Abstract
Diatom analyses from the longest continuous record of lacustrine sedimentation in the eastern Canadian Arctic indicate four phases of lake development during the past 20000 years. PlanktonicAulacoseira taxa are dominant between 20 and 10 ka and during the Neoglacial. The earliest Holocene is characterized byFragilaria, whereas benthic acidophils (e.g.Frustulia, Brachysira & Eunotia spp.) dominate sediments of early to mid Holocene age. Ordination by correspondence analysis illustrates stratigraphic changes in diatom life form and pH tolerances, and these are related to both regional paleoclimatic conditions and local edaphic factors. The occurrences of planktonic floras during the cold Late Foxe and Neoglacial periods suggests that, even at these times, the lake became ice free during summer. The interplay of increased runoff as a mechanism of ice disintegration and enhanced silicon supply by erosional processes (corroborated by the more clastic nature of the sediments during these periods) likely enabledAulacoseira to flourish. Early and mid Holocene limnological regimes were more strongly controlled by lake authigenic processes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andrews, J. T., 1980. Progress in relative sea level and ice sheet reconstructions, Baffin Island, N.W.T., for the last 125000 years. In: N. A. Mörner (ed.), Earth rheology, isostasy and eustasy, Wiley & Sons, London: 175–200.
Andrews, J. T. & L. B. Brubaker, 1991 Paleoclimates of Arctic Lakes and Estuaries, Science Implementation Plan. Proceedings of a steering committee meeting, University of Colorado, Boulder, 34 pp.
Camburn, K. E. & J. C. Kingston, 1986. The genusMelosira from soft-water lakes with special reference to northern Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In: J. P. Smol, R. W. Battarbee, R. B. Davis & J. Meriläinen (eds.), Diatoms and lake acidity, W. Junk, Dordrecht: 17–34.
Camburn, K. E., J. C. Kingston & D. F. Charles, 1986. PIRLA diatom iconograph. PIRLA Unpublished Report Series 3. Indiana University, Bloomington, 53 plates.
Clark, P. U., S. K. Short, K. M. Williams & J. T. Andrews, 1989. Late Quaternary environments and chronology of Square Lake, Torngat Mountains, Labrador. Can. J. Earth Sci. 26: 2130–2144.
Davis, P. T., R. C. Finkel, M. W. Caffee, J. R. Southon & J. Koning, 1993a. Cosmogenic26Al and10Be exposure ages for glacially eroded bedrock, Pangnirtung area, Baffin Island, N. W. T., Canada, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 25: A461.
Davis, P. T., C. Forkus, S. Nichols, N. Polowin, C. Terpko, U. Naik & M. Reasoner, 1993b. Radiocarbon ages and sediment records from Qulitasanivik lakes, Baffin Island, Canada. Geological Society of America Northeastern Section Abstracts with Programs 25: 11.
Dean, W. E. Jr., 1974. Determination of carbonate and organic matter in calcareous sediment and sedimentary rock by loss on ignition: comparison with other methods. J. Sed. Pet. 44: 241–248.
Dixit, S. S., B. F. Cumming, H. J. B. Birks, J. P. Smol, J. C. Kingston, A. J. Uutala, D. F. Charles & K. E. Camburn, 1993. Diatom assemblages from Adirondack Lakes (New York, USA) and the development of inference models for retrospective environmental assessment. J. Paleolimnol. 8: 27–47.
Dixit, S. S., A. S. Dixit & J. P. Smol, 1991. Multivariate environmental inferences based on diatom assemblages from Sudbury (Canada) lakes. Fresh. Biol. 26: 251–266.
Dyke, A. S, 1979. Glacial and sea-level history of southwestern Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island, N. W. T., Canada. Arc. Alp. Res. 11: 179–202.
Dyke, A. S., J. T. Andrews & G. H. Miller, 1982. Quaternary history of Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island, District of Franklin. Geological Survey of Canada memoir 403, 32 pp.
Dyke, A. S. & T. F. Morris, 1990. Postglacial history of the bowhead whale and of driftwood penetration; implications for paleoclimate, central Canadian Arctic. Geological Survey of Canada paper 89–24, 17 pp.
Foged, N., 1981. Diatoms in Alaska. J. Cramer, Vaduz, 317 pp.
Gilbert, R. & J. R. Glew, 1985. A portable percussion coring device for lacustrine and marine sediments. J. Sed. Pet. 55: 607–608
Hustedt, F., 1959. Die Kieselalgen Deutschlands, Österreichs und der Schweiz, Teil II. In Rabenhorst's Kryptogamen-Flora von Deutschlands, Österreichs und der Schweiz. Academische Verlagsgesellschaft, Leipzig, 845 pp.
Jennings, A. E., 1993, The Quaternary history of Cumberland Sound, southeastern Baffin Island: the marine evidence. Géogr. Phys. et Quat. 47: 21–42.
Kaland, P. E. & B. Stabell, 1981. Methods for absolute diatom frequency analysis and combined diatom and pollen analysis in sediments. Nord. J. Bot. 1: 697–700.
Korhola, A. A. & M. J. Tikkanen, 1991. Holocene development and early extreme acidification in a small hilltop lake in southern Finland. Boreas 20: 333–356.
Kovach, W. L., 1990. MVSP Plus Version 2.0 User's Manual. Aberystwyth, 45 pp.
