North Eastern North America Archaeology Research Papers (original) (raw)

The efficient and effective monitoring of individuals and populations is critically dependent on correct species identification. While this point may seem obvious, identifying the majority of the more than 100 natural enemies involved in... more

The efficient and effective monitoring of individuals and populations is critically dependent on correct species identification. While this point may seem obvious, identifying the majority of the more than 100 natural enemies involved in the spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana -SBW) food web remains a non-trivial endeavor. Insect parasitoids play a major role in the processes governing the population dynamics of SBW throughout eastern North America. However, these species are at the leading edge of the taxonomic impediment and integrating standardized identification capacity into existing field programs would provide clear benefits. We asked to what extent DNA barcoding the SBW food web would alter our understanding of the diversity and connectence of the food web and the frequency of generalists vs. specialists in different forest habitats. We DNA barcoded over 10% of the insects collected from the SBW food web in three New Brunswick forest plots from 1983 to 1993. For 30% of these specimens, we amplified at least one additional nuclear region. When the nodes of the food web were estimated based on barcode divergences (using molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTU) or phylogenetic diversity (PD) -the food web became much more diverse and connectence was reduced. We tested one measure of food web structure (the ''bird feeder effect'') and found no difference compared to the morphologically based predictions. Many, but not all, of the presumably polyphagous parasitoids now appear to be morphologically-cryptic hostspecialists. To our knowledge, this project is the first to barcode a food web in which interactions have already been welldocumented and described in space, time and abundance. It is poised to be a system in which field-based methods permit the identification capacity required by forestry scientists. Food web barcoding provided an effective tool for the accurate identification of all species involved in the cascading effects of future budworm outbreaks. Integrating standardized barcodes within food webs may ultimately change the face of community ecology. This will be most poignantly felt in food webs that have not yet been quantified. Here, more accurate and precise connections will be within the grasp of any researcher for the first time.

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Invasion of exotic forest pests and pathogens is a serious environmental problem for many forests throughout the world, and has been especially damaging to forests of eastern North America. We studied the impacts of an exotic... more

Invasion of exotic forest pests and pathogens is a serious environmental problem for many forests throughout the world, and has been especially damaging to forests of eastern North America. We studied the impacts of an exotic pest/pathogen complex, the beech bark disease (BBD), in the Catskill Mountains of New York State, USA. In this region, BBD has caused a decline in the basal area of American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) over the last 60 years and this decline has been accompanied by an increase in the basal area of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). We studied the impacts of the BBD on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling using a series of stands that represented a sequence of disease impact and beech replacement by sugar maple. Our study showed that these longterm changes in tree species composition can lead to important changes in C and N cycling in the ecosystem, including an increase in litter decomposition, a decrease in soil C:N ratio, and an increase in extractable nitrate in the soil and nitrate in soil solution. Rates of potential net N mineralization and nitrification did not change across the BBD sequence, but the fraction of mineralized N that was nitrified increased significantly. Many of the observed changes in ecosystem function are larger in magnitude than those attributed to climate change or air pollution, suggesting that the impacts of invasive pests and pathogens on tree species composition could be one of the most important factors driving changes in C and N cycling in these forests in the coming decades.

The link between the Pacific/North American pattern (PNA) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is investigated in reanalysis data (NCEP, ERA40) and multi-century CGCM runs for present day climate using three versions of the ECHAM... more

The link between the Pacific/North American pattern (PNA) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is investigated in reanalysis data (NCEP, ERA40) and multi-century CGCM runs for present day climate using three versions of the ECHAM model. PNA and NAO patterns and indices are determined via rotated principal component analysis on monthly mean 500 hPa geopotential height fields using the varimax criteria.

Given the difficulty of separating the three Picea species—P. glauca, P. mariana, and P. rubens (white, black, and red spruce)—in the pollen record, little is known about their unique histories in eastern North America following... more

Given the difficulty of separating the three Picea species—P. glauca, P. mariana, and P. rubens (white, black, and red spruce)—in the pollen record, little is known about their unique histories in eastern North America following deglaciation. Here we report the first use of a classification tree analysis (CART) to distinguish pollen grains of these species. It was successfully applied to fossil pollen from eight sites in Maine and one in Massachusetts. We focused on the late glacial/early Holocene (14,000 to 8000 cal yr B.P.) and the late Holocene (1400 cal yr B.P. to present)—the two key periods since deglaciation when Picea has been abundant in the region. The result shows a shift from a Picea forest of P. glauca and P. mariana in the late glacial to a forest of P. rubens and P. mariana in the late Holocene. The small number of P. rubens grains identified from the late glacial/early Holocene samples…

The American elm (Ulmus americana L.) was once one of the most common urban trees in eastern North America until Dutch-elm disease (DED), caused by the fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, eliminated most of the mature trees. To enhance DED... more

The American elm (Ulmus americana L.) was once one of the most common urban trees in eastern North America until Dutch-elm disease (DED), caused by the fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, eliminated most of the mature trees. To enhance DED resistance, Agrobacterium was used to transform American elm with a transgene encoding the synthetic antimicrobial peptide ESF39A, driven by a vascular promoter from American chestnut. Four unique, single-copy transgenic lines were produced and regenerated into whole plants. These lines showed less wilting and significantly less sapwood staining than non-transformed controls after O. novo-ulmi inoculation. Preliminary observations indicated that mycorrhizal colonization was not significantly different between transgenic and wild-type trees. Although the trees tested were too young to ensure stable resistance was achieved, these results indicate that transgenes encoding antimicrobial peptides reduce DED symptoms and therefore hold promise for enhancing pathogen resistance in American elm.

