POLLEN AND MACROFLORAL ANALYSIS FOR SIX SITES IN THE SEEDSKADEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE PROJECT, GREEN RIVER BASIN, WYOMING

Samples from Sites 48SW10888, 48SW10893, 48SW9251, 48SW10233, 48SW10248, and 48SW6454 were analyzed for pollen and macrofloral remains. These sites are part of the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge project along the Green River in the Green River Basin of southwest Wyoming. Pollen samples were examined from stratigraphic columns and features at these sites. Vegetation and paleoenvironmental reconstructions were made from stratigraphic pollen records. he stratigraphic pollen records act as proxy data for reconstructing the paleoenvironment. Paleoclimatic reconstructions, provided by Bryson and Bryson (1997) will be compared with the stratigraphic pollen data to explore more fully interpretations of the paleoenvironment. In addition, comparison of pollen samples from features with stratigraphic samples should provide information concerning plant rocessing within individual features. Macrofloral analysis of feature fill and botanic specimens will provide information concerning plant resources that were utilized by the Late Prehistoric occupants of these sites. The focus of this research was on reconstructing the riverine environment and assessing use of local resources by the prehistoric populations that lived there.