Fossiliferous Pleistocene sediments are present in western mainland Nova Scotia and on Cape Breton Island. Two ages of deposits are represented: post-glacial in the Minas Basin area and mid-Wisconsinan in the Yarmouth–Digby area and Cape Breton. The mid-Wisconsinan age is based on both radiocarbon and U–Th dates. Molluscan assemblages indicate water temperatures colder than at present at the time of deposition of the post-glacial sediments, and comparable to the present for the older deposits. Assemblages from the Yarmouth–Digby area are compared with those of similar age from Tobaccolot Bay, Long Island, New York, and from Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. Foraminifera, previously unreported, were found in sediments of both ages.
The Champlain Sea was a body of water of varying salinity that covered parts of the present Ottawa -St. Lawrence Lowland from about 11,500 years B.P. to between 8,000 and 9,000 years B.P. Fossil s are widespread throughout the a rea and have been the subject of
numerous studies since 1837. A comprehensive listing of previous records has been issued separately, and this report presents the results of more recent field work. Species examined by the writer are described and illustrated. The faunal assemblages indicate that the Champlain Sea was shallow, with
the salinity of the water ranging from almost fresh in the upper reaches of the Ottawa River and Lake Champlain areas of inundation, to more nearly marine in the Quebec City a rea. Water temperatures were boreal in the earlier stages of the sea and later became more temperate. An attempt to
establish precise temperatures by 0 18 isotope determinations was not successful.
Molluscs were obtained from 515 of the 657 grab samples collected 1970-1972 inclusive from southeastern Beaufort Sea, from 29 of the 46 cores taken in the area, and from raised marine deposits at Kay Point and on Herschel Island, Yukon Territory. One hundred and one species have been identified. Water depth was apparently the major factor controlling species distribution. Holocene sea levels, determined by comparing core faunas with the established depth ranges for living specimens, are considered to be reasonably accurate for near-shore sites, but yield excessively shallow water depth figures for deep stations (outer shelf and slope). The anomalous results are probably related to offshore transport of shallow water species.On a recolte des mollusques dans 515 des 657 echantillons preleves au fond de la partie sud-est de la mer de Beaufort de 1970 a 1972, dans 29 des 46 carottes prises dans cette region et dans les dep8ts marins emerges a Kay Point et sur I'ile de Herschel au Yukon. On a identifie cent une especes. La profondeur de I'eau a apparemment ete le facteur principal qui a contr8le la distribution des especes. Les niveaux marins durant I'Holocene, determines par comparaison de la faune dans les carottes avec I'habitat connu des especes vivantes, semblent i'tre raisonnablement precis pour les sites a proximite du rivage mais indiquent des valeurs de profondeur d'eau trop faibles pour les sites plus profonds (rebord de la plateforme et pente continentale). Les anomalies dans les resultats sont probablement attribuables au transport vers le large d'especes evoluant en eau peu profonde.
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