Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T03:06:50.780Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Full-Glacial Southwestern United States: Mild and Wet or Cold and Dry?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

R. W. Galloway
R. W. Galloway*
Affiliation:
CSIRO, Division of Water and Land Resources, P.O. Box 1666, Canberra City, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper considers a model of cold and dry full-glacial climates for the southwestern United States in the light of published studies. The evidence from fossil plants is shown to be reconcilable with temperatures some 10°C below their present levels and a concomitant shift of the upper timberline which varied according to regional summer lapse rates. Fossils of “thermophilous” or “mesophytic” plants are cited by some writers as evidence for mild, pluvial conditions although today these plants occur in relatively cold and dry situations. Mean annual and July temperatures for the United States as a whole, derived from the model, are in accord with periglacial and palynological evidence.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , March 1983 , pp. 236 - 248
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barsch, D., Updike, R.G.. 1971. Periglaziale Formung am Kendrick Peak in Nord-Arizona während der letzten Kaltzeit. Geographica Helvetica 26. 99–114.Google Scholar
Beatley, J.C.. 1975. Climate and vegetation pattern across the Mojave/Great Basin transition of southern Nevada. American Midland Naturalist 93. 53–70.Google Scholar
Benson, L.V.. 1978. Fluctuations in the level of pluvial Lake Lahontan during the last 40,000 years. Quaternary Research 9. 300–318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowler, J.M., Hope, G.S., Jennings, J.N., Singh, G., Walker, D.. 1976. Late Quaternary climates of Australia and New Guinea. Quaternary Research 6. 359–394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brakenridge, G.R.. 1978. Evidence for a cold, dry full-glacial climate in the American southwest. Quaternary Research 9. 22–40.Google Scholar
Clark, G.M.. 1968. Sorted patterned ground: New Appalachian localities south of the glacial border. Science 161. 355–356.Google Scholar
Daubenmire, R.. 1954. Alpine timberlines in the Americas and their interpretation. Butler University Botanical Studies 11. 119–136.Google Scholar
Davis, M.B.. 1976. Pleistocene biogeography of temperate deciduous forests. Geoscience and Man 13. 13–25.Google Scholar
Delcourt, P.A., Delcourt, H.R.. 1979. Late Pleistocene and Holocene distributional history of the deciduous forest in the southeastern United States. Veroeffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes der Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule Stiftung Ruebel, in Zuerich 68. 79–107.Google Scholar
Dreimanis, A.. 1977. Late Wisconsin glacial retreat in the Great Lakes region, North America. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 288. 70–89.Google Scholar
Emiliani, C., Routh, C., Stipp, J.J.. 1978. The Late Wisconsin flood into the Gulf of Mexico. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 41. 159–162.Google Scholar
Galloway, R.W.. 1965. A note on world precipitation during the last glaciation. Eiszeitalter und Gegenwart 16. 76–77.Google Scholar
Galloway, R.W.. 1970. The full-glacial climate in the southwestern United States. Annals of the Association of American Geographers 60. 245–256.Google Scholar
Galloway, R.W.. 1971. Evidence for Late Quaternary climates. Aboriginal Man and Environment in Australia. Mulvaney, D.J., Golson, J.. Australian Nat. Univ. Press, Canberra. 14–25.Google Scholar
Gerny, J.S.. 1962. Rainfall and stream flow in South Australia. Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 34. 45–57.Google Scholar
Griggs, R.F.. 1946. The timberlines of North America and their interpretation. Ecology 27. 275–289.Google Scholar
