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Paleosols of the Interglacial Climates in Canada Document generated on 09/28/2021 2:47 p.m. Géographie physique et Quaternaire Paleosols of the Interglacial Climates in Canada Les paléosols du Canada au cours des périodes interglaciaires Paläoböden zur Zeit der Interglaziale in Kanada Charles Tarnocai The Last? Interglaciation in Canada Article abstract Le dernier (?) interglaciaire au Canada Although paleosols are useful indicators of paleoclimates. it is first necessary to Volume 44, Number 3, 1990 establish the relationships between the northern limits of the various contemporary soils and the pertinent climatic parameters. It is then necessary URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/032836ar to determine the age of the various paleosols and, if possible, their northern DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/032836ar limits. Comparison of the distribution and northern limits of the contemporary soils with the distribution and northern limits of the analogous paleosols then permits the reconstruction of the paleoenvironments. For the purposes of See table of contents comparison the mean annual temperature of the Old Crow area during the Pliocene epoch was also determined (about 4°C) even though this was not an interglacial period. It was found that during the pre-lllinoian interglacial Publisher(s) periods the central Yukon had a mean annual temperature of about 7°C while during the Sangamonian interglacial period it had a mean annual temperature Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal of about - 3°C. During the Holocene epoch, the current interglacial period, the climate has been similar to or only slightly cooler than that existing during the ISSN Sangamonian interglacial period. The fluctuating position of the arctic tree line 0705-7199 (print) (and associated forest soils) during the Holocene epoch, however, indicates 1492-143X (digital) that the climate has also been fluctuating during this time. The paleoclimatic reconstruction presented in this paper also relies heavily on both diagnostic soil features and the soil development during the various interglacial periods. Explore this journal Cite this article Tarnocai, C. (1990). Paleosols of the Interglacial Climates in Canada. Géographie physique et Quaternaire, 44(3), 363–374. https://doi.org/10.7202/032836ar Tous droits réservés © Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 1990 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ Géographie physique et Quaternaire, 1990. vol. 44. n° 3, p. 363-374, 8 fig. PALEOSOLS OF THE INTERGLACIAL CLIMATES IN CANADA* Charles TARNOCAI, Land Resource Research Centre, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C6. ABSTRACT Although paleosols are useful RÉSUMÉ Les paléosols du Canada au ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Palàobôden zur indicators of paleoclimates. it is first necessary cours des périodes interglaciaires. Pour que Zeit der Interglaziale in Kanada. Obwohl to establish the relationships between the les paléosols soient des indicateurs utiles de Palàobôden nutzliche Indikatoren der northern limits of the various contemporary paléoclimats, on doit d'abord établir les rela­ Palâoklimas sind, ist es nôtig. zuerst die soils and the pertinent climatic parameters. It tions entre les limites nordiques des divers Beziehungen zwischen den nôrdlichen is then necessary to determine the age of the sols contemporains et les paramètres clima­ Grenzen der verschiedenen gegenwartigen various paleosols and, if possible, their north­ tiques appropriés. On doit ensuite déterminer Bôden und den betreffenden klimatischen ern limits. Comparison of the distribution and l'âge des divers paléosols et, si possible, leur Parametern herzustellen. Dann muss das northern limits of the contemporary soils with limite nordique. La comparaison entre la Alter der verschiedenen Palàobôden bes- the distribution and northern limits of the anal­ répartition et la limite nordique des sols con­ timmt werden und wenn môglich ihre nôrdli­ ogous paleosols then permits the reconstruc­ temporains et celles des paléosols analoques chen Grenzen. Der Vergleich der Verteilung tion of the paleoenvironments. For the pur­ permet alors d'effectuer une reconstitution des und nôrdlichen Grenzen der gegenwartigen poses of comparison the mean annual paléoenvironnements. Pour fins de comparai­ Bôden mit denjenigen der analogen temperature of the Old Crow area during the son ici, la température moyenne annuelle Palàobôden erlaubt dann, die Palâoumwelten Pliocene epoch was also determined (about dans la région de Old Crow au cours du zu rekonstruieren. Zum