PALEOECOLOGICAL STUDIES OP THREE LATE-QUATERNARY LACUSTRINE DEPOSITS PROM THE KINGSTON REGION AND SOME GEOCHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS OP BOTTOM SURFACE SEDIMENTS OP LAKES PROM SOUTHWESTERN QUEBEC by Marcel H. Ouellet A thesis submitted to the Graduate School of Ottawa University in partial fulfillment for the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 1973 Supervisor ^ Candidate0^" (2) Marcel H. Ouellet, Ottawa, Canada, 1974. UMI Number: DC53762 INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI® UMI Microform DC53762 Copyright 2011 by ProQuest LLC All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 To Professors: Leblanc Reed Dickman This thesis having been approved in respect to form and mechanical execution is referred to you for judgment upon its substantial merit. Dean Approved as satisfying in substance the doctoral thesis requirement of the University Ottawa. Major Professor Date of Examination. Peb. , 5 19 7^ II ABSTRACT The main purpose of this work is to investigate Late-Quaternary lacustrine sediments by using three quanti­ tative and qualitative methods (palynology, malacology and geochemistry) so as to promote a better understanding of the limnological evolution of lakes. Three lacustrine deposits from the Kingston Region were each sampled, radiocarbon- dated and analyzed stratigraphically for more than 50 parameters. The present study suggests the existence of an abundant aquatic vegetation in Atkins Lake, Grady Lake and in the Cataraqui River Marsh 11,100+270, 10,500+180 and 10,200+180 years ago respectively, bordered by a forest- tundra quite similar to the one prevailing today in the Canadian Low Arctic. Stratigraphic variations in pollen types such as spruces, pines and thermophilous hardwood trees suggest several climatic oscillations prior to colonial time in the Kingston Region. The quantitative distribution of 27 different molluscan species and forms from the Atkins Lake deposit does not correlate with the climatic fluctuations detected by pollen analysis. The mollusc abundance associated largely with the marly sediments seem to be inversely proportional to the paleoproductivity of the deposit which was estimated by the sedimentary chlorophyll degradation products. Ill The bottom surface sediments of nine Gatlneau Area lakes were analyzed chemically so as to facilitate geochemical interpretation of the three fossil sites from the Kingston Region. The results show that the trophic level of a lake can be grossly characterized by the composition of its sediments. The stratigraphic composition of each deposit demons­ trates the high sensitivity of lakes to allochthonous and autochthonous ecological changes. IV RESUME Le but principal de cette etude multidisciplinaire de depots lacustres d'age quaternaire superieur est de retracer 1*evolution limnologique des lacs au moyen de trois methodes paleoecologiques (palynologie, malacologie et geochimie). Des carottes de sediments provenant de trois depots de la region de Kingston ont ete prelevees, datees au moyen du radiocarbon et analysees stratigraphi- quement pour plus de 50 parametres chacune. Cette etude revele 1'existence d'une vegetation abondante dans les lacs Atkins et Grady ainsi que dans le marais de la riviere Cataraqui il y a 11,100+270, 10,500+180 et 10,200+180 annees respectivement. Pendant le retrait de la calotte glaciaire, une vegetation hemiarctique a graduellement envahi la region de Kingston, Les variations stratigraphiques dans les spectres sporo-polliniques demontrent que plusieurs fluctuations climatiques se sont succedees avant l'avenement de la colonisation. La distribution quantitative de 27 differentes especes et formes de mollusques des sediments du lac Atkins ne semble pas etre attribuable aux diverses fluctuations climatiques. La distribution stratigraphique des mollusques, associee principalement a. des sediments marneux, est inversement proportionnelle a la paleoproductivite du lac determinee par le biais des produits de degradation de la chlorophylle , V Les analyses chimiques des sediments de surface preleves dans neuf lacs de la region de la Gatineau et qui semblent refleter le niveau trophique de ces lacs ont facilite 1'interpretation geochimique des trois depots du Quaternaire superieur de la region de Kingston. Les analyses des profils des trois depots lacustres demontrent que la productivity des lacs est fortement influencee par les changements ecologiques allochtones et autochtones. VI ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to Professors F. Leblanc and J. Terasmae who gave sustained direction to the research program. Appreci­ ation is also expressed to Professors M. Dickman, D.G. Frey, A. La Rocque, D.A. Livingstone, R.M. Reed, P. Richard, J.C. Ritchie and to Dr. A. H. Clark Jr. and Rev. H.B. Herrington