A study of the composition, characteristics, and origin of modern driftwood on the western coast of Nunavik (Quebec, Canada)

Abstract

Data concerning driftwood is of value to researchers in fields as diverse as oceanography, geomorphology, and human occupation. Yet studies on the subject in the Canadian Arctic have only recently been carried out, and the present study is the first in Nunavik (northeastern Canada). This paper documents the composition, characteristics, and origin of modern driftwood pieces on the beaches of the eastern coast of Hudson Bay. A total of 1057 samples from Ivujivik, Akulivik, Inukjuak, and Umiujaq were identified as belonging to four coniferous species (Picea sp., Larix sp., Abies sp. likely balsamea, and Thuja sp. likely occidentalis) and four deciduous species (Salix sp., Populus sp., Alnus sp., and Betula sp., likely papyrifera). Spruce largely predominate; white birch, white cedar, and fir are rare. The presence of the latter species proves that some of the wood originated from south-southeast of James Bay. Driftwood found in the southern area (Umiujaq) are more numerous, larger, and less degraded than driftwood in the north (Ivujivik). However, many large coniferous samples were found as far north as Akulivik, indicating that they likely traveled a great distance, unlike the smaller wood specimens (especially deciduous samples). All of the wood that we analyzed died relatively young, with an average age of 63 years for conifers and 23 years for deciduous. Measurements of ring widths and the cross-dating of samples with existing reference chronologies of living trees along Hudson Bay and James Bay revealed several possible correlations and origins for wood found in same areas.

Short communication: Driftwood provides reliable chronological markers in Arctic coastal deposits

“…This is especially useful in brackish coastal environments in the proximity to major rivers and other sources of old carbon (Forman and Polyak, 1997;Dumond and Griffin 2002;Grigoriev et al, 2004). Alternatively, well-preserved driftwood can be dated by cross-correlating their tree-ring width measurements against independent, species-specific reference chronologies from the boreal catchments (Hellmann et al, 2013;, often yielding indication on the age of the outermost tree ring with a resolution of years to decades (Eggertson, 1994;Johansen, 1998;Steelandt et al, 2015).…”

Ancient arctic pyro-technologies: Experimental fires to document the impact of animal origin fuels on wood combustion

“…While spruce (Picea sp.) largely dominates Arctic driftwood deposits (Alix, 2005;Steelandt et al, 2015), our results suggest that the high ratio of spruce charcoal regularly identified in archaeological sites of northwestern coastal Alaska where fat is omnipresent as fuel, may also result from issues of differential species preservation leading to an overrepresentation of spruce. However, it may also reflect a deliberate selection of the abundant spruce driftwood preferred for certain hearths functions.…”

Paaliup Qarmangit 1 site geoarchaeology: Taphonomy of a Thule‐Inuit semi‐subterranean dwelling in a periglacial context in northeastern Hudson Bay

“…Steelandt et al () have also shown that the buoyancy of wood decreases rapidly with a decrease in volume. Given the main water currents traveling north along the eastern shore of James Bay and Hudson Bay, Juniperus driftwood may have originated from the southern coastal region of Hudson Bay which is close to the tree line and near the village of Umiujaq (about 600 km south of Kuuvik Bay; Steelandt et al, ). Its scarcity is probably linked to the low volume of wood from this shrub species and the resulting low buoyancy.…”

“…Because the site is located in shrub tundra above the tree line for forest‐tundra species, and since no significant evolution of the tree line occurred over the last 3800 years in Nunavik (Payette & Lavoie, ), the charcoal likely originated from driftwood. However, Alix () noted the low prevalence of driftwood in the North American Arctic and there is almost no Juniperus driftwood in Steeland's collection, which includes driftwood from the Akulivik and Ivujivik regions (Steelandt, Marguerie, Bhiry, & Delwaide, ). Steelandt et al () have also shown that the buoyancy of wood decreases rapidly with a decrease in volume.…”

“…However, Alix () noted the low prevalence of driftwood in the North American Arctic and there is almost no Juniperus driftwood in Steeland's collection, which includes driftwood from the Akulivik and Ivujivik regions (Steelandt, Marguerie, Bhiry, & Delwaide, ). Steelandt et al () have also shown that the buoyancy of wood decreases rapidly with a decrease in volume. Given the main water currents traveling north along the eastern shore of James Bay and Hudson Bay, Juniperus driftwood may have originated from the southern coastal region of Hudson Bay which is close to the tree line and near the village of Umiujaq (about 600 km south of Kuuvik Bay; Steelandt et al, ).…”