Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-11T02:31:02.835Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Geomorphic and climatic change over the past 12,900 yr at Swiftcurrent Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Kelly R. MacGregor ,
Catherine A. Riihimaki ,
Amy Myrbo ,
Mark D. Shapley  and
Krista Jankowski
Kelly R. MacGregor*
Affiliation:
Geology Department, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
Catherine A. Riihimaki
Affiliation:
Biology Department, Drew University, Madison, NJ 07940, USA
Amy Myrbo
Affiliation:
LacCore, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Mark D. Shapley
Affiliation:
Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA
Krista Jankowski
Affiliation:
Geology Department, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
*
⁎Corresponding author. Fax: + 1 651 696 6122.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Glaciated alpine landscapes are sensitive to changes in climate. Shifts in temperature and precipitation can cause significant changes to glacier size and terminus position, the production and delivery of organic mass, and in the hydrologic energy related to the transport of water and sediment through proglacial environments. A sediment core representing a 12,900-yr record collected from Swiftcurrent Lake, located on the eastern side of Glacier National Park, Montana, was analyzed to assess variability in Holocene and latest Pleistocene environment. The spectral signature of total organic carbon content (%TOC) since ~ 7.6 ka matches that of solar forcing over 70–500 yr timescales. Periodic inputs of dolomite to the lake reflect an increased footprint of Grinnell Glacier, and occur during periods when sediment sinks are reduced, glacial erosion is increased, and hydrologic energy is increased. Grain size, carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios, and %TOC broadly define the termination of the Younger Dryas chronozone at Swiftcurrent Lake, as well as major Holocene climate transitions. Variability in core parameters is linked to other records of temperature and aridity in the northern Rocky Mountains over the late Pleistocene and Holocene.

Keywords

Glacier National ParkRadiocarbon datingLake sediment coreHoloceneYounger DryasGrain sizeTotal organic carbonMazama ashSunspot cycleSolar forcing
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 75 , Issue 1 , January 2011 , pp. 80 - 90
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alley, R.B. GISP2 Ice Core Temperature and Accumulation Data. Data Contribution Series #2004-013. (2004). NOAA/NGDC Paleoclimatology Program, Boulder, CO.Google Scholar
Barnosky, C.W., Grimm, E.C., Wright, H.E. Jr Towards a postglacial history of the Northern Great Plains: a review of the paleoecological problems. Annals of the Carnegie Museum 56, (1987). 259–273.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bartlein, P.J., Anderson, K.H., Anderson, P.M., Edwards, M.E., Mock, C.J., Thompson, R.S., Webb, R.S., Webb, T. III, and Whitlock, C. Paleoclimate simulations for North America over the past 21, 000 years: Features of the simulated climate and comparisons with paleoenvironmental data. Quaternary Science Reviews 17, (1998). 549–585.Google Scholar
Beierle, B.D., Smith, D.G., and Hills, L.V. Late Quaternary Glacial and environmental history of the Burstall Pass Area, Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 35, 3 (2003). 391–398.Google Scholar
Berger, A., and Loutre, M.F. Insolation values for the climate of the last 10 million years. Quaternary Science Reviews 10, (1991). 297–317.Google Scholar
Blackman, R.B., and Tukey, J.W. The Measurement of Power Spectra From the Point of View of Communication Engineering. (1958). Dover Publications, New York. 190 ppGoogle Scholar
Bond, G., Kromer, B., Beer, J., Muscheler, R., Evans, M.N., Showers, W., Hoffmann, S., Lotti-Bond, R., Hajdas, I., and Bonani, G. Persistent solar influence on North Atlantic climate during the Holocene. Science 294, (2001). 2130–2136.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Borchardt, G.A., Aruscavage, P.J., Millard, H.T. Jr Correlation of the Bishop Ash, a Pleistocene marker bed, using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 42, (1972). 301–306.Google Scholar
