A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE CLAMP AND PALEOSOL PALEOCLIMATE DATA OF THE MIOCENE IN REGARDS TO MAT

CLAMP or Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program, is a program that allows us to score fossil characteristics of angiosperms so that we can use the angiosperm fossils as a paleoclimate proxy. It is through the comparison of the CLAMP and paleosol data, in regards to MAT, that I will not only be able to better understand the relationship between biotic responses of leaf shape due to MAT climate changes; but I will also be able to observe the accuracy of angiosperms leaf fossils as a paleoclimate proxy.

I collected: 35 fossil images from Stinkingwater Creek Oregon, 26 fossil images from Succor Creek Oregon, 27 fossil images from Trout Creek Oregon and 10 fossil images from Thorn Creek, Idaho. Making use of the resources of the CLAMP website, I was able to hand score the fossil images and generate the information needed for this study. Using the MAT generated by the CLAMP method, I was then able to compare it to the MAT presented in the paleosol record.

The Succor Creek is 16.7 my old, Early Miocene and its MAT is 12.56. The Trout Creek is 13.1 my old, Middle Miocene and its MAT is 16.01. The Stinkingwater Creek is 12.1 my old, Middle Miocene and its MAT is 12.01. The Thorn Creek is 11.8 my old, Middle Miocene and its MAT is 14.77.

The CLAMP data appears to be consistent with the paleosol record. The Trout and Thorn Creek do not overlap the paleosol data but it does follow the trend. In the future, it would be advantageous to adapt the CLAMP program in order to include paleoclimate information from gymnosperms in order to widen our availability and accuracy of paleoclimate proxies and to gain a better understanding of the biotic response of gymnosperms in relation to MAT climate changes.