Late Pleistocene Vertebrates and Other Fossils from Epiguruk, Northwestern Alaska

Quaternary Research
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Abstract

Sediments exposed at Epiguruk, a large cutbank on the Kobuk River about 170 km inland from Kotzebue Sound, record multiple episodes of glacial-age alluviation followed by interstadial downcutting and formation of paleosols. Vertebrate remains from Epiguruk include mammoth, bison, caribou, an equid, a canid, arctic ground squirrel, lemmings, and voles. Radiocarbon ages of bone validated by concordant ages of peat and wood span the interval between about 37,000 and 14,000 yr B.P. The late Pleistocene pollen record is dominated by Cyperaceae, with Artemisia, Salix, Betula, and Gramineae also generally abundant. The fossil record from Epiguruk indicates that the Kobuk River valley supported tundra vegetation with abundant riparian willows during middle and late Wisconsin time. Large herbivores were present during the height of late Wisconsin glaciation as well as during its waning stage and the preceding interstadial interval. The Kobuk River valley would have been a favorable refugium for plants, animals, and possibly humans throughout the last glaciation.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Late Pleistocene Vertebrates and Other Fossils from Epiguruk, Northwestern Alaska
Series title Quaternary Research
DOI 10.1006/qres.1993.1045
Volume 39
Issue 3
Year Published 1993
Language English
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Quaternary Research
First page 381
Last page 389
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