Brauer, A., Mangili, D., Moscariello, A., and Witt, A. Palaeoclimatic implications from micro-facies data of a 5900 varve time series from the Pianico interglacial sediment record, Southern Alps. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 259, (2008). 121–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brunelle, A., and Whitlock, C. Postglacial fire, vegetation, and climate history in the Clearwater Range, northern Idaho, USA. Quaternary Research 60, (2003). 307–318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brunelle, A., Whitlock, C., Bartlein, P.J., and Kipfmueller, K. Holocene fire and vegetation along environmental gradients in the northern Rocky Mountains. Quaternary Science Reviews 24, (2005). 2281–2300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carrara, P.E. Holocene and latest Pleistocene glacial chronology, Glacier National Park, Montana. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 24, (1987). 387–395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carrara, P.E., (1989). Late Quaternary and vegetative history of the Glacier National Park region. Montana.1902, 64 Google Scholar
Carrara, P.E. Surficial geologic map of Glacier National Park. Montana 1, 100 (1990). 000 Google Scholar
Carrara, P.E. Glaciers and glaciation in Glacier National Park, Montana. Open-File Report 93–510, (1993). 1–18.Google Scholar
Carrara, P.E. A 12000 year radiocarbon date of deglaciation from the Continental Divide of northwestern Montana. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 32, (1995). 1303–1307.Google Scholar
Clemens, S., Prell, W.L., Murray, D., Shimmield, G.B., and Weedon, G.P. Forcing mechanisms of the Indian Ocean monsoon. Nature 353, (1991). 720–725.Google Scholar
COHMAP Members Climate changes of the last 18, 000 years: observations and model simulations. Science 271, (1988). 1043–1052.Google Scholar
Diffenbaugh, N.S., Ashfaq, M., Shuman, B., Williams, J.W., and Bartlein, P.J. Summer aridity in the United States: response to mid-Holocene changes in insolation, ocean mean-state, and ocean variability. Geophysical Research Letters 33, (2006). L22712 http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2006GL028012CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doerner, J.P., and Carrara, P.E. Deglaciation and postglacial vegetation history of the West Mountains, west-central Idaho, U.S.A. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 31, (1999). 303–311.Google Scholar
Doerner, J.P., and Carrara, P.E. Late quaternary vegetation and climatic history of the Long Valley area, west-central Idaho, U.S.A. Quaternary Research 56, (2001). 103–111.Google Scholar
Dykoski, C.A., Edwards, R.L., Cheng, H., Yuan, D., Cai, Y., Zhang, M., Lin, Y., Qing, J., An, Z., and Revenaugh, J. A high-resolution, absolute-dated Holocene and deglacial Asian monsoon record from Dongge Cave, China. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 233, (2005). 71–86.Google Scholar
Earhart, R.L., Raup, O.B., Whipple, J.W., Isom, A.L., and Davis, G.A. Geologic maps, cross section, and photographs of the central part of Glacier National Park, Montana. (1989). Google Scholar
Elias, S.A. Late Pleistocene and Holocene seasonal temperatures reconstructed from fossil beetle assemblages in the Rocky Mountains. Quaternary Research 46, (1996). 311–318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Engleman, E.E., Jackson, L.L., and Norton, D.R. Determination of carbonate carbon in geological materials by coulometric titration. Chemical Geology 53, (1985). 125–128.Google Scholar
Fall, P.L. Holocene dynamics of the subalpine forest in central Colorado; Late Quaternary vegetation and climates of the American Southwest. Contributions Series—American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists 16, (1985). 31–46.Google Scholar
Fontugne, M.R., and Calvert, S.E. Late Pleistocene variability of the carbon isotopic composition of organic matter in the Eastern Mediterranean; monitor of changes in carbon sources and atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Paleoceanography 7, (1992). 1–20.Google Scholar
Fuji, N. Palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate changes around Lake Biwa, Japan during the last ca. 3 million years. Quaternary Science Reviews 7, (1988). 21–28.Google Scholar
Hallet, B., Hunter, L., and Bogen, J. Rates of erosion and sediment evacuation by glaciers; a review of field data and their implications. Global and Planetary Change 12, (1996). 213–235.Google Scholar
