North American Continental Interior Research Articles

Temperature seasonality in the North American continental interior during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum

Abstract. Paleogene greenhouse climate equability has long been a paradox in paleoclimate research. However, recent developments in proxy and modeling methods have suggested that strong seasonality may be a feature of at least some greenhouse Earth periods. Here we present the first multi-proxy record of seasonal temperatures during the Paleogene from paleofloras, paleosol geochemistry, and carbonate clumped isotope thermometry in the Green River Basin (Wyoming, USA). These combined temperature records allow for the reconstruction of past seasonality in the continental interior, which shows that temperatures were warmer in all seasons during the peak Early Eocene Climatic Optimum and that the mean annual range of temperatures was high, similar to the modern value ( ∼ 26 °C). Proxy data and downscaled Eocene regional climate model results suggest amplified seasonality during greenhouse events. Increased seasonality reconstructed for the early Eocene is similar in scope to the higher seasonal range predicted by downscaled climate model ensembles for future high-CO2 emissions scenarios. Overall, these data and model comparisons have substantial implications for understanding greenhouse climates in general, and may be important for predicting future seasonal climate regimes and their impacts in continental regions.

Temperature seasonality in the North American continental interior during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum

Temperature seasonality in the North American continental interior during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum

Sedimentology, stratigraphy, and paleoclimate at the late Miocene Coffee Ranch fossil site in the Texas Panhandle

The late Miocene Coffee Ranch fossil assemblage contains some of the earliest evidence of C4 herbivory in North America. However, little is known regarding the environmental setting associated with the fauna, and a general lack of detailed paleoclimate data exists for the late Miocene from the North American continental interior. In this study, the sedimentary environments, stratigraphy, geochronology, and paleoclimate are interpreted for a series of outcrops of the late Miocene Ogallala Formation in the Texas Panhandle that includes the Coffee Ranch locality. Updated magnetostratigraphy coupled with previously published geochronology indicates that all exposed strata were deposited over a ~277kyr interval within chron C3An.2n from ~6.42–6.70Ma. Depositional environments include fluvial channels, floodplain ponds, floodplain paleosols, eolian paleosols, riverine tufa, and reworked volcanic ash. Trunk and tributary fluvial channels are differentiated using channel dimensions, sedimentary structures, and bounding surface architecture, and indicate seasonally-variable discharge. Paleosols from nine pedofacies are described and preserve a spectrum of weakly developed Entisols and weakly to moderately mature Inceptisols and Vertisols. Constitutive mass-balance calculations reveal that mature paleosols formed along distinct pedogenic pathways. Calcic Vertisols accumulated pedogenic carbonate and exhibited either net volumetric dilation or collapse as a result of mineral weathering. In contrast, non-calcic Vertisols show patterns of decalcification and variable degrees of volumetric dilation and collapse. The presence of the paleosols described in this study requires paleoprecipitation between of 900–1150mm/yr—approximately double modern values—and a westward shift of the continental udic-ustic soil moisture boundary by ~400km during the late Miocene. This finding suggests that climates in the southern midcontinent were not sufficiently arid to select for C4 photosynthetic pathways over C3 photosynthesis in the late Miocene.

An asteroid (Echinodermata) faunule from the Oxfordian Swift Formation (Upper Jurassic) of Montana

AbstractA new Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) asteroid (Echinodermata) faunule from the Swift Formation of Montana includes representatives of four genera including the new genus and speciesAtalopegaster gundersoni(Stichasteridae),Eokainastersp. indet. (Astropectinidae), an indeterminate probable member of the Goniasteridae, and a species indeterminate beyond the class level. Because of weathering at the outcrop, preservation is poor.Although representing an unusual depositional occurrence, overall faunule composition appears comparable to that found in a similar modern environment. The faunule is comparable in age and regional location to earlier Jurassic asteroid discoveries, suggesting wide distribution during a geologically brief time interval of favorable conditions. Asteroids are only rarely reported from the Mesozoic of the North American continental interior, and co-occurrence of multiple fossil taxa is unusual on a global basis.

