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Isotope Dating of Pleistocene Dung Deposits From the Colorado Plateau, Arizona and Utah

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Jim I. Mead  and
Larry D. Agenbroad
Larry D. Agenbroad
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Quaternary Studies Program, Box 6030, Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona 86011 USA
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Abstract

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Identified dung and keratinous remains of large mammals are considered the most reliable materials to 14C date, when the initial question includes the application of the date to the time of local extirpation and extinction. The Colorado Plateau provides a unique preservation habitat (desiccation), found in greater abundance of deposits than anywhere else in North America. We review 20 localities from the Colorado Plateau that contain dung of megaherbivores. Seven species of herbivores were identified utilizing dung: Bison (bison), Equus (horse), “Euceratherium“ (shrubox), Mammuthus (mammoth), Nothrotheriops (ground sloth), Oreamnos (mountain goat) and Ovis (bighorn), and 79 14C dates were measured from the sites. Most sites contain additional associated 14C and U/Th dates on skeletal and botanical remains.

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , 1992 , pp. 1 - 19
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

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