CONIFER STOMATE ANALYSIS AS A PALEOECOLOGICAL TOOL - AN EXAMPLE FROM THE HUDSON-BAY LOWLANDS

The identification of conifer stomata in fossil pollen preparations of peat cores from the Hudson Bay Lowlands is used to determine the loca l presence of conifers in lieu of macrofossil analyses. The differenti ation of eight conifer stomate types (Picea type, Larix laricina, Pinu s sp., Abies sp., Tsuga mertensiana, Tsuga heterophylla, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, and Thuja type) is accomplished with a key, diagrammati c stomate illustrations, photographs, and measurements. Results of fos sil conifer-stomate analyses indicate that both Picea and Larix arrive d locally in the Albany River area of the Hudson Bay Lowlands about 48 00 BP. In the Old Man Bog area, Larix arrived earlier, about 6000 BP, but Picea arrived more than 2000 years later (3700 BP). Fossil stomate and pollen results are compared.