Ecosystem
A community of living organisms that live and interact within a specific environment
Ecozone
Distinct geographic area with specific groups of organisms living together; distinct biomes
Ecotone
Where two ecozones overlap; an area of ecozone transition
Paleoenvironment
Past environmental system
Paleoclimate
Past climate system
Environmental Archaeology
focuses on the interaction between humans and their natural environment
Julian Steward's Take – Cultural Ecology
- cultures in similar environments have similar adaptive
mechanisms
- all adaptations are short lived and constantly
changing
- changes alter existing cultures or make new ones
Karl Butzer's Take – Human Ecology
- interaction between human and non-human communities is
unavoidable
- equilibrium between human societies and environment
can never be reached
Michael Schiffer's Take – Formation Processes
- Relationship between the cultural and natural formation
processes
- Creation of the archaeological record (C and N Transforms)
Foraminifera
A type of single celled organism that can offer insights into coastal environmental formations from their fossilized presence in the area.
Ocean Oxygen Isotope Analysis
Testing for the presence of heavier oxygen isotopes can give insights into paleoclimatological ocean conditions. As the top layer of the ocean freezes during an ice age, concentrations of heavier oxygen in the bottom portions of the ocean increase.
Ice cores
Can give insights into paleoclimatology that has been frozen in time
Saw Tooth curve
a graph that depicts period in time of mass cooling and warming shown through the presence of oxygen isotopes in ice core samples
Current glacial period
Quaternary Ice Age, beginning about 12,000 years ago
Last Glacial period
Pleistocene Ice age
Terraced Slope
A stair-like formation
Soil Horizon
A superpositionary system of describing the depths of soil layer types
O Soil Horizon
Mostly organic top soil (Humus)
A Soil Horizon
Top soil comprising of minerals with organics incorporated
B Soil Horizon
Sub Soil
C Soil Horizon
Parent Material
4 physical evidences of past environments
- Deep sea testing and Ice cores
- Sea level changes
- Formations of glaciers, varves, rivers, and caves
- Sediment and soil features
4 biological evidences of past environments
- Dendrochronological features
- Micro and macro plant remains
- Micro and macro animal remains
- Human activities
Phytoliths
Micro-Botanical remain: mineral deposits sometimes formed in plant tissues that persist after it dies