Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T15:42:07.684Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Late Holocene Paleoecology of the Southern Plains

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Stephen A. Hall*
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, North Texas State University, Denton, Texas 76203

Abstract

Analyses of pollen and land snails from rocksheter sites in the Osage Hills of northeastern Oklahoma indicate that the period 2000-1000 yr B.P. was moister than today. During that time, colonies of the prairie vole Microtus ochrogaster were present in the Texas Panhandle. About 1000 yr B.P. the climate changed to dry conditions that have persisted to the present. Disjunct colonies of small mammals in Texas became extinct at the beginning of the dry episode, thereby establishing the composition of the modern fauna. The climatic model for the origin of the Panhandle Aspect (A.D. 1200–1500) is questioned on the grounds that the Southern Plains experienced a long period of dry climate commencing A.D. 950.

Type
Research Article
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

Albert, L.E. (1981). Ferndale Bog and Natural Lake: Five Thousand Years of Environmental Change in Southeastern Oklahoma. Oklahoma Archeological SurveyStudies in Oklahoma's Past, No. 7, Norman, Oklahoma.Google Scholar
Armstrong, D.M. (1972). Distributions of Mammals in Colorado. Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas. LawrenceMonograph No. 3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bond, T.A. (1967). Palynology of Quaternary terraces and floodplains of the Washita and Red Rivers, central and southeastern Oklahoma. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. University of Oklahoma. Norman.Google Scholar
Branson, B.A. (1962). The recent Gastropoda of Oklahoma, Part IV. Terrestrial species, families Polygyridae and Bulimulidae. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science 42, 6080.Google Scholar
Bryant, V.M. Jr.. 1977. A 16,000 Texasyear pollen record of vegetational change in central Palynology 1, 143156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bryson, R.A. Wendland, W.M. (1967). Tentative climatic patterns for some late glacial and post-glacial episodes in central North America. Life, Land and Water Mayer-Oakes, W.J. University of Manitoba Press. Winnipeg 271298.Google Scholar
Bryson, R.A. Baerreis, D.A. Wendland, W.M. (1970). The character of late-glacial and post-glacial climatic changes. Pleistocene and Recent Environments of the Central Great Plains Dort, W. Jr. Jones, J.K. Jr. University of Kanses Press. Lawrence 5374.Google Scholar
Butler, B.H. (1978). Vertebrate faunal remains. The Prehistory and Paleoenvironment of Hominy Creek Valley, 1977 Field Season Henry, D.O. Contributions in Archaeology 4 Laboratory of Archaeology, University of Tulsa. Oklahoma 4978.Google Scholar
Cheatum, E.P. Fullington, W.R. (1971). The Aquatic and Land Mollusca of Texas. Part 1. The Recent and Pleistocene Members of the Gastropod Family Polygyridae in TexasDallas Museum of Natural History Bulletin 1.Google Scholar
Choate, J.R. Williams, S.L. (1978). Biogeographic interpretation of variation within and among populations of the prairie vole. Microtus ochrogaster. Occasional Papers 49 The Museum, Texas Tech University. Lubbock.Google Scholar
Dalquest, W.W. (1965). New Pleistocene formation and local fauna from Hardeman County, Texas. Journal of Paleontology 36, 6379.Google Scholar
Dalquest, W.W. Hibbard, C.W. (1965). 1,350-The Southwestern Naturalistyear-old vertebrate remains from Montague County, Texas 10, 315316.Google Scholar
Dalquest, W.W. Roth, E. Judd, F. (1969). The mammal fauna of Schulze Cave, Edwards County, Texas. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum 13, 205276.Google Scholar
Davis, W.B. (1974). The Mammals of Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Austin(Revised) Bulletin No. 41.Google Scholar
Dice, L.R. (1922). Some factors affecting the distribution of the prairie vole, forest deer mouse, and prairie deer mouse. Ecology 3, 2947.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dillehay, T.D. (1974). Late Quaternary bison population changes on the Southern Plains. Plains Anthropologist 19, 180196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duck, L.G. Fletcher, J.B. (1943). A game type map of Oklahoma Oklahoma Game and Fish Department(Reprinted by Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman).Google Scholar
Duffield, L.F. (1970). Some Panhandle aspect sites: Their vertebrates and paleocecology. Unpublished Ph.D dissertation, University of Wisconsin. University Microfilms. Ann Arbor.Google Scholar
Findley, J.S. Harris, A.H. Wilson, D.E. Jones, C. (1975). Mammals of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press. Albuquerque.Google Scholar