Rapid Middle Eocene temperature change in western North America

Eocene hyperthermals are among the most enigmatic phenomena of Cenozoic climate dynamics. These hyperthermals represent temperature extremes superimposed on an already warm Eocene climate and dramatically affected the marine and terrestrial biosphere, yet our knowledge of temperature and rainfall in continental interiors is still rather limited. We present stable isotope (δ18O) and clumped isotope temperature (Δ47) records from a middle Eocene (41 to 40 Ma) high-elevation mammal fossil locality in the North American continental interior (Montana, USA). Δ47 paleotemperatures of soil carbonates delineate a rapid +9/−11 °C temperature excursion in the paleosol record. Δ47 temperatures progressively increase from 23 °C ± 3 °C to peak temperatures of 32 °C ± 3 °C and subsequently drop by 11 °C. This hyperthermal event in the middle Eocene is accompanied by low δ18O values and reduced pedogenic carbonate concentrations in paleosols. Based on laser ablation U/Pb geochronology of paleosol carbonates in combination with magnetostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, stable isotope, and Δ47 evidence, we suggest that this pronounced warming event reflects the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO) in western North America. The terrestrial expression of northern hemisphere MECO in western North America appears to be characterized by warmer and wetter (sub-humid) conditions, compared to the post-MECO phase. Large and rapid shifts in δ18O values of precipitation and pedogenic CaCO3 contents parallel temperature changes, indicating the profound impact of the MECO on atmospheric circulation and rainfall patterns in the western North American continental interior during this transient warming event.

Dinosaurs and Indians: Fossil Resource Dispossession of Sioux Lands, 1846-1875

The emergence of vertebrate paleontology as an established, scientific discipline can in part be attributed to large vertebrate fossils found on land dispossessed from indigenous populations from around the world. Specifically, geographic locations of the North American continental interior are known to yield fossiliferous stratagraphic sequences. I argue that vertebrate fossils are another natural resource dispossessed from Native peoples within the historical boundaries of Sioux lands. This body of research discusses the physical and geographical evidence of the first quarter-century of fossil dispossession in Indian country between the years 1846 and 1875.

Spatiotemporal scaling of North American continental interior wetlands: implications for shorebird conservation

Within interior North America, erratic weather patterns and heterogeneous wetland complexes cause wide spatio-temporal variation in the resources available to migrating shorebirds. Identifying the pattern-generating components of landscape-level resources and the scales at which shorebirds respond to these patterns will better facilitate conservation efforts for these species. We constructed descriptive models that identified weather variables associated with creating the spatio-temporal patterns of shorebird habitat in ten landscapes in north-central Oklahoma. We developed a metric capable of measuring the dynamic composition and configuration of shorebird habitat in the region and used field data to empirically estimate the spatial scale at which shorebirds respond to the amount and configuration of habitat. Precipitation, temperature, solar radiation and wind speed best explained the incidence of wetland habitat, but relationships varied among wetland types. Shorebird occurrence patterns were best explained by habitat density estimates at a 1.5 km scale. This model correctly classified 86 % of shorebird observations. At this scale, when habitat density was low, shorebirds occurred in 5 % of surveyed habitat patches but occurrence reached 60 % when habitat density was high. Our results suggest scale dependence in the habitat-use patterns of migratory shorebirds. We discuss potential implications of our results and how integrating this information into conservation efforts may improve conservation strategies and management practices.