Hanshaw, B.B., Winograd, I.J., Pearson, F.J.. 1980. Stable isotope studies of subglacially precipitated carbonates and of ancient ground water: Paleoclimatic implications. Proceedings of International Meeting on Stable Isotopes in Tree-Ring Research. Jacoby, G.C.New Paltz, New York, May 22–25, 1979 Lamont-Doherty, Geological Observatory, Columbia University, New York. 102–104.Google Scholar
Hare, F.K.. 1977. Late Pleistocene and Holocene climates: Some persistent problems. Quaternary Research 6. 507–518.Google Scholar
Heusser, C.J.. 1977. Quaternary palynology of the Pacific slope of Washington. Quaternary Research 8. 282–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kearney, T.H., Peebles, R.H.. 1951. Arizona Flora. University of California, Berkeley.Google Scholar
Klingman, G.L.. 1979. Winter hardiness of selected American Desert plants. HortScience 14. 131.Google Scholar
Lanner, R.M., Van Devender, T.R.. 1981. Late Pleistocene pinyon pines in the Chihauhuan Desert. Quaternary Research 15. 278–290.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lautensach, H., Bögel, R.. 1956. Der Jahresgang des mittleren geographischen Höhengradienten der Lufttemperatur in den verschiedenen Klimagebeiten der Erde. Erdkunde 10. 270–282.Google Scholar
Martin, P.S., Mehringer, P.J.. 1965. Pleistocene pollen analysis and biogeography of the Southwest. The Quaternary of the United States. Wright, H.E. Jr., Frey, D.G.. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, N.J. 433–451.Google Scholar
Maxwell, J.A., Davis, M.B.. 1972. Pollen evidence of Pleistocene and Holocene vegetation on the Allegheny Plateau, Maryland. Quaternary Research 2. 506–530.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGregor, R.L., Bare, J., Stephens, S.. 1970. New records and notes on vascular plants of Kansas, USA. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 73. 50–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mears, B.. 1981. Periglacial wedges and the Late Pleistocene environment of Wyoming's intermontane basins. Quaternary Research 15. 171–198.Google Scholar
Mifflin, M.D., Wheat, M.M.. 1979. Pluvial lakes and estimated pluvial climates of Nevada. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Bulletin 94. 57.Google Scholar
Mooney, H.A., St. Andre, G., Wright, R.D.. 1962. Alpine and subalpine vegetation patterns in the White Mountains of California. American Midland Naturalist 68. 257–273.Google Scholar
Ore, H.T., Warren, C.N.. 1971. Late Pleistocene-early Holocene geomorphic history of Lake Mojave, California. Geological Society of America Bulletin 82. 2553–2562.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parsons, R.B., Herriman, R.C.. 1976. Geomorphic surfaces and soil development, upper Rogue Valley, Oregon. Soil Science Society of America, Proceedings 40. 933–938.Google Scholar
Peterson, G.M., Webb, T. III, Kutzbach, J.E., Van Der Hammen, T., Wijmstra, T.A., Street, F.A.. 1979. The continental record of environmental conditions at 18,000 yr B.P.: An initial examination. Quaternary Research 12. 47–82.Google Scholar
Péwé, T.L.. 1972. Ice wedge casts and past permafrost distribution in North America. Geoforum 15. 15–26.Google Scholar
Poser, H.. 1948. Boden- und Klimaverhältnisse im Mittel- und West Europa während der Würmeiszeit. Erdkunde 2. 53–68.Google Scholar
Schumm, S.A.. 1965. Quaternary Paleohydrology. Quaternary of the United States. Wright, H.E. Jr., Frey, D.J.. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, N.J. 217–230.Google Scholar
Sirkin, L.. 1977. Late Pleistocene vegetation and environment in the middle Atlantic region. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 288. 206–217.Google Scholar
Smith, H.T.U.. 1965. Dune morphology and chronology in central and western Nebraska. Journal of Geology 73. 557–578.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spaulding, W.G.. 1977. Late Quaternary vegetational change in the Sheep Range, southern Nevada. Journal of the Arizona Academy of Sciences 12. 3–8.Google Scholar
Spear, R.W., Miller, N.G.. 1976. A radiocarbon dated pollen diagram from the Allegheny Plateau of New York State. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University 57. 369–403.Google Scholar
