Grant County Research Articles

Late Neogene (Late Hemphillian) rodents from the Pipe Creek Sinkhole, Grant County, Indiana

ABSTRACT Spermophilus cf. howelli, Spermophilus sp., Castor or Dipoides sp., Geomys cf. adamsi, Symmetrodontomys daamsi, sp. nov., Bensonomys hershkovitzi, sp. nov., Ogmodontomys pipecreekensis, sp. nov., and Pliophenacomys koenigswaldi n. sp. are reported from the Pipe Creek Sinkhole of Grant County, Indiana. The Geomys sample demonstrates a variable sulcus morphology of the upper incisor, suggesting it stands near the Geomys—Pappogeomys boundary. Symmetrodontomys daamsi is characterized by its short lower molars and small mandible. Bensonomys hershkovitzi has a unique ml, with an anteroconid that with little wear connects deeply with the labial cingulum, and a mesolophid. O. pipecreekensis, with relatively low dentine tracts and no enamel atoll on ml, may be related to both Ogmodontomys sawrockensis and Ogmodontomys poaphagus, although it is probably not ancestral to either of them. Ogmodontomys Hibbard is considered an endemic North American genus distinguished from Mimomys Forsyth Major on the basis of a suite of dental features, including absence of a full lamellar enamel layer on leading edges of the molar triangles. The dentition of Pliophenacomys koenigswaldi exhibits a set of features suggesting a close relationship with Pliophenacomys finneyi of the early Blancan Fox Canyon local fauna of Kansas. Together with the rhinoceros Teleoceras, the rodent assemblage collectively suggests an early Pliocene (latest Hemphillian) age for the Pipe Creek biota. This is the first report of a late Neogene rodent fauna from Indiana.

Climate-driven hydrologic transients in lake sediment records: multiproxy record of mid-Holocene drought

Oxygen and carbon isotopes, trace element concentrations, and ostracode paleoecology are used with ground water flow modeling to assess the magnitude of climate-driven hydrologic changes during mid-Holocene time for Elk Lake, Grant County, Minnesota. During mid-Holocene time, two extended droughts were recorded in the sediment record from Elk Lake at 5385 and 5221 calendar yr BP. A drop in lake level to 14.9 m below the 1994 level and 10.0 m below the maximum 1930s decline at about 5385 calendar yr BP is interpreted for Elk Lake and its water table, based on Heterocypris fretensis occurrence and higher δ 18O, δ 13C, and Mg/Ca values. Numerical modeling suggests this “low-water” event could have resulted from conditions drier than those of the 1930s drought, sustained over a time frame of approximately a century. The later drought event at approximately 5221 calendar yr BP is marked by a shift in the dominant source of water to Elk Lake from surface run-off to ground water from the till aquifer. The shift in source water is identified by lower δ 18O values and the presence of Limnocythere staplini. Estimates of climatic sensitivity for Holocene lakes should not be directly based on modern conditions, but must take into account the changing shape of the lake basin through time and its effect on the paleohydrology.

Climate-driven hydrologic transients in lake sediment records: calibration of groundwater conditions using 20th Century drought