All species in the genus Cyperus (Cyperaceae) that occur in temperate eastern North America were assigned to either the C 3 or C 4 photosynthetic pathway using leaf anatomical characteristics and stable carbon isotope ratios. Of the 39... more

All species in the genus Cyperus (Cyperaceae) that occur in temperate eastern North America were assigned to either the C 3 or C 4 photosynthetic pathway using leaf anatomical characteristics and stable carbon isotope ratios. Of the 39 species in the study area, 32 had C 4 photosynthesis while 7 had C 3 . The numbers of C 3 , C 4 , and total Cyperus species were significantly and positively correlated with both summer precipitation and mean annual temperature. However, the proportional abundance of C 4 species within Cyperus was not significantly related to either climatic variable. The highest Cyperus diversity was found on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, a pattern that remained after climatic differences between regions were accounted for. All the C 3 species and the majority of the C 4 species were restricted to wetlands or damp soil habitats; 13 of the 32 C 4 species occurred in dry, sandy habitats. Given that the C 3 pathway is ancestral in the genus Cyperus, it appears that C 4 photosynthesis evolved in a wetland context for this genus. We suggest that the high nitrogen use efficiency associated with the C 4 pathway is largely responsible for the evolution and ecological success of C 4 Cyperus species in infertile, temperate wetlands.

The risk of soil acidification is high in the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR) in Alberta, Canada, due to elevated SO2 emission and the resultant acid deposition to sensitive, coarse-textured soils. Understanding the sulfate adsorption... more

The risk of soil acidification is high in the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR) in Alberta, Canada, due to elevated SO2 emission and the resultant acid deposition to sensitive, coarse-textured soils. Understanding the sulfate adsorption characteristics of soils sensitive to acidification will help establish critical loads of acid deposition in AOSR. Sulfate adsorption properties were evaluated and relationships between sulfate

To better understand the evolutionary history of the genus Centaurium and its relationship to other genera of the subtribe Chironiinae (Gentianaceae: Chironieae), molecular analyses were performed using 80 nuclear ribosomal ITS and 76... more

To better understand the evolutionary history of the genus Centaurium and its relationship to other genera of the subtribe Chironiinae (Gentianaceae: Chironieae), molecular analyses were performed using 80 nuclear ribosomal ITS and 76 chloroplast trnLF (both the trnL UAA intron and the trnL-F spacer) sequences. In addition, morphological, palynological, and phytochemical characters were included to a combined data matrix to detect possible non-molecular synapomorphies. Phylogenetic reconstructions support the monophyly of the Chironiinae and an age estimate of ca. 22 million years for the subtribe. Conversely, both molecular data sets reveal a polyphyletic Centaurium, with four well-supported main clades hereafter treated as separate genera. The primarily Mediterranean Centaurium s.s. is closely related to southern African endemics Chironia and Orphium, and to the Chilean species Centaurium cachanlahuen. The resurrected Mexican and Central American genus Gyrandra is closely related to Sabatia (from eastern North America). Lastly, the monospecific genus Exaculum (Mediterranean) forms a monophyletic group together with the two new genera: Schenkia (Mediterranean and Australian species) and Zeltnera (all other indigenous American centauries). Several biogeographical patterns can be inferred for this group, supporting a Mediterranean origin followed by dispersals to (1) North America, Central America, and South America, (2) southern Africa (including the Cape region), and (3) Australia and Pacific Islands.

Data from 300 forest stands, scattered over 29 states within the eastern North American deciduous forest, were subjected to detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and two-way indicator species analysis (TWlNSPAN) in an effort to identify... more

Data from 300 forest stands, scattered over 29 states within the eastern North American deciduous forest, were subjected to detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and two-way indicator species analysis (TWlNSPAN) in an effort to identify classifiable units. Most species are widespread which provide a great deal of continuity in the vegetation.

Directly dated Cucurbita from archaeological sites near Lake Huron expand the range and human usage of adventive, cultivated wild gourds or squash into the Great Lakes region, USA, by 4000 14 C yr BP. The data also show that domesticated... more

Directly dated Cucurbita from archaeological sites near Lake Huron expand the range and human usage of adventive, cultivated wild gourds or squash into the Great Lakes region, USA, by 4000 14 C yr BP. The data also show that domesticated C. pepo squash was cultivated there by 3000 14 C yr BP. Although milder Hypsithermal climate may have been a contributing factor, squash and gourds expanded northward during the mid-Holocene mainly by human agency and may be the first human-introduced adventive plant in temperate North America. Even after 3000 14 C yr BP, when domesticated squash generally replaced wild varieties at northern sites, squash stands were probably informally managed rather than intensively cultivated.

Open-range cattle herding was a lucrative activity before plantation agriculture developed in the South Carolina backcountry. In this paper, the material record associated with two residences occupied by colonial frontier cattle raisers... more

Open-range cattle herding was a lucrative activity before plantation agriculture developed in the South Carolina backcountry. In this paper, the material record associated with two residences occupied by colonial frontier cattle raisers is summarized. British settlers and enslaved ...

