Comparative radiocarbon dating of terrestrial plant macrofossils and aquatic moss from the “ice-free corridor” of western Canada

Research Article| September 01, 1987 Comparative radiocarbon dating of terrestrial plant macrofossils and aquatic moss from the "ice-free corridor" of western Canada G. M. MacDonald; G. M. MacDonald 1Department of Geography, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. P. Beukens; R. P. Beukens 2Isotrace Laboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W. E. Kieser; W. E. Kieser 2Isotrace Laboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar D. H. Vitt D. H. Vitt 3Department of Botany, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information G. M. MacDonald 1Department of Geography, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada R. P. Beukens 2Isotrace Laboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada W. E. Kieser 2Isotrace Laboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada D. H. Vitt 3Department of Botany, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1987) 15 (9): 837–840. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1987)152.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation G. M. MacDonald, R. P. Beukens, W. E. Kieser, D. H. Vitt; Comparative radiocarbon dating of terrestrial plant macrofossils and aquatic moss from the "ice-free corridor" of western Canada. Geology 1987;; 15 (9): 837–840. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1987)152.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract In order to assess the reliability of aquatic moss for radiocarbon dating, 14C analyses were performed on a stratigraphic series of terrestrial plant macrofossils and samples of Drepanocladus crassicostatus from a small, hard-water lake (pH = 8.2) in the "ice-free corridor" of Alberta. All 14C dating was done by using accelerator mass spectrometry. Mazama Ash provided an independent chronological control. The aquatic bryophyte samples consistently produced 14C ages significantly older than the terrestrial macrofossils. The relation between the radiocarbon dates from the macrofossils and the moss was not linear, and age differences ranged from approximately 1400 to 6400 yr. The 14C content of D. crassicostatus growing in the lake at present was less than 85% modern. Despite the apparent inability to take up 14C-deficient carbon by the direct incorporation of bicarbonate, the bryophytes clearly do not provide reliable material for 14C dating. The 14C deficiency of aquatic mosses may be explained by the generation of 14C-deficient CO2 through isotopic exchange, the formation of CO2 from bicarbonate by chemical processes, and metabolic CO2 production. These results demonstrate the potential unreliability of 14C dates from aquatic mosses and raise serious concerns about the deglaciation dates from the ice-free corridor that were obtained from aquatic Drepanocladus. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.