Epeirogeny or eustasy? Paleozoic–Mesozoic vertical motion of the North American continental interior from thermochronometry and implications for mantle dynamics

Geodynamic models predict that deep mantle buoyancy forces exert important control on the vertical motion history of continents, but it is difficult to isolate the effects of dynamic topography in the geologic record. Here we apply low temperature thermochronometry to exposed Precambrian basement samples across an ~1300km long tract of the western Canadian shield to resolve the thermal imprint, thickness, spatial extent, and evolution of missing portions of the Phanerozoic sedimentary record. New and published apatite (U–Th)/He and fission-track data from three study areas indicate a pronounced heating and cooling event in Paleozoic–early Mesozoic time. This pattern, coupled with geologic observations, indicates that an extensive region of the continent was inundated and buried by sedimentary rocks in Paleozoic time, followed by significant Paleozoic–early Mesozoic unroofing that removed these strata from the rock record. This burial and unroofing history is opposite that expected from eustatic sea level chronologies. A process that can induce long-wavelength (>1000km) elevation change in a continental interior region without significant crustal deformation therefore appears required to explain our results. These characteristics of the vertical motions largely eliminate plate margin tectonism as a probable mechanism, and point toward dynamic topography as a likely cause.To evaluate the hypothesis of a dynamic control on the rise and fall of this cratonic region, we compare the 400 to 150Ma burial and unroofing histories with the evolution of dynamic topography in the western Canadian shield predicted by a three-dimensional model of thermochemical convection. The histories of burial and unroofing mimic the predicted history of elevation change to first order, indicating that dynamic topography is a viable cause for the vertical motions. A phase of significant burial before ~350Ma may be due to cold mantle downwellings that produced subsidence during Pangea assembly, followed by unroofing between ~350Ma and 250Ma induced by development of warm mantle upwellings after Pangea amalgamation. While a fuller range of mantle dynamic models must be explored to more completely understand the causes of cryptic elevation change in the North American continental interior, our study highlights the utility of cratonic thermochronometry data for testing and calibrating dynamic models, and for evaluating mantle and surface process interactions deep in Earth history.

Predicting Soybean Rust Incursions into the North American Continental Interior Using Crop Monitoring, Spore Trapping, and Aerobiological Modeling.

Between 2005 and 2009, millions of U.S. and Canadian soybean acres that would have received fungicide application remained untreated for soybean rust due to information disseminated through the Integrated Pest Management Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (ipmPIPE), increasing North American producers' profits by hundreds of millions of dollars each year. The results of our analysis of Phakopsora pachyrhizi urediniospores in rain collections, aerobiology model output, and observations of soybean rust spread in 2007 and 2008 show a strong correspondence between spore collections and model predictions for the continental interior of North America, where soybean is an important crop. The analysis suggests that control practices based on up-to-date maps of soybean rust observations and associated commentary from Extension Specialists delivered by the ipmPIPE may have suppressed the number and strength of inoculum source areas in the southern states and retarded the northward progress of seasonal soybean rust incursions into continental North America. The analysis further indicates that spore trapping and aerobiological modeling can reduce our reliance on the costly Sentinel Plot Network while maintaining the effectiveness of the ipmPIPE system for soybean rust management.

History of Cenozoic North American drainage basin evolution, sediment yield, and accumulation in the Gulf of Mexico basin

The Cenozoic fill of the Gulf of Mexico basin contains a continuous record of sediment supply from the North American continental interior for the past 65 million years. Regional mapping of unit thickness and paleogeography for 18 depositional episodes defines patterns of shifting entry points of continental fluvial systems and quantifies the total volume of sediment supplied during each episode. Eight fluvio-deltaic axes are present: the Rio Bravo, Rio Grande, Guadalupe, Colorado, Houston-Brazos, Red, Mississippi, and Tennessee axes. Sediment volume was calculated from digitized hand-contoured unit thickness maps using a geographic information system (GIS) algorithm to sum volumes within polygons bounding interpreted North American river contribution. General age-dependent compaction factors were used to convert calculated volume to total grain volume. Values for rate of supply range from >150 km to <10 km3/Ma. Paleogeographic maps for eleven Cenozoic time intervals display the evolving matrix of elevated source areas, intracontinental sediment repositories, known and inferred drainage elements, and depositional fluvial/deltaic depocenters along the northern Gulf of Mexico basin margin. Patterns of sediment supply in time and space record the complex interplay of intracontinental tectonism, climate change, and drainage basin evolution. Five tectono-climatic eras are differentiated: Paleocene late Laramide era; early to middle Eocene terminal Laramide era; middle Cenozoic (Late Eocene–Early Miocene) dry, volcanogenic era; middle Neogene (Middle–Late Miocene) arid, extensional era; and late Neogene (Plio–Pleistocene) monsoonal, epeirogenic uplift era. Through most of the Cenozoic, three to four independent continental-scale drainage basins have supplied sediment to the Gulf of Mexico.