Street, F.A., Grove, A.T.. 1979. Global maps of lake-level fluctuations since 30,000 yr B.P.. Quaternary Research 12. 83–118.Google Scholar
Thom, B.G.. 1970. Carolina Bays in Horry and Marion Counties, South Carolina. Geological Society of America Bulletin 81. 783–814.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Devender, T.R., Freeman, C.E., Worthington, R.D.. 1978. Full-glacial and recent vegetation of Livingstone Hills, Presidio County, Texas. Southwestern Naturalist 23. 289–302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Devender, T.R., Mead, J.I.. 1976. Late Pleistocene and modern plant communities of Shinumo Creek and Peach Springs Wash, lower Grand Canyon, Arizona. Journal of the Arizona Academy of Sciences 11. 16–22.Google Scholar
Van Devender, T.R., Spaulding, W.G.. 1979. Development of vegetation and climate in the southwestern United States. Science 204. 701–710.Google Scholar
Van Devender, T.R., Spaulding, W.G., Phillips, A.M. III. 1979. Late Pleistocene plant communities in the Guadalupe Mountains, Culberson County, Texas. Biological Investigations in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Genoways, H.H., Baker, R.J. Proceedings and Transactions Series No. 4. National Park Service, U.S. Govt. Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 13–30.Google Scholar
Walters, J.C.. 1978. Polygonal patterned ground in central New Jersey. Quaternary Research 10. 42–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wardle, P.. 1965. A comparison of alpine timberlines in New Zealand and North America. New Zealand Journal of Botany 3. 113–135.Google Scholar
Washburn, A.L.. 1980. Permafrost features as evidence of climatic change. Earth-Science Reviews 15. 327–402.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watts, W.A.. 1975a. A late Quaternary record of vegetation from Lake Annie, south-central Florida. Geology 3. 344–346.Google Scholar
Watts, W.A.. 1975b. Vegetation record for the last 20,000 years from a small marsh on Lookout Mountain, northwestern Georgia. Geological Society of America Bulletin 86. 287–291.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watts, W.A.. 1979. Late Quaternary vegetation of central Appalachia and the New Jersey coastal plain. Ecological Monographs 49. 427–469.Google Scholar
Watts, W.A.. 1980. Late Quaternary vegetation history at White Pond on the inner coastal plain of South Carolina. Quaternary Research 13. 187–199.Google Scholar
Wells, P.V.. 1966. Late Pleistocene vegetation and degree of pluvial climatic change in the Chihuahuan. Desert. Science 153. 970–975.Google Scholar
Wells, P.V.. 1979. An equable glaciopluvial in the West: Pleniglacial evidence of increased precipitation on a gradient from the Great Basin to the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts. Quaternary Research 12. 311–325.Google Scholar
Wells, P.V., Berger, R.. 1967. Late Pleistocene history of coniferous woodland in the Mohave Desert. Science 155. 1640–1647.Google Scholar
Wells, P.V., Hunziker, J.H.. 1976. Origin of the creosote bush (Larrea) deserts of southwestern North America. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 63. 843–861.Google Scholar
Wells, P.V., Jorgensen, C.D.. 1964. Pleistocene wood rat middens and climatic change in the Mohave Desert—A record of juniper woodlands. Science 143. 1171–1174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitehead, D.R.. 1973. Late-Wisconsin vegetational changes in unglaciated eastern North America. Quaternary Research 3. 621–631.Google Scholar
Whittaker, R.H., Niering, W.A.. 1965. Vegetation of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona: A gradient analysis of the southern slope. Ecology 46. 429–452.Google Scholar
Williams, M.A.J.. 1975. Late Pleistocene tropical aridity synchronous in both hemispheres?. Nature (London) 253. 617–618.Google Scholar
Yapp, C.J., Epstein, S.. 1977. Climatic implications of D/H ratios of meteoric water over North America (9500–22,000 yr B.P.) as inferred from ancient wood cellulose CH hydrogen. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 34. 333–350.Google Scholar