Haykin, S. Nonlinear Methods of Spectral Analysis. 2nd ed. (1983). Springer-Verlag, Berlin.Google Scholar
Hiller, S. Quantitative analysis of clay and other minerals in sandstones by x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). Worden, R.H., and Morad, S. Clay Mineral Cements in Sandstones: Special Publication 34 of the International Association of Sedimentologists. (2003). 213–251.Google Scholar
Hodell, D., Brenner, M., Curtis, J.H., and Guilderson, T. Solar Forcing of Drought Frequency in the Maya Lowlands. Science 292, 5520 (2001). 1367 Google Scholar
Hofmann, M.H., Hendrix, M.S., Moore, J.N., and Sperazza, M. Late Pleistocene and Holocene depositional history of sediments in Flathead Lake, Montana; evidence from high-resolution seismic reflection interpretation. Sedimentary Geology 184, (2006). 111–131.Google Scholar
Horodyski, R.J. Sedimentary geology and stromatolites of the Mesoproterozoic belt Supergroup, Glacier National Park. (1983). Precambrian Research, Montana. 20 Google Scholar
Hu, F.S., Kaufman, D., Yoneji, S., Nelson, D., Shemesh, A., Huang, Y., Tian, J., Bond, G., Clegg, B., and Brown, T. Cyclic variation and solar forcing of Holocene climate in the Alaskan subarctic. Science 301, (2003). 1890–1893.Google Scholar
Jasper, J.P., and Hayes, J.M. A carbon isotope record of CO2 levels during the late Quaternary. Nature 347, (1990). 462–464.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johannesson, T., Raymond, C.F., and Waddington, E.D. A simple method for determining the response time of glaciers. Oerlemans, J., and Bentley, C.R. Glacier fluctuations and climatic change. Oerlemans. (1989). Kluwer Academic Publishing, Google Scholar
Karlen, W. Lacustrine sediment and tree-limit variations as evidence of Holocene climatic fluctuations in Lappland, northern Sweden. Geografiska Annaler 58A, (1976). 1–34.Google Scholar
Karsian, A.E., (1995). A 6800-year vegetation and fire history in the Bitterroot Mountain Range, Montana. MSc. Thesis, University of Montana, Missoula. 54 p.Google Scholar
Kelts, K.R. Components in lake sediments: Smear slide identifications. Valero-Garcés, B.L. Limnogeology in Spain: A tribute to Kerry Kelts. (2003). 59–72.Google Scholar
Koppes, M.N., and Hallet, B. Influence of rapid glacial retreat on the rate of erosion by tidewater glaciers. Geology 30, (2002). 47–50.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lean, J., and Rind, D. Climate forcing by changing solar radiation. Journal of Climate 11, (1998). 3069–3094.Google Scholar
Leonard, E.M. Glaciological and climatic controls on lake sedimentation, Canadian Rocky Mountains. Zeitschrift Für Gletscherkunde Und Glazialgeologie 21, (1985). 35–42.Google Scholar
Leonard, E.M. Varve studies at Hector Lake, Alberta, Canada, and the relationship between glacial activity and sedimentation. Quaternary Rese 25, (1986). 199–214.Google Scholar
Leonard, E.M. The relationship between glacial activity and sediment production; evidence from a 4450-year varve record of Neoglacial sedimentation in Hector Lake, Alberta, Canada. Journal of Paleolimnology 17, (1997). 319–330.Google Scholar
Leonard, E.M., and Reasoner, M.A. A continuous Holocene glacial record inferred from proglacial lake sediments in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Quaternary Research 51, (1999). 1–13.Google Scholar
Luckman, B.H. Glacier fluctuation and tree-ring records for the last millennium in the Canadian Rockies; Decadal to millennial-scale variability in the climate system. Quaternary Science Reviews 12, (1993). 441–450.Google Scholar
Luckman, B.H. Calendar-dated, early “Little Ice Age” glacier advance at Robson Glacier, British Columbia, Canada. Holocene 5, (1995). 149–159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacLeod, D.M., Osborn, G., and Spooner, J. A record of post-glacial moraine deposition and tephra stratigraphy from Otokomi Lake, Rose Basin, Glacier National Park, Montana. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 43, (2006). 447–460.Google Scholar
Magny, M., Gauthier, E., Vanniere, B., and Peyron, O. Palaeohydrological changes and human-impact history over the last millennium recorded at Lake Joux in the Jura Mountains, Switzerland. The Holocene 18, (2008). 255–265.Google Scholar