A mactrid bivalve from Pleistocene deposits of Lake Russell, Mono Basin, California

Rangia des Moulins, 1832 is a small genus of mactrid bivalves that is currently distributed in estuarine waters of the eastern United States, Gulf of Mexico, and Gulf of California (Keen, 1971; Abbott, 1974). (One congener, R. cuneata [Sowerby, 1831], was recently introduced to the Antwerp (Belgium) harbor [Verween et al., 2006].) Although these clams are euryhaline and capable of living in freshwater as adults, they require an estuarine-like salinity regime for successful reproduction and recruitment (Cain, 1973; Hopkins et al., 1974), which has constrained their ability to penetrate the North American continental interior through coastal drainages (Cain, 1974; Swingle and Brand, 1974). the Neogene and Quaternary fossil record of the genus is also restricted to coastal or near-coastal marine-influenced depositional systems, with the exception of Holocene specimens of R. cuneata from two archeological sites in the central United States which were obviously introduced by humans (Baker, 1941; Hill, 1983), and a Pleistocene(?) occurrence of this species from along the Pecos River in New Mexico (more than 800 km from the sea) which has been attributed to transport of Gulf Coast immigrants on waterfowl (Metcalf, 1980; Taylor, 1985). Here we provide fossil evidence that the biogeographic history of this predominantly brackish-coastal genus also includes avian-assisted colonization of a far inland lake in the western United States—Pleistocene Lake Russell, Mono Basin, California (Fig. 1).

Predicting and understanding ecosystem responses to climate change at continental scales

Climate is changing across a range of scales, from local to global, but ecological consequences remain difficult to understand and predict. Such projections are complicated by change in the connectivity of resources, particularly water, nutrients, and propagules, that influences the way ecological responses scale from local to regional and from regional to continental. This paper describes ecological responses to expected changes in four key meso-scale drivers that influence the ecosystems of the North American continental interior: drought, warming, snowpack disappearance, and altered fire regimes. Changes in these drivers will affect, for example, atmospheric smoke, dust, and reactive nitrogen concentrations; stream discharge; nitrate concentrations; sediment loads; and the vector-borne spread of invasive species and infectious diseases. A continental network of sensors and simulation models is required to detect changes in the transport vectors – atmospheric, hydrologic, and mechanized –that connect sp...