The Passaic Formation of the late Triassic Newark Supergroup is 2700 m thick and was deposited in series of wide, deep to shallow lacustrine environments in the Newark rift basin (eastern North America). The Passaic Formation can be... more

The Passaic Formation of the late Triassic Newark Supergroup is 2700 m thick and was deposited in series of wide, deep to shallow lacustrine environments in the Newark rift basin (eastern North America). The Passaic Formation can be divided into lower, middle, and upper sections based on depositional structures, composition and the distribution and morphology of its evaporites. Evaporites formed as a result of syndiagenetic cementation and/or displacive processes. Evaporitive minerals now include gypsum and anhydrite, although other mineral species, such as glauberite, may have originally existed. Most of the evaporites of the Passaic Formation occur within massive red mudstone and siltstone lithologies in the form of diffuse cements, void-fillings, euhedral crystals, crystal clusters and nodules. These evaporites grew displacively within the fine siliciclastic matrix as a result of changes in the hydrochemical regimes of the rift basin.

The histories of maize in New York have changed radically over the past decade based on the recovery of phytolith assemblages from directly AMS-dated charred cooking residues adhering to the interior surfaces of pottery sherds. We now... more

The histories of maize in New York have changed radically over the past decade based on the recovery of phytolith assemblages from directly AMS-dated charred cooking residues adhering to the interior surfaces of pottery sherds. We now know that maize was being used as early as ca. cal 300 B.C. at the Vinette site in the Finger Lakes region. Maize phytoliths have also been found in cooking resides dating to ca. cal. A.D. 650 from the Kipp Island site. Here we present additional evidence for maize use at this time through the analysis of human teeth from a cemetery at the site that Ritchie originally dated to ca. A.D. 1000, but that now appears to date primarily to ca. cal. A.D. 650. Dental caries rates and stable carbon isotopes both indicate maize consumption at this time.

The design objectives in current building codes address life safety, control damage in minor and moderate earthquakes, and prevent collapse in a major earthquake. However, the actual reliability of the design in achieving the objectives... more

The design objectives in current building codes address life safety, control damage in minor and moderate earthquakes, and prevent collapse in a major earthquake. However, the actual reliability of the design in achieving the objectives is not known. There is a general agreement among researchers and professionals that future seismic design needs to be based on achieving stated multiple performance objectives. Future seismic design practice will be based on explicit performance criteria that can be quantified, considering multiple performance and hazard levels.

Final twist and other cordage attributes (e.g., ply formula, cordage diameter, strand diameter, and angle of twist) have the potential to demonstrate differences between neighboring populations under certain circumstances, however, more... more

Final twist and other cordage attributes (e.g., ply formula, cordage diameter, strand diameter, and angle of twist) have the potential to demonstrate differences between neighboring populations under certain circumstances, however, more directly they are proxies for the learning networks of spinners and weavers that produced and used cordage (Maslowski 1973, 1984, 1996; Minar 2000, 2001) (See Glossary for cordage terminology). Within the Upper Ohio River valley, cord-marked ceramics, impressed with final S or final Z-twist cordage, have been analyzed and compared from sites of the Monongahela, Fort Ancient, McFate, and Wellsburg cultural traditions in attempts to understand the dynamics of intercultural interaction among these various Late Woodland (ca. A.D. 400-1050) and Late Prehistoric period (ca. A.D. 1050 – 1580) populations. This study examines the cordage attributes and the distribution of final twist types from cordage impressed ceramics at a local scale at Scarem-Kramer (36WH22), a Middle Monongahela phase village site in Washington County, Pennsylvania. These data contribute to a discussion of the potential visibility of learning networks at a local scale, which may have implications for intercultural interaction between groups in this region.

Inocybe tubarioides is a rarely collected or recognized agaric with an unusual combination of ecological and morphological characters for this genus, namely a lignicolous habit and a strongly hygrophanous pileus. The species is known only... more

Inocybe tubarioides is a rarely collected or recognized agaric with an unusual combination of ecological and morphological characters for this genus, namely a lignicolous habit and a strongly hygrophanous pileus. The species is known only from eastern North America and is reported here for the first time from states in New England and Canada. A taxonomic description is provided, including the first photographic record of the species and discussion of its evolutionary history. Based on molecular phylogenetic analysis the species is most closely related with significant measures of statistical support to two other narrowly endemic species of Inocybe: one also from eastern North America (I. tahquamenonensis) and another from northern Europe (I. relicina), the latter of which is the type of the genus Inocybe. These three species constitute the clade that corresponds with section Inocybe. Inocybe tubarioides est un Agaric rarement signalé, présentant une combinaison inhabituelle de caractéristiques écologiques et morphologiques, en particulier l’habitat lignicole et le chapeau fortement hygrophane. Cette espèce n’est connue que de la façade orientale de l’Amérique du Nord, et est signalée ici pour la première fois en Nouvelle-Angleterre et Canada. Une description est fournie, accompagnée pour la première fois d’une photographie, et d’une discussion quant à son histoire évolutive. D’après des analyses moléculaires phylogénétiques soutenues par des mesures statistiques significatives, cette espèce est très étroitement apparentée à deux autres espèces endémiques, l’une également connue de l’Est de l’Amérique du Nord (I. tahquamenonensis), l’autre d’Europe du Nord (I. relicina) qui se trouve être le type du genre Inocybe. Ces trois espèces constituent la clade: section Inocybe.