The effect of 20th-century drought on groundwater and lakes in a climatically sensitive area of the Northern Great Plains (Grant County, western Minnesota) was investigated by analysis of lake sediments and historical air photos, in conjunction with groundwater flow simulations. Drought caused an observed 4.0 to 5.1 m lake-head decline between 1923 and 1938; all but three either dried completely or declined to <1.7 m depth. From the deepest (Elk Lake), a 210Pb-dated sediment core was analyzed for ostracode species distribution and geochemistry of C. Rawsoni shells (δ 18O, δ 13C, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca). Mg/Ca and δ 13C increased during drought at the same time that salinity-tolerant ostracodes thrived, suggesting increasing salinity. However, δ 18O decreased during drought, anti-correlative with Mg/Ca. A numerical model for transient response of groundwater flow to drought, modeled after that of 1923–38, was constrained by drought-end recessional strand lines observed on air photos of one lake, with strand line elevations inferred from bathymetry. Simulated lake-water-level declines in the first 15 drought years were consistent with strand line elevations. The rate of decline was exponential at drought onset, slowing as water in lakes and wetlands receded to below land surface and lake evaporation declined. A near-steady state was attained between 40 and 50 simulation years after onset of drought, with the water table from 1–5 m below the level of dry lakebeds and only the two deepest lakes still holding water. They were, however, greatly constricted in area and depth. Simulated evaporation fluxes were reduced by over 50% within 15 years, despite increased ET rates, due to lake area constriction and water table declines. Both relate to land surface morphology beneath and around lakes. Model results suggest that lake-bed elevations exert control on the rate and ultimate level to which groundwater is depressed by drought. The deepest lakes in any region will tend to become the focus of groundwater flow during sustained drought once lakes around it dry out. The unexpected finding of decreasing shell δ 18O in response to drought is interpreted as some combination of source and/or evaporation–reduction effects, such as seasonality of recharge/precipitation or reduced ET flux from wetlands that seep back into lakes.

Sr/Mg variation during rock-water interaction: implications for secular changes in the elemental chemistry of ancient seawater

Prior studies have recently demonstrated a positive linear covariance in the Sr and Mg contents of abiotic marine carbonates such that the slope of this relation is dependent upon the Sr/Mg ratio of seawater at the time of precipitation. Samples of ancient abiotic marine calcite cements that have undergone diagenesis through alteration by meteoric waters exhibit similar linear trends that range from primary marine ratios to low values that converge to zero. Thus, Sr/Mg ratios in diagenetic precipitates are potential proxies for the reconstruction of past variations in the elemental chemistry of ancient seawater. To expand upon limited existing Sr/Mg data, late Silurian and middle Triassic abiotic calcite cements were analyzed for stable isotope and minor element compositions. Silurian cements from the Pipe Creek Junior Quarry, Grant County, Indiana, show a linear covariance of Sr and Mg concentrations expressed by the following relationship: Sr/Ca = 0.0306 (±0.0091) Mg/Ca + 2.349 × 10 −6 (±5.812 × 10 −5). Triassic cements from the Cozzo di Lupo Formation, Sicily, Italy, exhibit a linear covariance given by: Sr/Ca = 0.0103 (±0.0009) Mg/Ca + 3.818 × 10 −5 (±2.800 × 10 −5). To evaluate the mechanisms by which Sr/Mg ratios are preserved in diagenetic calcite, a progressive rock-water interaction model was employed that traces the simultaneous evolution of δ 13C, δ 18O, Sr, and Mg contents of both fluid and solid phases. Results from modeling indicate that the Sr/Mg ratio of diagenetic calcite is primarily controlled by the ratio of distribution coefficients for Sr and Mg in calcite. When D Sr/D Mg is equal to unity, covariance of Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca in diagenetic calcite is linear, with a slope equivalent to the Sr/Mg value of the original dissolved solid phase. When D Sr/D Mg deviates from unity, the incorporation of Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca in diagenetic precipitates becomes progressively non-linear. A general agreement of theoretical and empirical results for Pliocene abiotic calcite cements of Frank and Lohmann (1996) indicates that model simulations adequately represent natural diagenetic settings. Additionally, at rock-water ratios where δ 13C has converged to and δ 18O has shifted toward original rock composition, elemental contents, and thus the Sr/Mg ratio, are effectively preserved. Thus, retention of original Sr/Mg chemistries is possible across a broad range of rock-water ratios, even where primary δ 18O values have been significantly modified. Given the correlation between theoretical and empirical Sr/Mg results, we suggest that variation in the Sr/Mg composition of abiotic calcite cements reflect fluctuations in the Sr/Mg chemistry of ancient seawater.

