Environmental Impacts on the Development and Dune Activity of Oxbow Lake along the Southwest Coast of Lake Michigan at Saugatuck, Michigan USA

Coastal dunes of Lake Michigan and corresponding down-wind lakes are studied for links between dune activity and climatic forcing; to date, little is certain about climate control on dune activity. By unveiling relationships between climate variables and dune activity, it becomes possible to associate the activity of dunes with certain climatic conditions. In this study wind, temperature, precipitation, drought, evaporation, and lake level are correlated individually with 210Pb/137Cs/7Be dated sand deposits from core samples taken in a small lake in the lee side of a dune ridge near Saugatuck, Michigan. Linear regressions were run to evaluate the strength of their relationship year-by-year, and offsets of one to two years. Visual correlations were also attempted by evaluating the trends in the annular data sets. While year-by-year R2 values were not strong, or mixed results made them inconclusive, visually examined trends showed more promising correlations. The strongest correlations existed between sand percent by weight, drought, and lake level. Discrepancies between trends were acceptable within the limits of associated error with isotopic dating methods, and showed a relationship between rising or high lake levels, wet conditions, and strong eolian activity (based on increased presence of sand in lake sediment). The implications of this research are that dune activity is linked to periods of wet conditions and storminess, and results can be used as a modern analogue for coastal dune activity during times of high lake level.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geology

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Toledo

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Baca, Kira J.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Fisher, Timothy

• Geomorphology
• Geological
• Geology
• Geography
• Climate Change
• Earth
• Environmental Geology
• Environmental Science
• Paleoclimate Science
• dune
• climate
• coastal
• Michigan
• Lake Michigan
• Oxbow Lake
• Suagatuck
• coastal processes
• sand signals
• Glew
• Livingstone
• eolian
• Pb210
• age dating
• gamma spectroscopy

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: some rights reserved. It is licensed for use under a Creative Commons license. Specific terms and permissions are available from this document's record in the OhioLINK ETD Center.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1365161018

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:toledo1365161018