Phytolith Record Of Deep-Time Vegetation Dynamics: Early-Late Miocene Of Vasa Park, Washington

Phytolith Record Of Deep-Time Vegetation

Dynamics: Early-Late Miocene Of Vasa Park,

WashingtonTony Jijina1

Caroline Strömberg1,2

Richard Dillhoff2

Thomas Dillhoff2

1 – University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 2- Burke Museum, Seattle, WA

Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum

Oldest

Youngest

Oldest

Youngest

Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum

Vasa Park, WA

Vasa Park, WA

Vasa Park, WA

VASA PARK

Outline-Geology-Phytolith-Macroflora-Pollen-Conclusions

Vasa Park Beds

Haugerud et al., 2003

40Ar/39Ar dating:11.4 Ma

Vasa Park Beds

late Miocene

Vasa Park Beds

Macrofossils

Vasa Park Beds

Pollen andPhytolith

Vasa Park Beds

Outline-Geology- 11.4 Ma, 3 lines of fossil evidence

-Phytolith

What is a Phytolith?

10µm

What is a Phytolith?

10µm

10µm

What is a Phytolith?

Methods

10µm

Preliminary Phytolith Data

VS.

10µm

Forest Indicator Grassland Indicator

Phytolith

Preliminary Phytolith Data

Preliminary Phytolith Data

Preliminary Phytolith Data

Oldest

Youngest

ForestIndicator

Preliminary Phytolith Data

Oldest

Youngest PACMADGrass(Warm-adapted)

After Hunt (1990)

Preliminary Phytolith Data

Outline-Geology- 11.4 Ma, 3 lines of fossil evidence

-Phytolith- Forest dominated, warm-adapted grasses

-Macroflora

After Hunt (1990)

Preliminary Macroflora Data

Outline-Geology- 11.4 Ma, 3 lines of fossil evidence

-Phytolith- Forest dominated, warm-adapted grasses

-Macroflora- Woody, riparian vegetation

-Pollen

Pollen

Preliminary Pollen Data

After Hunt (1990)

Preliminary Pollen Data

Summary-Geology- 11.4 Ma, 3 lines of fossil evidence

-Phytolith- Forest dominated, warm-adapted grasses

-Macroflora- Woody, riparian vegetation

-Pollen- Lower: dominated by upland conifer- Upper: dominated by lowland floodplane vegetation

Future Work-Address climate in late Miocene of Pacific Northwest

AcknowledgementsFRIENDS, FAMILY, AND COLLABORATORS

Brian SherrodSusie WinkowskiJohnathan HagerBrian BuchwitzRegan DunnElisha HarrisMarijana Surkovic DavisAvery Cook ShinnemanStephanie Zaborac-ReedDon HopkinsJeff BencaErik FredricksonKim SmithThien-Y LeJanine JijinaHenryHannah Ginn

SUPPORT AND FINANCINGStrömberg LabVasa Park ResortBurke Museum of Natural History and CultureMary Gates Research Grant ScholarshipHoward Hughes Medical InstituteUniversity of Washington Department of BiologyThe Geological Society of America Travel Grant