Estimating past precipitation and temperature from fossil ostracodes

Conference · Sat Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:60984

Smith, A J ^[1]; Forester, R M ^[2]

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1. Kent State Univ., OH (United States)
2. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)

The fossil records of certain aquatic organisms provide a way of obtaining meaningful estimates of past temperature and precipitation. These estimates of past environmental conditions are derived from multivariate statistical methods that are in turn based on the modern biogeographic distributions and environmental tolerances of the biota of interest. These estimates are helpful in conducting slimate studies as part of the Yucca Mountain site characterization. Ostracodes are microscopic crustaceans that produce bivalved calcite shells which are easily fossilized in the sediments of the lakes and wetlands in which the animals lived. The modern biogeographic distribution and environmental conditions of living ostracodes are the basis for the interpretation of the past environmental conditions of the fossil ostracodes. The major assumption in this method of interpretation is that the environmental tolerances of ostracodes have not changed substantially over thousands of years. Two methods using these modern analogs to determine past environmental conditions are the modern analog method and the range method. The range method also considers the information provided by fossil ostracode assemblages that have no modern analog in today`s world.

• Research Organization: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), New York, NY (United States); American Nuclear Society (ANS), La Grange Park, IL (United States)
• OSTI ID: 60984
• Report Number(s): CONF-940553-Vol.4; CNN: Grant EAR-9210832; TRN: 94:010821-0094
• Resource Relation: Conference: International high-level radioactive waste management conference, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 22-26 May 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of High Level Radioactive Waste Management: Proceedings of the fifth annual international conference. Volume 4; PB: 1048 p.
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
CRUSTACEANS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
POPULATION DENSITY
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
CLIMATIC CHANGE
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
SHELLS
FOSSILS
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
Yucca Mountain Project