I Invertebrates I Special
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A HIGH RESOLUTION PALAEOECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF AN EOCENE FOSSIL LOCALITY FROM QUILCHENA, BRITISH COLUMBIA Glen Harold Guthrie B.A. (Honors) Simon Fraser University 1991 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE in the Department of Biological Sciences @ Glen Harold Guthrie SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY April 1995 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Glen Harold Guthrie Degree: Master of Science Title of Thesis: A HIGH RESOLUTION PALAEOECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF AN EOCENE FOSSIL LOCALITY FROM QUILCHENA, BRITISH COLUMBIA. Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. A. Plant, Assistant Professor - Dr. R. W./Math&wes, Professor, Senior Supervisor Department of Biological Sciences, SFU Dr. R. C. Brooke, Associate Professor Department of Biological Sciences, SFU Dd. J. Driver, Associate Professor ~k~artmentof Archaeology, SFU - - Dr. D. Eberth Tyrell Museum of Paleontology, Alberta Dr. L. F. W. Lesack, Assistant Professor Departments of Geography/l3iological Sciences, SFU Public Examiner PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENSE I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis, project or extended essay (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the 1 ibrary of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of Thesis/Project/Extended Essay A HIGH RESOLIJTION PALAEOECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF AN EOCENE FOSSIL LOCALITY FROM QIJILCHENA, BRITISH COLIMBIA Author: Glen Harold Guthrie (name) April 20, 1995 '-- (date) . iii ABSTRACT An exposure of Eocene lake sediments was systematically analyzed to determine the changing distributions of plants, insects and aquatic vertebrates in order to reconstruct local palaeoenvironments. The Quilchena sediments were deposited in a lake formed by faulting, and incorporate an unusually rich and diverse assemblage of fossil impressions. This locality provided data which enabled testing of a previously proposed model designed to identify distance from shore in Early Tertiary lacustrine deposits based on organic remains. Three source areas are proposed for fossils deposited at the site. Upland taxa include rare occurrences of gymnosperms such as Sequoia, Ginkgo, Picea, and Pseudolarix, whose modern relatives are usually associated with well-drained soils. Riparian taxa include a wide range of deciduous trees and shrubs that would have been associated with floodplains and shorelines, as well as abundant insects including Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Coleoptera. Littoral flora include monocots, floating ferns (Azolla), and the swamp tees Taxodium and Glyptostrobus. Fish, aquatic insects, and a single crocodile tooth are also classified as littoral taxa. The strata at this locality comprise two distinct facies; an older fissile platy shale (facies I), and a younger deposit of blocky shale (facies 2). Marked differences in fossil distributions occur between these facies. Facies 1 is interpreted as an offshore environment with deeper, less turbulent water and facies 2 represents a near-shore location. The transition between facies 1 and 2 is abrupt and several possible interpretations are discussed. The results of this study confirm and expand upon previously proposed distance from shore criteria. Dedicated to my mother Agnes Joy Guthrie and the memory of my father Harold Guthrie Last night in the museum's hall The fossils gathered for a ball. There were no drums or saxophones, But just the clatter of their bones, A rolling, rattling carefree circus Of mammoth polkas and mazurkas. Pterodactyls and brontosauruses Sang ghostly prehistoric choruses. Amid the mastodonic wassail I caught the eye of one small fossil. Cheer up, sad world, he said, and winked- It's kind of fun to be extinct. Ogden Nash (1950) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would first like to take this opportunity to thank my committee members for their support. D. Rolf Mathewes (senior supervisor) introduced me to Quilchena in 1990 and provided incentive and financial support throughout this project. Dr. Jon Driver provided continued support, encouragement and direction with various aspects of this investigation. Thanks also to Dr. David Eberth for extensive reviews of earlier versions of this thesis and geological support. Finally, thanks to Dr. Robert Brooke for his painstaking editorial of the final draft. I would also like to thank Mr. Guy Rose for allowing access to the fossil beds which are located on the Quilchena Cattle Co. Ranch. Three people deserve special mention who essentially contributed support to this project to the degree of which success would not have occurred, in their absence. First, I would like to thank Mrs. Joy Guthrie for financial support throughout the project. Thanks mom. Second, r. Ron Barker contributed extensive supplies and assistance during both field seasons. Lastly, Mr. Andrew Barton unrelentlessly tolerated my requests for equipment and assistance in transportation of supplies to and from the site. His friendship was greatly appreciated. I would also like to take this opportunity top thank Adele Saunders, Mike Will, and Ingrid Nystrom for extensive support throughout the 1991 field season. Also, I wish to extend my appreciation to the countless number of people throughout the Quilchena-Merritt area for their hospitality and friendship during my stay at the site. Final thanks go to Todd Neave, Robert Shortland, and Robert Zanatta who, through their friendship and encouragement, helped me finnish this project. ~obertShortland contributed extensive revisions to an earlier draft and Todd Neave and Robert Zanatta kept telling me it could be done. I guess you were right. Thanks to all. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page ...................................................................................................................... i . Approval Page ........................................................................................................... 11 ... Abstract ...................................................................................................................... 111 Dedication ................................................................................................................. i v Quotation ................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgments ................................................................................................ v i . Table of Contents ................................................................................................... vll List of Tables ..............................................................................................................x List of Figures ........................................................................................................... xi List of Plates ........................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................I Previous Research ..............................................................................................3 Outline of Chapters ............................................................................................4 CHAPTER TWO:GEOLOGICAL SETTING ....................................................6 Regional ...............................................................................................................6 Local ...................................................................................................................... 6 Age ........................................................................................................................ 8 CHAPTERTHREE: FIELD METHODOLOGY .................................................. 9 1991 Field Season ................................................................................................9 1992 Field Season ...............................................................................................10 CHAPTER FOUR: QUILCHENA DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENT ... 12 Lithology and Structures ................................................................................13 Depositional Rate ..............................................................................................14 CHAPTER FIVE: RESULTS ................................................................................ 16 Tap honomy ....................................................................................................... 16 Thanatic Factors .................................................................................. 17 Perthotaxic Factors ............................................................................. 17 Taphic Factors ...................................................................................... 18 Anataxic Factors .................................................................................. 18 Sullegic Factors ...................................................................................