Frison, G.C. (1978). Prehistoric Hunters of the High Plains. Academic Press. New York.Google Scholar
Goss, D.W. Ross, A.R. Allen, P.B. Naney, J.W. (1972). Geomorphology of the central Washita River Basin. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science 52, 145149.Google Scholar
Graham, R.W. (1976). Pleistocene and Holocene mammals, taphonomy, and paleoecology of the Friesenhahn Cave local fauna, Bexar County, Texas. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. University of Texas at Austin.Google Scholar
Hall, E.R. (1981)2nd ed. The Mammals of North America Vols. I and II Wiley. New York.Google Scholar
Hall, S.A. 1977a. Holocene geology and paleoenvironmental history of Hominy Creek Valley. The Prehistory and Paleoenvironment of Hominy Creek Valley Henry, D.O. Contributions in Archaeology 2 Laboratory of Archaeology, University of Tulsa. Oklahoma 1242.Google Scholar
Hall, S.A. 1977b. Geology and palynology of archaeologic sites and associated sediments. The Prehistory of the Little Caney River, 1976 Field Season Henry, D.O. Contributions in Archaeology 1 Laboratory of Archaeology, University of Tulsa. Oklahoma 1341.Google Scholar
Hall, S.A. 1977c. Geological and paleoenvironmental studies. The Prehistory and Paleoenvironment of Birch Creek Valley Henry, D.O. Contributions in Archaeology 3 Laboratory of Archaeology, University of Tulsa. Oklahoma 1131.Google Scholar
Hall, S.A. (1978). Snails from archaeological sites in Hominy Creek Valley. The Prehistory and Paleoenvironment of Hominy Creek Valley, 1977 Field Season Henry, D.O. Contributions in Archaeology 4 Laboratory of Archaeology, University of Tulsa. Oklahoma 7985.Google Scholar
Hall, S.A. (1980). Paleoenvironmental synthesis of Hominy Creek Valley: Pollen and land snail evidence. The Prehistory and Paleoenvironment of Hominy Creek Valley, 1978 Field Season Henry, D.O. Contributions in Archaeology 6 Laboratory of Archaeology, University of Tulsa. Oklahoma 4455.Google Scholar
Hall, S.A. (1981). Deteriorated pollen grains and the interpretation of Quaternary pollen diagrams. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 32, 193206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harris, A.H. (1977). Biotic environments of the Paleoindian. Paleoindian Lifeways Johnson, E. The Museum Journal 17 West Texas Museum Association, Texas Tech University. Lubbock 112.Google Scholar
Henry, D.O. 1978a. Big Hawk Shelter in northeastern Oklahoma: Environmental, economic, and cultural changes. Journal of Field Archaeology 5, 269287.Google Scholar
Henry, D.O. 1978b. Archaeological investigation: Site reports. The Prehistory and Paleoenvironment of Hominy Creek Valley, 1977 Field Season Henry, D.O. Contributions in Archaeology 4 Laboratory of Archaeology, University of Tulsa. Oklahoma 547.Google Scholar
Henry, D.O. Butler, B.H. Hall, S.A. (1979). The late prehistoric human ecology of Birch Creek Valley, northeastern Oklahoma. Plains Anthropologist 24, 207238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hughes, J.T. (1978). Archeology of Palo Duro Canyon. Panhandle-Plains Historical Review 51, 3557.Google Scholar
Irving, Washington. 1835. A Tour on the Prairies McDermott, J.F. University of Oklahoma Press. Norman1956.Google Scholar
Johnson, E. (1974). Zooarchaeology and the Lubbock Lake site. History and Prehistory of the Lubbock Lake Site Black, C.C.The Museum Journal15 West Texas Museum Association, Texas Tech University. Lubbock 107122.Google Scholar
Kapp, R.O. (1962). Pollen analytical investigations of Pleistocene deposits on the southern High Plains. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Michigan. Ann Arbor.Google Scholar
Küchler, A.W. (1974). A new vegetation map of Kansas. Ecology 55, 586604.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leonard, A.B. (1959). Handbook of Gastropods in Kansas. Miscellaneous Publication 20 Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas. Lawrence.Google Scholar
Lintz, C. (1978). The Panhandle Aspect and its early relationship with Upper Republican. The Central Plains Tradition: Internal Development and External Relationships Blakeslee, D.J.Report 11Office of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa. Iowa City 3655.Google Scholar
Lundelius, E.L. Jr.. 1967. Late-Pleistocene and Holocene faunal history of central Texas. Pleistocene Extinctions. The Search for a Cause Martin, P.S. Wright, H.E. Jr. Yale University Press. New Haven 287319.Google Scholar
Lundelius, E.L. Jr.. 1979. Post-Pleistocene mammals from Pratt Cave and their environmental significance. Biological Investigations in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas Genoways, H.H. Baker, R.J.Proceedings and Transactions Series4 U.S. National Park Service. Washington, D.C 239258.Google Scholar