Marlon, J.R., Bartlein, P.J., Walsh, M.K., Harrison, S.P., Brown, K.J., Edwards, M.E., Higuera, P.E., Power, M.J., Anderson, R.S., Briles, C., Brunelle, A., Carcaillet, C., Daniels, M., Hu, F.S., Lavoie, M., Long, C., Minckley, T., Richard, P.J.H., Scott, A.C., Shafer, D.S., Tinner, W., Umbanhowar, C.E. Jr., and Whitlock, C. Wildfire responses to abrupt climate change in North America. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106, 8 (2009). 2519–2524.Google Scholar
McKay, N.P., Kaufman, D.S., and Michelutti, N. Biogenic silica concentration as a high-resolution, quantitative temperature proxy at Hallet Lake, south-central Alaska. Geophysical Research Letters 35, (2008). @Citation L05709 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mehringer, P.J. Jr, Sheppard, J.C., Foit, F.F. Jr. The age of Glacier Peak tephra in west-central Montana. Quaternary Research 21, (1984). 36–41.Google Scholar
Meyers, P.A. Preservation of elemental and isotopic source identification of sedimentary organic matter. Chemical Geology 114, (1994). 289–302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meyers, P.A., and Horie, S. An organic carbon isotopic record of glacial-postglacial change in atmospheric pCO2 in the sediments of Lake Biwa, Japan. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 105, (1993). 171–178.Google Scholar
Meyers, P.A., and Lallier-Verges, E. Lacustrine sedimentary organic matter records of late Quaternary paleoclimates. Journal of Paleolimnology 21, (1999). 345–372.Google Scholar
Meyers, P.A., and Teranes, J.L. Sediment organic matter. Last, W.M., and Smol, J.P. Tracking Environmental Change using Lake Sediments. (2001). Kluwer Academic Publishers, Drodrecht. 239–269.Google Scholar
Millspaugh, S.H., Whitlock, C., and Bartlein, P.J. Variations in fire frequency and climate over the past 17 000 yr in central Yellowstone National Park. Geology 28, (2000). 211–214.Google Scholar
Moore, D.M., Reynolds, R.C. Jr. X-Ray Diffraction and the Identification and Analysis of Clay Minerals. 2nd ed. (1997). Oxford University Press, New York. 378 pGoogle Scholar
Patterson, T.R., Prokoph, A., and Chang, A. Late Holocene sedimentary response to solar and cosmic ray activity influenced climate variability in the NE Pacific. Sedimentary Geology 172, (2004). 67–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plunkett, G., and Swindles, G.T. Determining the sun's influence on late Glacial and Holocene climates: A focus on climate response to centennial-scale solar forcing at 2800 cal. BP. Quaternary Science Reviews 27, (2008). 175–184.Google Scholar
Reasoner, M.A., and Huber, U.M. Postglacial palaeoenvironments of the upper Bow Valley, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Quaternary Science Reviews 18, (1999). 475–492.Google Scholar
Reasoner, M.A., Osborn, G., and Rutter, N.W. Age of the Crowfoot advance in the Canadian Rocky Mountains: A glacial event coeval with the Younger Dryas oscillation. Geology 22, (1994). 439–442.Google Scholar
Riihimaki, C.A., MacGregor, K.R., Anderson, R.S., Anderson, S.P., and Loso, M.G. Sediment evacuation and glacial erosion rates at a small alpine glacier. Journal of Geophysical Research 110, (2005). F3 http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004JF000189Google Scholar
Rothwell, R.G. Minerals and mineraloids in marine sediments; an optical identification guide. (1989). Elsevier Appl. Sci, London, United Kingdom.Google Scholar
Sarna-Wojcicki, A.M., Lanphere, M.A., Champion, D.E., Clynne, M.A., and Muffler, L.J.P. Revised age of the Rockland tephra, northern California; implications for climate and stratigraphic reconstructions in the western United States; discussion and reply. Geology 28, (2000). 286–287.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shapley, M.D., Ito, E., and Donovan, J.J. Late glacial and Holocene hydroclimate inferred from a groundwater flow-through lake, northern Rocky Mountains, USA. The Holocene 19, 4 (2009). 523–535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shuman, B., Henderson, A., Colman, S.M., Stone, J.R., Stevens, L.R., Fritz, S.C., Power, M.J., and Whitlock, C. Holocene Lake-Level Trends in the Rocky Mountains, U.S.A. Quaternary Science Reviews 28, (2009). 1861–1879.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Solanki, S.K., Usoskin, I.G., Kromer, B., Schuessler, M., and Beer, J. Unusual activity of the sun during recent decades compared to the previous 11, 000 years. Nature 431, (2004). 1084–1087.Google Scholar