The Pipe Creek Sinkhole Biota, a Diverse Late Tertiary Continental Fossil Assemblage from Grant County, Indiana

Abstract Quarrying in east-central Indiana has uncovered richly fossiliferous unconsolidated sediment buried beneath Pleistocene glacial till. The fossiliferous layer is part of a sedimentary deposit that accumulated in a sinkhole developed in the limestone flank beds of a Paleozoic reef. Plant and animal (mostly vertebrate) remains are abundant in the fossil assemblage. Plants are represented by a diversity of terrestrial and wetland forms, all of extant species. The vertebrate assemblage (here designated the Pipe Creek Sinkhole local fauna) is dominated by frogs and pond turtles, but fishes, birds, snakes and small and large mammals are also present; both extinct and extant taxa are represented. The mammalian assemblage indicates an early Pliocene age (latest Hemphillian or earliest Blancan North American Land Mammal Age). This is the first Tertiary continental biota discovered in the interior of the eastern half of North America.

Shifts in mid- to late-Holocene anion composition in Elk Lake (Grant County, Minnesota)

Abstract The fossil diatom record from Elk Lake (Grant County, Minnesota) was used to reconstruct salinity and brine type between 2640 and 4645 14 C yr BP. This lake was selected for a brine-type reconstruction because a previous study using fossil-ostracode assemblages indicated a shift in anion composition during the mid-Holocene ( Smith et al., 1997 ). Salinity was reconstructed using a transfer function developed for the Northern Great Plains (NGP) of North America; the reconstruction revealed that salinity was higher (1.5–6.2 g l−1) between ∼4000 and 4645 14 C yr BP and dropped to 0.35–1.2 g l−1 after 4000 14 C yr BP. The anion composition of the system was investigated by passively plotting fossil diatom assemblages onto a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) biplot of the NGP modern samples to determine where core assemblages fell with respect to brine type. The biplot suggests that Elk Lake was mainly a bicarbonate system, but temporarily shifted to sulfate domination at 4080 14 C yr BP. Both the salinity and brine-type reconstructions essentially agree with results from Smith et al. (1997), but the diatom record provides less-definitive information on anion proportions as compared to anion concentrations. Because shifts in the relative abundances of anion-associated diatom taxa generally tracked the ostracode-inferred changes in brine type, we conclude that fossil diatom assemblages can reveal information on shifts in brine type over time and provide insight into brine evolution and groundwater behavior in a lake system.

Abstract: The Depositional History of the Mangas Conglomerate, Grant County, Southwestern New Mexico&amp;nbsp;

Abstract: The Depositional History of the Mangas Conglomerate, Grant County, Southwestern New Mexico&amp;nbsp;

A Re-Evaluation of Mimbres Faunal Subsistence

ABSTRACTData from NAN Ruin, Grant County, and Old Town, Luna County, New Mexico, suggest that spatial factors influenced variability in faunal subsistence in the Mimbres Valley from A.D. 1150. It had been accepted that environmental effects from the increase of agriculture in the valley caused the jackrabbit population to increase and the cottontail and artiodactyl populations to decrease. However, this reconstruction is not supported when previously published studies are re-examined with new data from NAN Ruin and Old Town. Throughout the Mimbres region, prehistoric inhabitants appear to have relied primarily on rabbits, while also consuming rodents and artiodactyls. Spatial differences were found throughout the valley, with jackrabbits more common in the middle and lower valley and cottontails more common in the upper valley. These spatial differences reflect variations in local environments. This study indicates that variability in Mimbres faunal subsistence is related to these local environmental vari...