Paleoshoreline evidence for postglacial tilting in Southern Manitoba

Detailed air photo interpretation and four seasons of field mapping and surveying in southern Manitoba have revealed that the once-level paleoshorelines of Lake Winnipegosis and Dauphin Lake and the Burnside shoreline of former Lake Agassiz have been tilted up to the northeast by postglacial differential rebound. Our investigation has also revealed that Lake Winnipegosis has the best preserved paleoshoreline record of any of the large lakes in southern Manitoba, including lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba. This is because northeasterly uptilting shifts the region's lakes to the southwest. Lakes with southern outlets, like Lake Winnipegosis, undergo general regression as the outlet is lowered relative to the rest of the basin. Lakes with northern outlets, like lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba, undergo general transgression as northeasterly uptilting raises the outlet relative to the rest of the basin. Along the northeastern shore of Lake Winnipegosis a staircase of at least 32 abandoned Winnipegosis shorelines exists that is consistent with northeasterly tilting. The Dawson level represents the major mid-Holocene highstand on Lake Winnipegosis. It persisted for about 500 years, peaking at 5290 14C yr B.P. (early Dawson) and then falling about 3 m by 4740 14C yr B.P. (late Dawson). The early Dawson shoreline is tilted at 13.5 cm km-1 in a direction N24.3°E. Three other shorelines informally named shoreline 4, shoreline 3, and shoreline 2 are also tilted up to the northeast. Their radiocarbon ages (and slopes in cm km-1) are 3330 yr B.P. (2.2), 1510 yr B.P. (1.3), and 1080 yr B.P. (0.7), respectively. On Dauphin Lake shoreline IV is the oldest level mapped for this study. It has a 14C age of 7910 yr B.P. and is tilted at 21.7 cm km-1 in a direction N44.4°E. The Id shoreline marks the major mid-Holocene highstand for Dauphin Lake. It peaked at 4640 14C yr B.P. followed by a rapid decline of about 1 m to the Ib shoreline, which is dated at 4320 14C yr B.P. Id is tilted up at 8.8 cm km-1 in a direction N53.4°E. The next major shoreline is Ia3 which has a 14C age of 3020 yr B.P. and is tilted up at 5.3 cm km-1 in a direction N62.3°E. Tilt directions are significantly more easterly for the Dauphin Lake shorelines than those from Lake Winnipegosis or any of the much older Lake Agassiz shorelines. Taken together, the Winnipegosis and Dauphin isobases indicate that the direction of tilt in southern Manitoba is more complex than a simple uni-directional pattern. The observed pattern of tilting for paleoshorelines in southern Manitoba agrees better with predictions derived from the recently revised loading history model ICE-4G than with those from its predecessor ICE-3G. In general, the calculated tilt based on the ICE-3G load tends to exceed the observed tilt, while ICE-4G tends to underestimate it. Both ice load models appear to disagree most with our observed tilts in this region during the interval before about 9000 cal yr B.P., when deglaciation was proceeding rapidly and the large water load associated with Lake Agassiz covered the region. Because both of these ice load models have been estimated mainly from a global data set of relative sea level curves from marine coast sites, it is not unexpected that model tilts derived from them do not agree well with observations in the North American continental interior. The pattern of postglacial crustal deformation for southern Manitoba described in this paper could be used to further refine ice load models for the North American continental interior.

Middle and Upper Ordovician Paleogeography of Region Bordering Transcontinental Arch: ABSTRACT

Following a period of Whiterockian erosion, Middle Ordovician seas transgressed into the North American continental interior, and a diachronous sheet of clastic sediments (St. Peter, McLish, Winnipeg) lapped onto the margins of the Transcontinental arch. The arch served as a major clastic source region during subsequent deposition (especially Decorah). Middle Ordovician clastic sediments adjacent to the Transcontinental arch and in the Williston basin were probably deposited in a humid climatic regime, and carbonate deposition predominated in an arid belt that included Wisconsin, southeastern Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois, where carbonate oolites and evaporites are noted. Clastic source areas on the Transcontinental arch were inundated, as the marine transgression continue , and a continuous sheet of carbonate sediments (Galena, Viola, Red River, Bighorn) spread across most of the continental interior by the close of the Edenian. Migration of North America across latitudinally-related climatic belts brought the Williston basin area into an arid climatic regime by middle-Late Ordovician as evidenced by the deposition of upper Red River evaporites. Widespread carbonate deposition was replaced by Dubuque-Maquoketa and Stony Mountain carbonate-clastic deposition as source regions emerged on the Transcontinental arch and Ozark uplift. The lower Maquoketa is conformable with the underlying Dubuque over most of the eastern Mid-Continent, and the joint occurrence of organic-rich shales and phosphorites is attributed to a low-oxygen, phosphate-rich water mass in the Maquoketa sea. The Ordovician closed with red clastic deposition, intermixed with carbonates and/or ironstones, adjacent to the arch. End_of_Article - Last_Page 805------------

Basement Rocks in Continental Interior of United States

Basement Rocks in Continental Interior of United States