Occasionally the attacks, typically ambushes of smaU numbers of people, cumulatively resulted in numerous casualties. Variation in palisade strength is consistent with the organizational structure and warrior mobilization potential of... more

Occasionally the attacks, typically ambushes of smaU numbers of people, cumulatively resulted in numerous casualties. Variation in palisade strength is consistent with the organizational structure and warrior mobilization potential of late prehistoric societies in different parts of the Eastern Woodlands.

We recorded and reviewed densities and basal areas of large living and dead trees in old-growth forest in Europe. Recorded densities were similar to those reported from old-growth forests in eastern North America, but lower than in... more

We recorded and reviewed densities and basal areas of large living and dead trees in old-growth forest in Europe. Recorded densities were similar to those reported from old-growth forests in eastern North America, but lower than in northwestern North America. Based on our results we suggest that, 10-20 living trees per ha with dbh > 70 cm may have been typical values for many central European and south Scandinavian virgin forests. In boreal forests, it was probably common with at least 20 living trees per ha with dbh > 40 cm.

Occasionally the attacks, typically ambushes of smaU numbers of people, cumulatively resulted in numerous casualties. Variation in palisade strength is consistent with the organizational structure and warrior mobilization potential of... more

Occasionally the attacks, typically ambushes of smaU numbers of people, cumulatively resulted in numerous casualties. Variation in palisade strength is consistent with the organizational structure and warrior mobilization potential of late prehistoric societies in different parts of the Eastern Woodlands.

The adoption of maize in northeastern North America is often seen as a catalyst for the development of settled village life. In this review we develop a theoretical framework centered on shifting-balance theory (SBT) and domesticated... more

The adoption of maize in northeastern North America is often seen as a catalyst for the development of settled village life. In this review we develop a theoretical framework centered on shifting-balance theory (SBT) and domesticated landscapes through which to understand the context for the adoption of maize agriculture in the Northeast. We review micro- and macrobotanical evidence and stable carbon isotope data from various sources to reevaluate maize histories and adoption trajectories. These data are coupled with contributions of subregionally significant predecessor plants, such as those constituting the Eastern Agricultural Complex, and wild rice. We find no evidence for rapid transitions to settled village life as a result of maize adoption. Maize was grown for centuries before settled village agricultural systems evolved. It was grown for a sufficiently long time that the potential for local selection leading to Northern Flint is a viable working hypothesis. We call for a refocusing of research questions and a systematic application of contemporary techniques as a means by which to strengthen future inferences based on comparative information sets.

A description and analysis of the information recovered during the 1996 CRM fieldwork at the Early Paleo-Indian (fluted point-related) Gosling site is presented. The site is located in the City of Guelph, Wellington County, Ontario and is... more

A description and analysis of the information recovered during the 1996 CRM fieldwork at the Early Paleo-Indian (fluted point-related) Gosling site is presented. The site is located in the City of Guelph, Wellington County, Ontario and is a single component one assignable to the Parkhill Phase based on the recovery of a Barnes type fluted point. The assemblage from the site is the largest recovered from an Ontario Parkhill Phase site removed from the strandline of pro-glacial Lake Algonquin/Ardtrea. Yet, the assemblage is a very small, diffuse, lithic scatter including only 24 artifacts recovered over an area of 373 square metres. The majority of the assemblage is from a controlled surface collection as the site was not recognized as a Paleo-Indian component until, in stripping the ploughzone in an attempt to find features, the fluted point was recovered. Nonetheless, Gosling is of some significance as it expands our currently highly biased knowledge of the Parkhill Phase in terms of site locational preferences, tool inventories and lithic raw material source selections. In addition, as an object lesson, the site highlights a number of characteristics of Paleo-Indian sites, known primarily to specialists in that field, which need to become better known in the CRM community. These characteristics should assist in recognizing such sites in the future in cases where diagnostic fluted points are not recovered.

integrates database and GIS technology to make available locational data on nearly 30,000 projectile points, attribute data on over 15,000 artifacts, and image data on ca. 7,500 points from across North America. These data can be used to... more

integrates database and GIS technology to make available locational data on nearly 30,000 projectile points, attribute data on over 15,000 artifacts, and image data on ca. 7,500 points from across North America. These data can be used to explore patterns of land and lithic raw material use and demographic trends within the Paleoindian period. Equally important, PIDBA serves as a model for collaborative interaction between professional and avocational archaeological communities across the Americas. PIDBA grows through the voluntary collection and compilation of primary data, and the website provides instructions on how to record and submit this information. Recent additions to PIDBA include radiometric and bibliographic databases, color artifact photographs, and artifact distribution maps that include accurate glacial, periglacial and pluvial lake, and shoreline/sea-level boundaries. Ongoing activity is directed to finding and adding in new information and compiling the attribute data from multiple sources into a single comprehensive database. All those interested in participating in the project are welcome and encouraged to do so.