Mineralogical and geochemical behavior of mill tailing material produced from lead-zinc skarn mineralization, Hanover, Grant County, New Mexico, USA

Mineral extraction and processing, especially metal mining, produces crushed and milled waste; such material, exposed to weathering, poses the potential threat of environmental contamination. In this study, mill tailings from inactive Pb-Zn mines in New Mexico, southwest USA, have been examined for their potential environmental impacts by means of detailed mineralogical and geochemical characterization. The principal ore minerals remaining in the tailings material are sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and very minor galena, smithsonite, and cerrusite, accompanied by the gangue minerals pyrite, pyrrhotite, magnetite, hematite, garnet, pyroxene, quartz, and calcite. White precipitate occurring on tailings surfaces is composed of gypsum and hydrated magnesium sulfates. Pyrite is mostly unaltered or shows only micron-scale rims of oxidation (goethite/hematite) in some surface samples. This iron oxide rim on pyrite is the only indication of weathering-derived minerals found by microscopy. There are variations in element concentrations with depth that reflect primary variations through time as the tailings ponds were filled. Cadmium and Zn concentrations increase with depth and Ag and Pb are low for the uppermost core samples, while Cu, Ni, and Co concentrations are generally high for the uppermost core samples. These elemental distributions indicate that little or no leaching has taken place since emplacement of the tailings because no accumulation or enrichment of these metals is observed in Hanover tailings, even in reducing portions of tailings piles. Element concentrations of surface samples surrounding the tailings reflect underlying mineralized zones rather than tailings-derived soil contamination. We observed no successive decreasing metal concentrations in prevalent wind directions away from the tailings. Stream sediment samples from Hanover Creek have somewhat elevated Zn, Cd, and Pb concentrations in areas that receive sediments from erosion of the tailings. However, input from tributaries downstream of the ponds appears to be principal source of heavy metals in Hanover Creek. The results of this study indicate that there is low risk for groundwater heavy-metal contamination from Hanover tailings. Tailings material do not show significant geochemical oxidation/alteration or metal leaching with depth. Our studies indicate that neutralizing minerals present in the tailings are sufficient to keep the tailings material chemically stable. Geochemically, however, tailings materials are being eroded and may pose a threat to Hanover Creek via siltation.

New County Records for Two Reptiles in Kansas

Two new county records for reptiles are reported herein, based on maps in Collins (1993). Voucher specimens are deposited in the Southwestern College Museum of Natural History (SC). The records are as follows: Mississippi Map Turtle (Graptemys kohnii). There are two examples from Grouse Creek, Cowley County. The first specimen, SC 169 (length = 118 mm), was collected ca. 8 km (5 mi.) N and 2 km (1.25 mi.) E of Cambridge (sec. 34, T30S, R7E) on 26 April 1983 by D. Low. This specimen was taken from a marshy area at the head waters of Grouse Creek. The turtle was crawling through a mud substrate. The second specimen, SC 170 (116 mm), was collected 6 km (3.75 mi.) S, 2.8 km (1.75 mi.) W of Cambridge (SW 1/4 sec. 17, T32S, R7E) on 12 October 1989 by E. A. Young. This specimen was captured in a hoop net along with two others. This specimen was taken from a pool approximately 1 m in depth and 7 m wide. The substrate was mostly mud with some woody debris scattered throughout the pool. The Mississippi Map Turtle also was observed by us on several occasions during the spring of 1990 along the Walnut River and Island Park in Winfield, Cowley County. Searches along the lower stretches of Silver Creek and Grouse Creek, from the Arkansas River north to U.S. 160 in spring 1990, failed to find this species. The occurrence of the Mississippi Map Turtle in the tributaries of the Arkansas River may allow for continuous westerly movements. The range has expanded westward since 1982 (Collins, 1982, 1993). Many of the streams in Cowley and Sumner counties are similar to Grouse Creek. The species should be looked for in these areas. It seems the western range of this species in Kansas is Marion and Butler counties and east of the Arkansas River in Cowley County. Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris). The single specimen of this lizard, SC 171 (total length = 259 mm, snout-vent length = 90 mm), was collected 1.6 km (1 mi.) S, 0.8 km (0.5 mi.) E. of Ulysses, Grant County (sec. 34, T28S, R37W), on 14 April 1969 (unknown collector). Collared Lizards have been reported from Meade, Seward, Stanton, and Hamilton counties in southwestern Kansas with the Stanton County record being the only addition from the area since 1982 (Collins, 1982, 1993). This Grant County record provides a connection between most counties in the extreme southwest part of the state, except for Stevens and Morton. This

