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