Krammer, K. & H. Lange-Bertalot, 1986. Bacillariophyceae 1. Teil: Naviculaceae. In: H. Ettl, H. Gerloff, H. Heynig & D. Mollenhauer (eds.), Sußwasserflora von Mittleuropa. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart, 876 pp.
Krammer, K. & H. Lange-Bertalot, 1988. Bacillariophyceae 2. Teil: Bacillariaceae, Epithemiaceae, Surirellaceae. In: H. Ettl, H. Gerloff, H. Heynig & D. Mollenhauer (eds.), Süßwasserflora von Mittleuropa. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart, 596 pp.
Krammer, K. & H. Lange-Bertalot, 1991a. Bacillariophyceae 3. Teil: Centrales, Fragilariaceae, Eunotiaceae. In: H. Ettl, H. Gerloff, H. Heynig & D. Mollenhauer (eds.), Süßwasserflora von Mittleuropa. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart, 576 pp.
Krammer, K. & H. Lange-Bertalot, 1991b. Bacillariophyceae 4. Teil: Achnanthaceae, Kritische Erganzungen zuNavicula (Lineolatae) undGomphonema Gesamtliteraturverzeichnis. In: H. Ettl, H. Gerloff, H. Heynig & D. Mollenhauer (eds.), Süßwasserflora von Mittleuropa. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart, 437 pp.
Lemmen, D. S., R. Gilbert, J. P. Smol & R. I. Hall, 1988. Holocene sedimentation in glacial Tasikutaaq Lake, Baffin Island. Can. J. Earth Sci. 25: 810–823.
MacDonald, G. M, R. P. Beukens, W. E. Keiser & D. H. Vitt, 1987: Comparative radiocarbon dating of terrestrial plant macrofossils and aquatic moss from the ‘ice-free corridor’ of western Canada. Geology 15: 837–840.
MacDonald, G. M, T. W. D. Edwards, K. A. Moser, R. Pienitz & J. P. Smol, 1993. Rapid responses of treeline vegetation and lakes to past climate warming. Nature 361: 243–246.
Maxwell, J. B., 1980. The climate of the Canadian Arctic Islands and adjacent waters. Atmospheric Environment Services, Downsview, 532 pp.
Miller, G. H. & A. De Vernal, 1992. Will greenhouse warming lead to Northern Hemisphere ice-sheet growth? Nature 355: 244–246.
Patrick, R. & C. W. Reimer, 1966. The Diatoms of the United States Exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii. Volume 1. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, Monograph 13, 688 pp.
Patrick, R. & C. W. Reimer, 1975. The Diatoms of the United States Exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii. Volume 2 Part 1. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, Monograph 13, 214 pp.
Psenner, R. & R. Schmidt, 1992. Climate-driven pH control of remote alpine lakes and effects of acid deposition. Nature 356: 781–783.
Sauer, P. E. & G. H. Miller, 1992. Paleoclimate from Arctic lake sediments, Hall Peninsula and Breevoort Island, SE Baffin Island, N. W. T., Canada. 22nd Arctic Workshop Program and Abstracts, University of Colorado, Boulder: 122–124.
Short, S. K., W. N. Mode & P. T. Davis, 1985. The Holocene record from Baffin Island: modern and fossil pollen studies. In: J. T. Andrews (ed.), Quaternary environments eastern Canadian arctic, Baffin Bay and western Greenland. Allen and Unwin, Boston: 608–642.
Smol, J. P., 1983. Paleophycology of a high arctic lake near Cape Herschel, Ellesmere Island. Can. J. Bot. 61: 2195–2204.
Smol, J. P., 1988. Paleoclimate proxy data from freshwater arctic diatoms. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 23: 837–844.
ter Braak, C. J. F., 1987. Ordination. In: R. H. G. Longman, C. J. F. ter Braak & O. F. R. van Tongeren (eds.), Data analysis in community and landscape ecology. Pudoc, Wageningen: 91–173.
Whitehead, D. R., D. F. Charles, S. T. Jackson, J. P. Smol & D. R. Engstrom, 1989. The developmental history of Adirondack (N.Y.) lakes. J. Paleolimnol. 2: 185–206.
Williams, K. M., 1990. Paleolimnology of three Jackman Sound Lakes, southeastern Baffin Island, based on downcore diatom assemblages. J. Paleolimnol. 4: 203–217.
Wilson, S. E., I. R. Walker, R. J. Mott & J. P. Smol, 1993. Climatic and limnological changes associated with the Younger Dryas in Atlantic Canada. Clim. Dyn. 8: 177–187.
Wolfe, A. P., 1991. Mid and Late Holocene diatoms from ‘Water Supply Lake’, Baffin Island, N.W.T. J. Paleolimnol. 6: 199–204.
Wolfe, A. P. & D. L. Butler, 1994. Late-glacial and early Holocene environments at Pine Hill Pond, eastern Newfoundland, Canada: evidence from pollen and diatoms. Boreas (in press).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This paper was presented at the VI Palaeolimnology Symposium, held at Canberra in April 1993. Dr. Mark Brenner guest edited this contribution.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wolfe, A.P. Late Wisconsinan and Holocene diatom stratigraphy from Amarok Lake, Baffin Island, N.W.T., Canada. J Paleolimnol 10, 129–139 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00682509
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00682509