The discovery of a new genus and species of tyrannosauroid from the Demopolis Formation (middle Campanian) of Alabama increases the known diversity of the clade, although it does not elucidate the place of initial dispersal. This subadult... more

The discovery of a new genus and species of tyrannosauroid from the Demopolis Formation (middle Campanian) of Alabama increases the known diversity of the clade, although it does not elucidate the place of initial dispersal. This subadult tyrannosauroid is the most complete non-avian theropod collected and described from the Cretaceous of eastern North America. In contrast to tyrannosaurids, the new taxon possesses several plesiomorphic characters, including lacrimals that lack a distinct peaked cornual process, and a dorsoventrally shallow horizontal ramus of the maxilla. Autapomorphies include a wide jugal process of the ectopterygoid, a caudal pneumatic foramen of the palatine that pierces the rostral half of the vomeropterygoid process of the bone, an articular surface for the lacrimal on the palatine that is distally positioned on the dorsolateral process, and pedal unguals that have a distinct proximodorsal lip over the articular surface. Cladistic analysis indicates the new taxon is a basal tyrannosauroid and its presence in eastern North America suggests that the recent common ancestor of Tyrannosauridae probably evolved following the transgression of the Western Interior Seaway. Cladistic analysis indicates that Dryptosaurus aquilunguis is also a basal tyrannosauroid but is less derived than the new genus.

During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries A.D., processes of settlement aggregation, population relocation, and geopolitical realignment galvanized Iroquoian communities into formative nations. Socio-political changes were brought... more

During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries A.D., processes of settlement aggregation, population relocation, and geopolitical realignment galvanized Iroquoian communities into formative nations. Socio-political changes were brought about by regional patterns of conflict and migration as well as intra-community reorganization as populations met the social, political, and economic challenges of coalescence. These historical events provided the context for the incorporation of St. Lawrence Iroquoians into the Wendat world. This paper employs a conceptual framework that emphasizes historically contingent and multilinear explanations for the development of social complexity. It is argued that these processes of political development in ancestral Wendat society involved the generation of both consensual and asymmetrical power structures between and within ancestral Wendat communities.

Open-range cattle herding was a lucrative activity before plantation agriculture developed in the South Carolina backcountry. In this paper, the material record associated with two residences occupied by colonial frontier cattle raisers... more

Open-range cattle herding was a lucrative activity before plantation agriculture developed in the South Carolina backcountry. In this paper, the material record associated with two residences occupied by colonial frontier cattle raisers is summarized. British settlers and enslaved West Africans inhabited the Catherine Brown cowpen and the Thomas Howell site. Typical of frontier conditions, the material record at these sites revealed a juxtaposition of formative consumerism and folk traditions. Archaeological information indicates that despite wealth and the use of imported consumer goods, the two households relied upon impermanent architecture, used local ceramics, and supplemented their diets with wild game.

Ethnicity is one kind of social relationship that archaeologists explore. The evolution of the northern Iroquoian ethnic landscape in New York, southern Ontario, and the St. Lawrence Valley has been of long-standing interest to... more

Ethnicity is one kind of social relationship that archaeologists explore. The evolution of the northern Iroquoian ethnic landscape in New York, southern Ontario, and the St. Lawrence Valley has been of long-standing interest to archaeologists. Since MacNeish’s (1952) pottery typology study, the predominant model for this evolution has been cladistic. Collar decoration served as a means of signaling attributes of the potter and pottery users that mirrored other more visible signals. We use social network analysis to determine whether pottery collar decoration data best fit MacNiesh’s cladistic or an alternative rhizotic model. The results better fit the rhizotic model.

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is the primary mode of atmospheric variability over the Atlantic Ocean and plays an important role in climate variability over eastern North America. The frequency of extreme climate events and the... more

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is the primary mode of atmospheric variability over the Atlantic Ocean and plays an important role in climate variability over eastern North America. The frequency of extreme climate events and the associated social and economic impacts is also tied to the strength and phase of the NAO. In this study, seasonal phases of the NAO are compared to changes in the frequency and distribution of winter season (December-March) precipitation-type observations for the years 1961-2001 in the eastern U.S. Statistically significant increases in the frequency of rain observations across the study region are associated with positive NAO phases. Additionally, significant increases in the occurrence of snow are confined to the northern portion of the eastern U.S. during positive NAO phases. Connections between the phase of the NAO and the prevailing synoptic-scale circulation, at least partially, explain the inter-seasonal distribution of precipitation types across the eastern U.S. Using an intra-seasonal or intra-monthly NAO index may reveal a more robust relationship between snowfall observations across the eastern U.S. and surface pressure variability over the North Atlantic. y

Biface caches may be one of the most distinctive and enigmatic aspects of Paleoindian behavior. Here we contribute to discussion of this phenomenon by presenting an analysis and interpretation of a heretofore unreported biface cache,... more

Biface caches may be one of the
most distinctive and enigmatic aspects of
Paleoindian behavior. Here we contribute to
discussion of this phenomenon by presenting
an analysis and interpretation of a heretofore
unreported biface cache, consisting of 24
ovate bifaces and a single large flake blank,
documented in 1981 from the Round Lake
locality (20-CL-227), Clinton County, Michigan,
USA. Analysis of metric and non-metric
attributes support an interpretation that the
cached bifaces are, more probable than not,
early Paleoindian in age, and are most likely
attributable to the Gainey fluted point phase
(ca. 11,500–10,800 14C B.P.). Moreover, the
cache is distinguished by a high degree of
standardization, and represents the same
intentional point in the chaine opératoire of
fluted biface manufacture, suggesting production
by a single individual. As a necessary
complement to our technological analysis of
the cache, we situate our interpretation of
the Round Lake cache within the broader
regional context of Great Lakes Paleoindian
behavior.

