alaska/quartz2012.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/paleolimnology/northamerica/usa/alaska/quartz2012.xls https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/paleolimnology/northamerica/usa/alaska/quartz2012.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/paleolimnology/northamerica/usa/alaska/quartz2012.xls English https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/13079 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/paleolimnology/northamerica/usa/alaska/quartz2012.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/paleolimnology/northamerica/usa/alaska/quartz2012.xls Wooller, M.J., J. Kurek, B.V. Gaglioti, L.C. Cwynar, N. Bigelow, J.D. Reuther, C. Gelvin-Reymiller, and J.P. Smol. 2012. An ~11,200 year paleolimnological perspective for emerging archaeological findings at Quartz Lake, Alaska. Journal of Paleolimnology, Vol. 48, No. 1, June 2012, pp. 83-99. DOI: 10.1007/s10933-012-9610-9 START YEAR: 12294 cal yr BP * END YEAR: 777 cal yr BP -145.8211 64.2133 -145.8211 64.2133