Event Title
Pollen Analysis of a Core from Fresh Pond, North Haven Island, ME
Location
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Start Date
1-5-2014 1:00 PM
End Date
1-5-2014 2:00 PM
Project Type
Poster
Description
North Haven Island, Maine is home to one of the oldest archaeological sites in the region, the Turner Farm site. The earliest occupation of this site is over 6000 years ago. Archaeologists were able to find such ancient remains in part due to the geologic nature of the site. The farm rests on a shell midden which has produced alkaline soils. These soils are ideal for the preservation of materials such as bone, stone and ceramics. Pollen, however, is degraded by alkaline conditions and therefore there is no pollen record for the farm. However, there are locations on the island where the pollen record might be preserved, namely Fresh Pond. Fresh Pond is located about a mile inland from Turner Farm and has a bog at its south-west end. Since the Pond is more acidic than the farm the pollen record should be better preserved here. This fall Dr. Nelsons GE372 class took a core from the bog and produced a macrofossil analysis of the core. The following is a pollen analysis of that same core.
Sponsoring Department
Colby College. Geology Dept.
CLAS Field of Study
Natural Sciences
Event Website
http://www.colby.edu/clas
ID
329
Pollen Analysis of a Core from Fresh Pond, North Haven Island, ME
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
North Haven Island, Maine is home to one of the oldest archaeological sites in the region, the Turner Farm site. The earliest occupation of this site is over 6000 years ago. Archaeologists were able to find such ancient remains in part due to the geologic nature of the site. The farm rests on a shell midden which has produced alkaline soils. These soils are ideal for the preservation of materials such as bone, stone and ceramics. Pollen, however, is degraded by alkaline conditions and therefore there is no pollen record for the farm. However, there are locations on the island where the pollen record might be preserved, namely Fresh Pond. Fresh Pond is located about a mile inland from Turner Farm and has a bog at its south-west end. Since the Pond is more acidic than the farm the pollen record should be better preserved here. This fall Dr. Nelsons GE372 class took a core from the bog and produced a macrofossil analysis of the core. The following is a pollen analysis of that same core.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2014/program/130