POLLEN ANALYSIS OF AN ARCHAIC CAMPSITE (AR 03-10-08-422) IN LOS ALAMOS COUNTY, NEW MEXICO

Site AR 03-10-08-422 is an Archaic campsite located on a forested slope
in Water Canyon, Los Alamos County, New Mexico. The site is situated on a
southeast-facing slope at an elevation of about 8450 feet above sea level
and displays elements of both the Transition and Canadian vegetation zones
(Friedlander and Pinyan 1980). Weber (1976) assigns plants at this altitude
to the Upper Montane and Lower Subalpine zones. A steep slope rises sharply
from the northern edge of the site, and the talus slope falls steeply into a
canyon a short distance to the south. Archaeologists recorded the following
plant species on and around the site: aspen (Populus tremuloides),
ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), white fir (Abies concolor), Douglas fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), Colorado blue
spruce (Picea pungens), scrub oak (Quercus garnbelli), various grasses
(Graminae), kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), western yarrow (Achillea
lanulosa), strawberry (Fragaria), meadow rue (Thalictrurn), dandelion
(Taraxacum), sedge (Cyperaceae), mountain-lover (Pachistima Inyrinites), and
holly (flex) (L. Smith, personal communication, November 1981). The upper
slopes and wet canyon bottoms also support yellow pine (Pinus scopulorum),
juniper (Juniperus scopulorum), birch (Betula), cottonwood (Populus), willow
(Salix), mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus), wild currant (Ribes), chokecherry
(Prunus) and sumac (Rhus). The sampling of the present ground surface
reflects variation in the associated plant species both above (to the north)
and below (to the south) the site.