for discussion and helpful suggestions, I would also thank C. Durham, R.M. Mott and G. Godbout for assistance in some la­ boratory works. To many others I also owe much, particularly to my wife, Suzanne, for her understanding and for countless hours of editing and typing. Finally I wish to thank the Geological Survey of Canada for providing field and laboratory facilities during summers 1966 and 1967 and the Quebec Department of Education for some financial support through grants 13350 and 67233-0053. VII TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE TITLE j ABSTRACT XI RESUME iV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS VI TABLE OF CONTENTS VII LIST OF TABLES XI LIST OF FIGURES XIII LIST OF PLATES XVI I. INTRODUCTION A. General Theoretical Considerations 1 1. Palynology 2 2. Malacology 7 3. Geochemistry 11 B. The Study Area 1. Location and Description of Sites 16 2. Geological Setting 26 3. Quaternary History 29 k. Drainage 31 5. Early Development 31 6. Modern Climate 33 7. Present Vegetation 35 II. REVIEW OF PERTINENT LITERATURE A. Palynology *H B. Malacology ^7 VIII C. Geochemistry 51 1. Trace Elements 51 2. General Chemistry 55 3. Sedimentary Chlorophyll Degradation Products 6l III. STUDY PROCEDURES A- Palynology 66 B. Malacology 70 C. Geochemistry 72 1. Trace Elements 72 2. General Cherai stry 7k- 3. Sedimentary Chlorophyll Degradation Products 77 IV. RESULTS A. Description, Stratigraphy and C-lk- Dates of Sites 82 1. Cataraqui River Marsh , . , 8?. ?., Grady Lake , . 84* 3. Atkins Lake °,7 B. Description of Pollen Diagrams 89 C. Description of Malacodiagram from Atkins Lake Deposit 95 D. Description of Trace Element Diagram from Atkins Lake deposit 100 E. Description of Bottom Surface Sediments of Lakes from the Gatineau Area. 104 1. Traverse of Meach Lake 104 a. General chemistry 107 b. Sedimentary Chlorophyll Degrada­ tion Products 109 IX 2. Sample from center of Lakes 109 a. General chemistry Ill b. Sedimentary chlorophyll degradation products 112 F. Description of General Chemical Diagrams 112 1. Cataraqui River Marsh 113 2. Grady Lake 120 3. Atkins Lake 126 G. Description of Pigment Diagrams 132 1. Cataraqui River Marsh 133 2. Grady Lake 137 3. Atkins Lake 140 V. FACTOR ANALYSIS OF RESULTS A. Bottom Surface Sediments of Lakes from the Gatineau Area 148 1. Meach Lake 149 2. Gatineau Area Lakes 153 B. Fossil Samples l6l 1. Cataraqui River Marsh l6l 2. Grady Lake 174 3. Atkins Lake 182 VI. DISCUSSION A. Modern Sediments from the Gatineau Lakes 193 1. Meach Lake 193 2. Sample from center of lakes 195 B. Fossil Samples 202 1. Palynology 202 2. Malacology 216 3. Geochemistry 222 X a. Cataraqui River Marsh 223 b. Grady Lake 226 c. Atkins Lake 229 aa. General chemistry and SCDP 229 bb. Trace elements 232 VII . REGIONAL CORRELATIONS AND LATE-GLACIAL HISTORY 239 VIII . SUMMARY AND GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 245 IX . REFERENCES 248 X . APPENDIX A. Systematic Paleontology of the Mollusc Fauna of Atkins Lake Deposit 278 B. Tables 3l4 C. Plates 386 XI LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1. Important climatic factors from the Kingston Region.. 314- 2. Volume of sediments used for each molluscan spectrum. 315 3. Statistics for 12 determinations of SCDP for aliquots of an homegenous sediment sample 315 4. Statistics of control sample for SCDP determinations. 316 5. Records of arboreal pollen types from Cataraqui River Marsh 317 6. Records of non-arboreal pollen types from Cataraqui River Marsh 319 7. Records of arboreal pollen types from Grady Lake 321 8. Records of non-arboreal pollen types from Grady Lake. 324 9. Records of arboreal pollen types from Atkins Lake.... 327 10. Records of non-arboreal pollen types from Atkins Lake 329 11. Molluscan records from Atkins Lake 331 12. Trace element concentrations from Atkins Lake 335 13. Records of general chemistry and SCDP from Meach Lake surface sediments. 340 14. Records of general chemistry and SCDP of surface sediments of lakes from the Gatineau Area 343 15. Records of general chemistry and SCDP from Cataraqui River Marsh 346 16. Records of general chemistry and SCDP from Grady Lake 357 17. Records of general chemistry and SCDP from Atkins Lake 370 18. Molluscan assemblage from various parts of Eastern North America 378 XII Trace element concentrations found in shells of Valvata tricarinata simplex and V. tricarinata trlcarinata 383 Hypothetical climatic factors of late-glacial pollen zones A-l and A-2 384 Radiocarbon dates suggesting maximum age of Champlain Sea 3q5 Radiocarbon dates suggesting the Upper St.Lawrence River free of ice 385 XIII LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. Index map of the Great Lakes-St.Lawrence Region 17 2. Map of the Kingston Region 18 3. Map of the Cataraqui River Marsh 19 4-. Photo of Cataraqui River Marsh 20 5.