Copper and cuprite pseudomorphs after azurite from the Rose mine, Grant County, New Mexico

Copper and cuprite pseudomorphs after azurite from the Rose mine, Grant County, New Mexico

Microstylistic Changes in Mimbres Black-on-White Pottery: Examples from the Nan Ruin, Grant County, New Mexico

ABSTRACTMicrostylistic changes in Mimbres Black-on-white Styles II and III bowls are evident in the seriation of ceramic vessels from the NAN Ruin in the middle Mimbres River Valley, Grant County, New Mexico. This paper describes these microstylistic variations and presents their temporal range. Some microstyle motifs are recognizable in sherds; these are a powerful cross-dating tool for sites with Mimbres painted ceramics. We further suggest that the microstylistic changes in Styles II and III are explainable in terms of human generations, and that three generations may be comparable to Redman's “analytical individual.”

Infrared study of octahedral site populations in smectites

AbstractThe hydroxyl stretching region of two montmorillonites (SWy-1, Crook County, Wyoming, USA, and JP, Jelšový Potok, Slovakia) and a ferruginous smectite (SWa-1, Grant County, Washington, USA) have been analysed using decomposition and curve-fitting. The positions and integrated intensities of component bands were correlated with the nearest cationic environment of the OH groups, and the populations of the octahedral sheet were calculated. The differences between the octahedral coefficients obtained and those from chemical analyses were 0.07 or less. This method provides reasonable contents of octahedral cations for the smectites with various iron contents, containing no other admixtures absorbing in the 3700-3500 cm–1 region. The cation distribution was found to be not completely disordered. Though some preferential pairing has been observed, no general rule could be established.

Distribution and Natural History of the Workerless Inquiline AntPogonomyrmex Anergismus Cole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Seven colonies of the rare inquiline Pogonomyrmex anergismus Cole were located in New Mexico, two in Hidalgo County, and five in Grant County; P. rugosus was the host for each. Mating flights follow late summer rains. Males mated with colony‐mates, mostly inside the nest, and then returned to the nest, Pogonomyrmex anergismus may parasitize host nests over multiple years, with presence of host female alates confirming that the host gyne is not killed. Observations suggest this may be a polygynous species.

From outrage to action: the politics of grass-roots dissent

From Outrage to Action examines the rise and fall of grass-roots interest groups through in-depth analyses of four incidents that mobilized citizens around local injustices. In one case, a local judge declared a five-year-old sexual assault victim a particularly promiscuous young lady. In another, an innocent black man died in police custody. In the third, a man with a criminal record was charged with murdering a ten-year-old girl, and in the last a judge commented during a juvenile sentencing that rape is a normal reaction to the way women dress. Through in-depth interviews with activists, Laura Woliver examines these community actions, studying the groups involved and linking her conclusions to larger questions of political power and the impact of social movements. Group successes and failures are explained through analysis of fluid social movements and the role of religion, class, gender, and race. Woliver found that activists unprepared for the ostracism and conflict resulting from their dissent retreated from public life, while those who identified with alternative communities avoided self-blame and maintained their political commitments. She relates the community responses in these cases to those in the case of confessed mass murderer Jeffrey Dahmer and in the beating by Los Angeles police officers of Rodney King. Her findings will make fascinating reading for those interested in the rise and fall of grass-roots interest groups, the nature of dissent, and the reasons why people volunteer countless hours, sometimes in the face of community opposition and isolation, to dedicate themselves to a cause. The four ad hoc interest groups studied are the Committee to Recall Judge ArchieSimonson (Madison), the Coalition for Justice for Ernest Lacy (Milwaukee), Concerned Citizens for Children (Grant County, Wisconsin), and Citizens Taking Action (Madison).

