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Characterizing the Depositional History of Three Ponds, Bath Nature Preserve, Bath, Ohio

Abstract Details

2010, Master of Science, University of Akron, Geology-Earth Science.
The sedimentary record from Bath Pond, a glacially-derived lake in northeastern Ohio, contains a record of the depositional history of the past twelve thousand years. Correlation of this high-resolution record with archaeological and historical records of human activity indicates that cultural transitions preserved in the archaeological record occur during climatic shifts recorded in the sediment record. Bath Pond is the largest (0.06 km2) of five ponds within Bath Nature Preserve(BNP). This study addresses the following questions: 1) how was Bath Pond formed and was it modified by human activity, 2) can we identify natural and anthropogenic land use changes within the depositional basin of the pond, 3) is Bath Pond similar to other ponds within BNP, and 4) what is the depositional history within Bath Pond for the past 4,000years? Bathymetric mapping of the basin indicates that Bath Pond has a single central basin with a small sub-basin along the western edge of the pond, near an outlet to the North Fork of Bath Creek. Based on geochemical analysis of water samples collected over a one-year period, Bath Pond is most similar to Garden Pond, a small natural pond in the eastern portion of BNP. Additionally, both water chemistry and temperature records indicate that Bath Pond has distinct seasonality. During the last seventy years, land use within the drainage basin of Bath Pond, the majority of which is within BNP, has not changed significantly. However, during the same period, land use in the area surrounding BNP has transitioned from a predominantly agriculture based land use to a modified residential land use. Additionally, analyses of glacial tills recovered from two terraces surrounding Bath Pond indicate that the pond was once several meters deeper than at present. A three-meter sediment core was recovered from Bath Pond in September, 2008. This core was analyzed for dry bulk density, percent organic matter, percent carbonate, grain size, elemental composition and biological materials. The core retrieved from Bath Pond records several pre-historic burn events within the area surrounding BNP. These events are correlative with changes in pollen recorded in sediments previously studied from Silver Lake, Logan County, Ohio. The timing and duration of these events, as well as climatic conditions during this time period, coincides with rapid transitions in culture during the Woodland archaeological period in Ohio. These results represent the first geological study of the ponds within BNP and provide a high-resolution interpretation of environmental variation in northeast Ohio.
Lisa Park-Boush, Dr. (Advisor)
Linda Barrett, PhD (Committee Member)
John Szabo, PhD (Committee Member)
136 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kemp, M. L. (2010). Characterizing the Depositional History of Three Ponds, Bath Nature Preserve, Bath, Ohio [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1270834695

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kemp, Matthew. Characterizing the Depositional History of Three Ponds, Bath Nature Preserve, Bath, Ohio. 2010. University of Akron, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1270834695.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kemp, Matthew. "Characterizing the Depositional History of Three Ponds, Bath Nature Preserve, Bath, Ohio." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1270834695

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)