Paleoenvironmental Analysis of a Late-Quaternary Cave Deposit: Eastern Bergingia

下城墙洞穴1是北冰洋仅有的三个已知洞穴之一，这些洞穴横跨第四纪晚期，在柏林根州东部含有矿藏。在北极的三个洞穴中，它是唯一包含最古老、最少干扰和最完整的地层记录的洞穴。对这一重要洞穴沉积的古环境分析将提供客观的新数据，以解决关于东Beringia晚更新世/早全新世环境性质的一些激烈辩论的假说，这一假说被称为生产力悖论。作为正在进行的更大规模研究的一部分，这项研究包括五个部分：1)沉积物分析，2)大型哺乳动物化石分类，3)化石花粉分析，4)木炭种类鉴定，5)加速器测年。这些分析将有助于了解东Beringia的全冰川环境、晚更新世与全新世之间动物群和花卉过渡的时间和性质，以及威斯康星州晚冰川后气候改善的非生物响应。

Lower Rampart Cave 1 is significant as one of only three known arctic caves containing deposits in eastern Beringia which span the late-Quaternary. Among the three arctic caves, it is unique in containing the oldest, least disturbed and most complete stratigraphic record. Paleoenvironmental analysis of this important cave deposit will provide objective new data necessary to resolve some of the vigorously debated hypotheses regarding the nature of the late Pleistocene/early Holocene environment of eastern Beringia, a hypothesis known as the Productivity Paradox. As part of a larger on-going study, this research consists of five components: 1) sediment analysis, 2) large mammal taphonomy, 3) fossil pollen analysis, 4) charcoal species identification, and 5) accelerator dating. These analyses will contribute significant new data essential to understanding the full-glacial environment of eastern Beringia, the timing and nature of the faunal and floral transition between the late Pleistocene and the Holocene, and the abiotic response to the climatic amelioration following late-Wisconsin glaciation.