Minerals of the Ground Hog Mine Grant County

Minerals of the Ground Hog Mine Grant County

Bonanza Club: 35 Years of Maximum Crop Production and Extension Education in Southwestern Kansas

The Bonanza Club was created by Grant County, Kansas, agricultural leaders in 1955, when rapid regional change was occurring. The Bonanza Club is one component of a county extension crops program. Its goal is to provide timely and useful information regarding new and successful agronomic practices applied by producers and to encourage the use of those that prove beneficial. Each year selected fields are enrolled by producers and cropping practices are documented. During a fall tour of enrolled fields, producers describe their production practices and local seed dealers, extension agents, and specialists discuss cultivars and practices. After fall harvest, worksheets are compiled into a report booklet, and an awards banquet is held to recognize participants and achievements. The report booklet is distributed at the awards banquet and to other interested extension and agribusiness personnel. As of 1989, 117 participants with 1200 crop entries representing 34 425 ha have been enrolled. The annual budget, $2200, is provided by local businesses. The fall crop tour and awards banquet have been well-attended. Bonanza Club grain yields of irrigated grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.], corn (Zea mays L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) have averaged above county averages by 30, 12, and 41%, respectively. The Bonanza Club has been an excellent source of information for local producers and changing cropping practices have been documented in southwestern Kansas.

Smokeless tobacco consumption in Grant County, New Mexico.

A telephone survey was conducted in order to assess the prevalence of smokeless tobacco consumption in Grant County, New Mexico. Systematic random sampling was used, and 1 out of 25 phone numbers were selected from the county telephone directory. One hundred seventy-eight respondents were surveyed. Thirty-three percent of 96 males and 7% of 82 females identified themselves as smokeless tobacco users.

Misener Sand Development Over Basement Features Defined by High-Density Ground-Based Geomagnetic Surveys in Grant County, OK: ABSTRACT

The highly prolific Misener sand production being developed in Grant County, Oklahoma, has been the focus of recent exploration efforts. These storm-surge deposits of sand have aligned themselves on trend and immediately adjacent to a series of paleostructural highs. The delineation of paleostructural highs at this unconformity is the key to successfully mapping this elusive sand. The basement rock configuration below these producing trends displays very definite anomalies. The authors anticipate this basement configuration has influenced resulting depositional sequences, particularly the Misener sand. Detailed high-density, ground-based geomagnetic surveys over the Misener-producing Hawley fields do illustrate the coincidence and possible relationship of Misener sand deposition with respect to underlying basement faults and structures. Basement highs correlate with result pre-Chattanoogan paleostructural highs at the Sylvan Shale, up against which the Misener Sand is deposited. Subsurface data, seismic records, and current drilling activity continue to enforce the evidence of preexisting structures below the Misener sand trend.

A Primary Cremation at the NAN Ranch Ruin, with Comparative Data on Other Cremations in the Mimbres Area, New Mexico

AbstractIn 1980 a primary cremation was excavated at the NAN Ranch Ruin in Grant County, New Mexico. This cremation has been dated to the Three Circle Phase (A.C. 750–1000) of the Late Pithouse Period (A.C. 550–1000) on the basis of both stratigraphy and archaeomagnetic dating. Cremation was a rare form of mortuary treatment at the NAN Ranch Ruin and was equally rare in a review of other Three Circle Phase and Classic Period (A.C. 1000–1150) sites in the Mimbres region. During these periods, cremations were interred in special rooms and special areas within the community proportionally more often than were inhumations; and cremations were much more likely to have projectile points accompanying them. These fact and the rare occurrence of cremation during these phases are perhaps most easily attributed to unusual conditions of death, although some cremations may represent individuals with higher status.During the following Black Mountain Phase (A.C. 1150–1350), cremation became a more frequently–used method...