Zweck des Vergleichs 4°C) even though this was not an interglacial Pliocène a également été déterminée (environ wurde auch die durchschnittliche period. It was found that during the pre- 4°C), même s'il ne s'agissait pas d'une période Jahrestemperatur in der Gegend von Old lllinoian interglacial periods the central Yukon interglaciaire. On a estimé que, durant les Crow wàhrend des Pliozân bestimmt (unge- had a mean annual temperature of about 7°C périodes interglaciaires pré-illinoiennes. Ie fâhr 4 C), auch wenn dies keine interglaziale while during the Sangamonian interglacial centre du Yukon avait une température Période war. Man fand heraus. dass wàhrend period it had a mean annual temperature of moyenne annuelle d'environ 7"C. alors que der prà-illinoischen interglazialen Perioden im about - 3°C. During the Holocene epoch, the durant l'interglaciaire du Sangamonien. Ia Zentrum von Yukon eine durchschnittliche current interglacial period, the climate has température était d'environ -3°C. Pendant Jahrestemperatur von ungefâhr 7°C herrs- been similar to or only slightly cooler than that l'Holocène, c'est-à-dire la période intergla­ chte, wohingegen es wàhrend des sangamo- existing during the Sangamonian interglacial ciaire actuelle, le climat a été semblable ou nischen Interglazial eine Jahresdurchschnitts- 0 period. The fluctuating position of the arctic très légèrement plus froid que pendant l'inter­ temperatur von ungefâhr — 3 C gab. tree line (and associated forest soils) during glaciaire du Sangamonien. La fluctuation de Wàhrend des Holozan, der gegenwartigen the Holocene epoch, however, indicates that la limite des arbres (et des sols forestiers interglazialen Epoche, war das Klima àhnlich the climate has also been fluctuating during associés) au cours de l'Holocène montre que oder nur leicht kùhler als das, was wàhrend this time. The paleoclimatic reconstruction le climat a également connu des change­ des sangamonischen Interglazial herrschte. presented in this paper also relies heavily on ments. La reconstitution paléoclimatique pré­ Die Fluktuation der arktischen Baumgrenze both diagnostic soil features and the soil sentée repose en outre sur des caractéris­ (und der mit ihr in Verbindung gebrachten development during the various interglacial tiques pédologiques diagnostiques et sur le Waldbôden) wàhrend des Holozan weist periods. développement du profil au cours des diffé­ indessen darauf hin. dass das Klima wàhrend rentes périodes interglaciaires. dieser Zeit auch fluktuierte. Die in diesem Aufsatz vorgestellte palâoklimatische Rekonstruktion ruht auch in bedeutender Masse sowohl auf diagnostischen Boden- Merkmalen wie auf der Boden-Entwicklung wàhrend der verschiedenen interglazialen Perioden. * Land Resource Research Centre Contribution No. 90-40 Manuscrit reçu le 28 décembre 1988; manuscrit révisé accepté le 8 mai 1990 364 C. TARNOCAI INTRODUCTION glacial paleosols are available. This paleosol record provides an excellent opportunity for making predictions and compar­ The use of paleosols in the reconstruction of paleoenviron- isons concerning past climates. ments depends on the ability to recognize them and to ascribe, with confidence, the origin of some of their properties to specific environmental conditions (Valentine etal., 1987; Valentine and Dalrymple, 1975). Paleosols can be identified from pedological GLACIAL AND INTERGLACIAL PERIODS features whose arrangement is logical according to the theories The Pleistocene epoch comprises the major glacial and of soil genesis. Buried paleosols in a geological section can interglacial periods in Canada. During this epoch almost all of be identified with greatest confidence when they are traceable Canada was covered several times by glacial ice. The only laterally to show logical changes in the soil profile character­ unglaciated areas were parts of the western and northwestern istics corresponding to changes in the landscape (Valentine Yukon, the Cypress Hills in southern Alberta and and Dalrymple, 1975). Brewer (1972) pointed out that buried Saskatchewan, and some parts of the arctic islands. The paleosols must be recognized on the basis of the hypothesized Holocene epoch refers to the time since the retreat of the last soil formation rather than on the basis of the occurrence of indi­ ice sheet. Figure 1 shows the glacial and interglacial periods vidual pedological features. and the associated paleosols in chronological order. In order to develop models to reconstruct the environment Most of the evidence for early and middle Pleistocene gla­ under which paleosols developed, analogous modern soils are ciation is
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