Solanki, S.K., Usoskin, I.G., Kromer, B., Schuessler, M., and Beer, J. 11,000 year sunspot number reconstruction. Data Contribution Series #2005-015, IGBP PAGES/World Data Center for Paleoclimatology. (2005). Google Scholar
Sperazza, M., Moore, J.N., and Hendrix, M.S. High-resolution particle size analysis of naturally occurring very fine-grained sediment through laser diffractometry. Journal of Sedimentary Research 74, (2004). 736–743.Google Scholar
Spiker, E.C., and Hatcher, P.G. Carbon isotope fractionation of sapropelic organic matter during early diagenesis. Organic Geochemistry 5, (1984). 283–290.Google Scholar
Stevens, L.R., Stone, J.R., Campbell, J., and Fritz, S.C. A 2200-yr record of hydrologic variability from Foy Lake, Montana, USA, inferred from diatom and geochemical data. Quaternary Research 65, (2006). 264–274.Google Scholar
Stone, J.R., and Fritz, S.C. Multidecadal drought and Holocene climate instability in the Rocky Mountains. Geology 34, (2006). 409–412.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M., and Pollach, H.A. Discussion: Reporting of 14C data. Radiocarbon 19, (1977). 355–363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stuiver, M., and Reimer, P.J. Extended 14C database and revised CALIB radiocarbon calibration program. Radiocarbon 35, (1993). 215–230.Google Scholar
Thompson, R.S., Whitlock, C., Bartlein, P.J., Harrison, S.P., and Spaulding, W.G. Climatic changes in the Western United States since 18, 000 yr B.P. Wright, H.E. Jr, Kutzbach, J.E., Webb, T. III, Ruddiman, W.F., Street-Perrott, , and Bartlein, P.J. Global climates since the last glacial maximum. (1993). University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. 468–513.Google Scholar
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Glacier National Park, fishery investigations, progress document, 1977, 1978, 1979, & 1980. (1980). Fish and Wildlife Center, Kalispell, MT.Google Scholar
Vautard, R., and Ghil, M. Singular spectrum analysis in nonlinear dynamics, with applications to paleoclimatic time series. Physica D35, (1989). 295 Google Scholar
Wagner, G., Beer, J., Masarik, J., Muscheler, R., Kubik, P.W., Mende, W., Laj, C., Raisbeck, G.M., and Yiou, F. Presence of the solar De Vries cycle (approximately 205 years) during the last ice age. Geophysical Research Letters 28, (2001). 303–306.Google Scholar
Whipple, J.W. Geologic map of Glacier National Parka, Montana.1:100,000.. (1992). Google Scholar
Whitlock, C. Postglacial Vegetation and Climate of Grand Teton and Southern Yellowstone National Parks. Ecological Monographs 63, 2 (1993). 173–198.Google Scholar
Wright, H.E. Jr A square-rod piston sampler for lake sediments. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 37, (1967). 975–976.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wright, H.E. Jr Coring tips. Journal of Paleolimnology 6, (1991). 37–49.Google Scholar
Xiao, J., Nakamura, T., Lu, H., and Zhang, G. Holocene climate changes over the desert/loess transition of north-central China. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 197, (2002). 11–18.Google Scholar
Xiao, S., Li, A., Liu, J.P., Chen, M., Xie, Q., Jiang, F., Li, T., Xiang, R., and Chen, Z. Coherence between solar activity and the East Asian winter monsoon variability in the past 8000 years from Yangtze river-derived mud in the East China Sea. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 237, (2006). 293–304.Google Scholar
Yousef, S.M. 80-120 yr long-term solar induced effects on the earth, past and predictions; long term changes and trends in the atmosphere. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 31, (2006). 113–122.Google Scholar
Yu, Z.C., and Ito, E. Possible solar forcing of century-scale drought frequency in the northern Great Plains. Geology 27, (1999). 263–266.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yuan, D., Cheng, H., Edwards, R.L., Dykoski, C.A., Kelly, M.J., Zhang, M., Qing, J., Lin, Y., Wang, Y., Wu, J., Dorale, J.A., An, Z., and Cai, Y. Timing, duration, and transitions of the Last Interglacial Asian monsoon. Science 304, (2004). 575–578.Google Scholar
Zdanowicz, C.M., Zielinski, G.A., and Germani, M.S. Mount Mazama eruption; calendrical age verified and atmospheric impact assessed. Geology 27, (1999). 621–624.Google Scholar