A MULTI-PROXY RECONSTRUCTION OF PALEOLIMNOLOGY AND PALEOCLIMATIC VARIABILITY USING AUTHIGENIC LAKE CARBONATES FROM CLELAND LAKE, BRITISH COLUMBIA A dissertation submitted to Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Lorita Nivanthi Mihindukulasooriya December 2014 © Copyright All rights reserved Except for previously published materials Dissertation written by Lorita Nivanthi Mihindukulasooriya B.Sc., University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 2006 M.Sc., Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 2009 Ph.D., Kent State University, 2014 Approved by Dr. Joseph Ortiz, PhD, Department of Geology, Doctoral Advisor Dr. Alison J. Smith, PhD, Department of Geology Dr. Neil Wells, PhD, Department of Geology Dr. Darren Bade, PhD, Department of Biology Dr. Laura Leff, PhD, Graduate Representator, Department of Biology Accepted by Dr. Daniel Holm, PhD, Chair, Department of Geology James L. Blank, PhD, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................................... xi PREFACE....................................................................................................................................................xii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................................... xiii ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................... xvi CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Research Questions and Objectives .......................................................................................................... 1 Study Area ................................................................................................................................................ 2 Geology of the Study Area.................................................................................................................... 3 Lake Hydrologic Properties .................................................................................................................. 7 Research Hypothesis ................................................................................................................................. 8 Holocene Climate of Southern British Columbia: A literature Review .................................................. 10 Late Glacial Climate of British Columbia .......................................................................................... 12 Early Holocene Climate of British Columbia ..................................................................................... 14 Mid Holocene Climate of British Columbia ....................................................................................... 18 Late Holocene Climate of British Columbia ....................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER 2 ............................................................................................................................................... 24 Reconstruction of Late Quaternary paleohydrologic conditions in southeastern British Columbia using visible derivative spectroscopy of Cleland Lake sediment ......................................................................... 24 (Manuscript in review in Quaternary Research) ......................................................................................... 24 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 24 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 25 Study Area .............................................................................................................................................. 27 Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 28 Sediment Core Collection ................................................................................................................... 28 Geochronology .................................................................................................................................... 29 Visible Derivative Spectroscopy ......................................................................................................... 30 X-ray Fluorescence ............................................................................................................................. 31 Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 32 iii Lake Limnological Properties ............................................................................................................. 32 Age Model .......................................................................................................................................... 32 Interpretation of the Principal Components ........................................................................................ 34 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................... 38 Evolution of the Lake Phytoplankton Community over the Holocene ............................................... 38 Paleohydrological Conditions Inferred from Phytoplankton Abundance ........................................... 41 Regional Comparison .......................................................................................................................... 48 Possible Mechanism for the Late Quaternary Drought ....................................................................... 52 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................. 54 CHAPTER 3 ............................................................................................................................................... 56 MODERN HYDROLOGY IN THE PACIFIC NORTWEST DURING THE MID-HOLOCENE ........... 56 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 56 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 57 Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 60 Geochronology .................................................................................................................................... 60 Visible Derivative Spectroscopy ......................................................................................................... 61 Principal Component Analysis............................................................................................................ 61 Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Analysis ................................................................................................. 62 X-ray Fluorescence ............................................................................................................................. 63 Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 63 Present Isotopic Properties of the Lake Water .................................................................................... 63 Age model ........................................................................................................................................... 64 Visible Derivative Spectroscopy and Principal Component Analysis ................................................ 66 Elemental Concentrations ................................................................................................................... 69 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................... 73 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................. 79 CHAPTER 4 ............................................................................................................................................... 81 EFFECT OF MAZAMA TEPHRA ON LAKE SEDIMENTARY COMPOSITION AND PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY ....................................................................................................................................... 81 Abstract ..................................................................................................................................................