There is a long-standing debate in the archaeological literature regarding the extent to which late-prehistoric Algonquian-language-speaking populations in temperate northeastern North America engaged in agricultural production. The... more

There is a long-standing debate in the archaeological literature regarding the extent to which late-prehistoric Algonquian-language-speaking populations in temperate northeastern North America engaged in agricultural production. The Hurley site, located in the Esopus Creek valley of eastern New York, occupied from the cal. eleventh through sixteenth centuries A.D., falls within historical Algonquian territory. Evidence from this site including 439 deep pits, some with massive deposits of maize kernels, and human dental pathologies suggest that maize-based agriculture was a significant component of pre-Contact subsistence systems. The Hurley site adds to our understanding of the diversity of subsistence practices in historical Algonquian territories prior to European incursions.

A robust knowledge of seismic anisotropy beneath the continents is essential to our understanding of plate tectonic theory, as anisotropy provides a unique constraint on the character of past and present deformation in the lithosphere and... more

A robust knowledge of seismic anisotropy beneath the continents is essential to our understanding of plate tectonic theory, as anisotropy provides a unique constraint on the character of past and present deformation in the lithosphere and sublithospheric mantle. This review paper summarizes the range of techniques currently available to image seismic anisotropy with passive source seismic data, and addresses current issues surrounding the observation and interpretation of continental seismic anisotropy. To this end, we present case studies for four regions where seismic anisotropy has been extensively investigated in recent years: eastern North America, the Canadian Shield, Australia, and southern Africa. Based on this full suite of results, we infer that stable continental regions generally contain seismic anisotropy that is clearly located within both the lithosphere and the sublithospheric mantle, usually to depths of at least 200 km and perhaps more. An implication of these results is that tectonic plates are, at most, only partially coupled to the underlying mantle. The results from these case studies also demonstrate that while remarkable progress in seismic anisotropy imaging has been achieved in recent years, it is clear that much more work will be required to adequately understand the origin of continental seismic anisotropy. We suggest that a more robust characterization of anisotropic parameters can only be achieved by integrating complementary seismic datasets and by incorporating constraints from key related datasets from mineral physics, magnetotellurics, gravity, and geodesy.

Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) have been declining rapidly in many temperate regions of the Old World. Despite their ecological and economic importance as pollinators, North American bumblebees have not been extensively surveyed and their... more

Bumblebees (Bombus spp.) have been declining rapidly in many temperate regions of the Old World. Despite their ecological and economic importance as pollinators, North American bumblebees have not been extensively surveyed and their conservation status is largely unknown. In this study, two approaches were used to determine whether bumblebees in that region were in decline spatially and temporally. First, surveys performed in 2004–2006 in southern Ontario were compared to surveys from 1971 to 1973 in the ...

Previous studies have investigated the human population history of eastern North America by examining mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation among Native Americans, but these studies could only reconstruct maternal population history. To... more

Previous studies have investigated the human population history of eastern North America by examining mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation among Native Americans, but these studies could only reconstruct maternal population history. To evaluate similarities and differences in the maternal and paternal population histories of this region, we obtained DNA samples from 605 individuals, representing 16 indigenous populations. After amplifying the amelogenin locus to identify males, we genotyped 8 binary polymorphisms and 10 microsatellites in the male-specific region of the Y chromosome. This analysis identified 6 haplogroups and 175 haplotypes. We found that sociocultural factors have played a more important role than language or geography in shaping the patterns of Y chromosome variation in eastern North America. Comparisons with previous mtDNA studies of the same samples demonstrate that male and female demographic histories differ substantially in this region. Postmarital residence patterns have strongly influenced genetic structure, with patrilocal and matrilocal populations showing different patterns of male and female gene flow. European contact also had a significant but sex-specific impact due to a high level of male-mediated European admixture. Finally, this study addresses long-standing questions about the history of Iroquoian populations by suggesting that the ancestral Iroquoian population lived in southeastern North America.

A consideration of ethnographic data, computational model results, and archaeological data suggest that changes in family-level economics coincident with subsistence intensification contributed to the emergence of social complexity among... more

A consideration of ethnographic data, computational model results, and archaeological data suggest that changes in family-level economics coincident with subsistence intensification contributed to the emergence of social complexity among prehistoric hunter–gatherers in eastern North America by creating the conditions for a “rich get richer” scenario. Ethnographic data are used to construct a general computational model representing key person- and family-level behaviors, constraints, and decisions affecting the size and composition of hunter–gatherer families. Results from model experiments suggest that lowering the age at which children make a significant contribution to subsistence (e.g., through the broadening of the diet to include the kinds of mass-harvested, “low quality” foods that were increasingly exploited during the Archaic and Woodland periods) relaxes constraints on family size and makes large, polygynous families economically viable. Positive feedbacks between the productive and reproductive potentials of larger families produce right-tailed distributions of family size and “wealth” when the productive age of children is low and polygyny is incentivized. Size data from over 800 prehistoric residential structures suggest right-tailed distributions of family size were present during the Late Archaic through Middle Woodland periods. These distributions would have provided variability in family-based status that permitted the emergence of hereditary social distinctions.

