POLLEN AND MACROFLORAL ANALYSIS OF SEVERAL HEARTH FEATURES FROM WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT, NEW MEXICO

White Sands National Monument is located in the Tularosa Valley of south-central New
Mexico. The Monument is situated entirely within the northern reaches of the Chihuahuan
Desertscrub biome. Because the Tularosa Basin has no external drainage, plants tend to be
dominated by halophytic types including four-wing saltbush, and alkalai sacaton. The water table
in the basin is perched upon an impermeable clay layer that allows plant types such as sumac and
cottonwood, normally found in more moist environments, to grow in the area. Ten hearths
pedestaled in indurated selenite evaporites were sampled for pollen and macrobotanical remains.
These samples were analyzed in order to determine season of hearth use, environmental
conditions, and economic use of plants in the features.