Lynott, M.H. (1979). Prehistoric bison populations of north central Texas. Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society 50, 89101.Google Scholar
Mathews, J.H. (1932). Wah'Kon-Tah, The Osage and the White Man's Road. University of Oklahoma Press. Norman.Google Scholar
McWilliams, K.R. Johnson, J.L. (1979). Physical evidence on the origin and fate of the Panhandle Aspect people. Plains Anthropologist 24, 249253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Metcalf, A.L. (1962). Gastropods of Cowley County, Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Sciences 65, 275289.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Metcalf, A.L. 1977a. Report on some unionacean bivalve mollusks from two archaeological sites in Hominy Creek Valley. The Prehistory and Paleoenvironment of Hominy Creek Valley Henry, D.O.Contributions in Archaeology2 Laboratory of Archaeology, University of Tulsa. Oklahoma 4356.Google Scholar
Metcalf, A.L. 1977b. A study of unionacean bivalve mollusks. The Prehistory and Paleoenvironment of Birch Creek Valley Henry, D.O.Contributions in Archaeology3 Laboratory of Archaeology, University of Tulsa. Oklahoma 5459.Google Scholar
Metcalf, A.L. (1980). Unionacean mussels, past and present, from six streams in Kansas and Oklahoma. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Sciences 83, 119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Patton, T.H. (1963). Fossil Vertebrates from Miller's Cave, Llano County, Texas. Texas Memorial Museum Bulletin 7. University of Texas. Austin.Google Scholar
Pilsbry, H.A. (1940). Land Mollusca of North America (North of Mexico). The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Monograph 3 Vol. 1Part 2.Google Scholar
Rice, E.L. (1965). Bottomland forests of north-central Oklahoma. Ecology 46, 708714.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rice, E.L. Penfound, W.T. (1959). The upland forests of Oklahoma. Ecology 40, 593608.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Risser, P.G. Birney, E.C. Blocker, H.D. May, S.W. Parton, W.J. Wiens, J.A. (1981). The True Prairie Ecosystem. Hutchinson Ross. Stroudsburg, PennsylvaniaU.S./I.B.P. Synthesis Series, No. 16.Google Scholar
Schultz, G.E. (1967). Four superimposed late-Pleistocene vertebrate faunas from southwest Kansas. Pleistocene Extinctions. The Search for a Cause Martin, P.S. Wright, H.E. Jr. Yale University Press. New Haven 321336.Google Scholar
Schultz, G.E. Rawn, V.M. (1978). Faunal remains from the Deadman's Shelter site. Archeology at Mackenzie Reservoir Hughes, J.T. Willey, P.S.Archeological Survey Report 24Texas Historical Commission. Austin 191198.Google Scholar
Semken, H.A. Jr.. 1961. Fossil vertebrates from Longhorn Cavern, Burnet County, Texas. Texas Journal of Science 13, 290310.Google Scholar
Semken, H.A. Jr.. 1967. Mammalian remains from Rattlesnake Cave, Kinney County, Texas. Pearce-Sellards Series 7 University of Texas. AustinTexas Memorial Museum.Google Scholar
Semken, H.A. Jr.. 1980. Holocene climatic reconstructions derived from the three micromammal bearing cultural horizons of the Cherokee Sewer Site, northwestern Iowa. The Cherokee Excavations. Holocene Ecology and Human Adaptations in Northwestern Iowa Anderson, D.C. Semken, H.A. Jr. Academic Press. New York 6799.Google Scholar
Shumard, C.B. (1974). Palynology of a lacustrine sinkhole facies, and the geologic history of a (late Pleistocene?) basin in Clark County, southwestern Kansas. Unpublished M.S. thesis. Wichita State University. Wichita, Kansas.Google Scholar
Slaughter, B.H. (1975). Ecological interpretation of the Brown Sand Wedge local fauna. Late Pleistocene Environments of the Southern High Plains Wendorf, F. Hester, J.J.Publications of the Fort Burgwin Research Center 9Southern Methodist University. Dallas 179192.Google Scholar
Vagvolgyi, J. (1968). Systematics and evolution of the genus Triodopsis (Mollusca: Pulmonata: Polygyridae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 136 Harvard University 145254no. 7.Google Scholar
Wedel, W.R. (1968). Some thoughts on Central Plains-Southern Plains archeological relationships. The Great Plains Journal 7, 5362.Google Scholar
Wendland, W.M. Bryson, R.A. (1974). Dating climatic episodes of the Holocene. Quaternary Research 4, 924.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wright, H.E. Jr.. 1976. The dynamic nature of Holocene vegetation. A problem in paleoclimatology, biogeography, and stratigraphic nomenclature. Quaternary Research 6, 581596.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wright, T. Lundelius, E.L. Jr.. 1963. Post-Pleistocene racoons from central Texas and their zoogeographic significance. Pearce-Sellards Series 2 University of Texas. AustinTexas Memorial Museum.Google Scholar