The early Eocene great lakes of the Green River system preserved a rich fauna, allowing detailed study of the paleoecology of the area. Two genera, †Priscacara and †Mioplosus, are interesting because they are among the earliest well-known... more

The early Eocene great lakes of the Green River system preserved a rich fauna, allowing detailed study of the paleoecology of the area. Two genera, †Priscacara and †Mioplosus, are interesting because they are among the earliest well-known representatives of Percoidei sensu lato, and so offer a chance to explore the evolution of the North American fish fauna. A phylogenetic analysis including †Priscacara, †Mioplosus, and representatives of some 'basal' percoid families suggests that †Priscacara is a member of Moronidae, and that †Mioplosus has affinities with Lateolabrax, Siniperca, and Lates. †Priscacara is recovered as paraphyletic relative to the rest of Moronidae, primarily on the basis of meristic characters; in the absence of more robust evidence, both †P. serrata and †P. liops are retained within †Priscacara. The phylogenetic position of †Priscacara suggests a trans-Atlantic connection, because Moronidae contain genera from eastern North America and Europe. †Mioplosus is suggestive of an Asian link to the Eocene Green River system, due to its relationship with the Western Pacific Lateolabrax, the Asian Siniperca, and the African/Asian Lates.

Keywords: CAMP ENA synrift basins Nova Scotia palynology organic matter Triassic-Jurassic boundary In this paper we investigate the stratigraphic relationship between the emplacement of the CAMP basalts and the Triassic-Jurassic (Tr-J)... more

Keywords: CAMP ENA synrift basins Nova Scotia palynology organic matter Triassic-Jurassic boundary In this paper we investigate the stratigraphic relationship between the emplacement of the CAMP basalts and the Triassic-Jurassic (Tr-J) boundary in the Fundy Basin (Nova Scotia, Canada). This is one of the best exposed of the synrift basins of eastern North America (ENA) formed as a consequence of the rifting that led to the formation of the Atlantic Ocean. The Triassic palynological assemblages found in the sedimentary rocks below (uppermost Blomidon Formation) and just above the North Mountain Basalt (Scots Bay Member of the McCoy Brook Formation) indicate that CAMP volcanism, at least in Nova Scotia, is entirely of Triassic age, occurred in a very short time span, and may have triggered the T-J boundary biotic and environmental crisis. The palynological assemblage from the Blomidon Formation is characterised by the dominance of the Circumpolles group (e.g. Gliscopollis meyeriana, Corollina murphyae, Classopollis torosus) which crosses the previously established Tr-J boundary. The Triassic species Patinasporites densus disappears several centimetres below the base of the North Mountain basalt, near the previously interpreted Tr-J boundary. The lower strata of the Scots Bay Member yielded a palynological assemblage dominated by Triassic bisaccate pollens (e.g Lunatisporites acutus, L. rhaeticus Lueckisporites sp., Alisporites parvus) with minor specimens of the Circumpolles group. Examination of the state of preservation and thermal alteration of organic matter associated with the microfloral assemblages precludes the possibility of recycling of the Triassic sporomorphs from the older strata. Our data argue against the previous definition of the Tr-J boundary in the ENA basins, which was based mainly on the last occurrence of P. densus. Consequently, it follows that the late Triassic magnetostratigraphic correlations should be revised considering that chron E23r, which is correlated with the last occurrence of P. densus in the Newark basin, does not occur at the Tr-J boundary but marks rather a late Triassic (probably Rhaetian) reversal.

The Pennsylvanian genus Acitheca Schimper, 1879 is revised based on re-examination of the sterile types, plus evidence from 14 well-preserved fertile and sterile material from Canada and the Czech Republic (n = 750 specimens). Acitheca... more

The Pennsylvanian genus Acitheca Schimper, 1879 is revised based on re-examination of the sterile types, plus evidence from 14 well-preserved fertile and sterile material from Canada and the Czech Republic (n = 750 specimens). Acitheca was an arborescent 15 marattialean fern about 3.5m high with large, tripinnate or quadripinnate fronds which produced Caulopteris-like frond scars on the 16 trunk. Although its reproductive structures are similar to those of Asterotheca Presl, Acitheca differs in a number of characters of 17 the sterile foliage (especially the venation), and its palynology. The veins fork at least twice (except in the smallest pinnules): after 18 the first dichotomy, the upper branch divides and then the lower branch divides, producing polymorphopterid veining pattern. 19 Synangia occur in two rows, one on either side of the midvein, and usually consist of four elongate sporangia that extend beyond 20 the pinnule margin. Recovered in situ spores show a much greater ontogenetic variability than any other known Pennsylvanian 21 marattialean; the size varies from 34 μm to 116μm, and exine ornamentation from laevigate (immature spores), finely 22 microgranulate to scabrate (intermediate spores), to microverrucate-microgranulate (mature spores). Three species are described in 23 the paper: Acitheca polymorpha (Brongniart) Schimper, Acitheca ambigua (Sternberg) Němejc, and a new species Acitheca alii sp. 24 nov. Distributional evidence suggests that Acitheca probably originated in eastern North America and Western Europe in middle 25 Pennsylvanian, and towards the end of it its geographical range had extended to Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and into Permian of 26 China. 27

