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

低壁垒1号洞穴是仅有的三个已知的北极洞穴之一，它包含了白令陆桥东部晚第四纪的沉积物。在三个北极洞穴中，它是独一无二的，它包含了最古老、最不受干扰和最完整的地层记录。对这一重要洞穴沉积物的古环境分析将提供客观的新数据，以解决有关东白令陆桥晚更新世/全新世早期环境性质的一些激烈争论的假设，这一假设被称为生产力悖论。作为一项更大的正在进行的研究的一部分，这项研究由五个部分组成：1)沉积物分析，2)大型哺乳动物埋藏学，3)化石花粉分析，4)木炭物种鉴定，5)加速器年代测定。这些分析将为了解东白令陆桥的全冰期环境、晚更新世到全新世之间动植物过渡的时间和性质，以及威斯康星冰川后期对气候改善的非生物响应提供重要的新数据。

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.