Throughout much of the Northeast, the early LatePrehistoric period (A.D. 700-1300) is the timewhen evidence for subsistence and settlement traits of Native societies described by early European explorers first appears in the... more

Throughout much of the Northeast, the early LatePrehistoric period (A.D. 700-1300) is the timewhen evidence for subsistence and settlement traits of Native societies described by early European explorers first appears in the archaeological record. Except in the far north, these traits include maize-based agriculture and comparatively large nucleated villages. Our knowledge of these traits grew considerably during the last few decades of the twentieth century, the result of the increased use of flotation recovery for macrobotanical remains, the development of paleoethnobotany, accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating on crop remains, stable carbon isotope analysis (SCIA) of human bone, large-scale cultural resource management excavations, a renewed interest in museum collections, and developments in method and theory.

Dendrochemistry has been used for the historical dating of pollution. Its reliability is questionable due primarily to the radial mobility of elements in sapwood. In the present study, the extractability of seven elements was... more

Dendrochemistry has been used for the historical dating of pollution. Its reliability is questionable due primarily to the radial mobility of elements in sapwood. In the present study, the extractability of seven elements was characterized to assess their suitability for the monitoring of environmental conditions. Nine mature sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum Marsh.), a wide-ranging species in eastern North America that has suff ered decline in past decades, were sampled in three Quebec watersheds along a soil acidity gradient. Five-year groups of annual tree rings were treated by sequential chemical extractions using extractants of varying strength (deionized H 2 O, 0.05 M HCl, and concentrated HNO 3 ) to selectively solubilize the elements into three fractions (water-soluble, acidsoluble, and residual). Monovalent K; divalent Ba, Ca, Cd, Mg, Mn; and trivalent Al cations were found mostly in the watersoluble, acid-soluble, and residual fractions, respectively. Forms more likely to be mobile within the tree (water-soluble and acidsoluble) do not seem to be suitable for temporal monitoring because of potential lateral redistribution in sapwood rings. However, certain elements (Cd, Mn) were responsive to current soil acidity and could be used in spatial variation monitoring. Extractability of Al varied according to soil acidity; at less acidic sites, up to 90% of Al was contained in the residual form, whereas on very acidic soils, as much as 45% was found in the water-soluble and acid-soluble fractions. Sequential extractions can be useful for determining specifi c forms of metals as key indicators of soil acidifi cation.

Birds migrating along coastlines may be at increased risk if displacement occurs toward open-ocean. Eastern North America experiences prevailing northwesterly winds during autumn, which could compel some migrants to drift eastward.... more

Birds migrating along coastlines may be at increased risk if displacement occurs toward open-ocean. Eastern North America experiences prevailing northwesterly winds during autumn, which could compel some migrants to drift eastward. Therefore, migrants at stop-over sites along this route may be a mixture of on-and off-course individuals. We assessed whether orientation behavior of juvenile yellow-rumped warblers (Dendroica coronata) captured at a stop-over site in southern Nova Scotia was related to where they originated from (i.e., likely on/off-course). We hypothesized three scenarios after displacement: 1) continued orientation in the migratory direction selected before displacement, 2) orientation from the new location toward the previous destination, or 3) correction to regain the original pathway. Using stable isotopes, we determined that stop-over migrants originated from nearby areas (and assumed on-course) and as far away as western Hudson Bay, over 1,600 km northwest (and assumed off-course) of the site. We used video-based orientation registration cages to determine an individuals' migratory orientation. Because numerous factors influence migratory orientation (e.g., fuel reserves, celestial cues), we simultaneously assessed the influence of body condition and cloud cover, in addition to geographic origin, on orientation behavior. Individuals that originated closer to the site tended to orient more southwesterly. Orientation directions became increasingly more west-northwesterly the further away an individual originated from the site (i.e., the more likely it was to have been displaced). The result is most consistent with scenario three: individuals from northwest origins likely respond to easterly displacement by orienting westerly to reestablish their previous migratory route.

Arisaema dracontium (green dragon) is a perennial herb that is widely distributed in eastern North America. However, in Canada, at the northern edge of its distribution, the species is designated as ''vulnerable'' with respect to... more

Arisaema dracontium (green dragon) is a perennial herb that is widely distributed in eastern North America. However, in Canada, at the northern edge of its distribution, the species is designated as ''vulnerable'' with respect to conservation status. In natural populations, seedlings are uncommon; the present study was undertaken in order to characterize seed and seedling properties in green dragon. Seeds were sampled from five sites, ranging from Ontario at the northern limit of the distribution range, to Louisiana in the south. Seed germinability ranged from 25 to 55%, depending upon source. Experiments indicated that neither the hard seed coat nor a water-soluble exudate from the seed was responsible for inducing or maintaining dormancy. Patterns of seed germination appear to reflect general climatic conditions at the sites where seeds had originated. Cold stratification at 3ЊC produced significantly greater relative germinability in all seed collections except the most southerly one, from Baton Rouge. These seeds also had a slower overall speed of germination. In contrast, germination of seeds from the most northerly site was promoted by cold stratification and occurred over a relatively brief period. Germination in alternating light and dark conditions decreased the speed of germination compared to germination in the dark, however exposure to light changed the phenology of germination by promoting development of adventitious roots and primary leaves in these seedlings.