Culture and Ecology of Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin

ContentsLIST OF FIGURES ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. viiLIST OF TABLES ..................................................... xiPREFACE ., ....................................................... xiiiACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................. xvii1. THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CHACO PROJECT ....................... 1Background to the Chaco Project ...................................... 4The Chaco Prospectus ............................................. 7Methods ...................................................... 8Remote Sensing Techniques ..................................... 8Survey Techniques ......................................... 12Excavations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15Analytical Techniques ....................................... 16Summary ................................................ 18Organization of This Volume. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 192. THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE CHACO AREA ..... 21The Historic Setting ............................................ " 21Geology ................................................ 22Climate ................................................. 31Hydrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 34Soils. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 36Flora .................................................. 37Fauna .................................................. 43Summary ................................................ 45Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions ................................... 45Geomorphological Reconstruction .............................. " 45Palynological Reconstruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 46Evidence from Pack Rat Middens .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " 48Comparison of Pollen and Pack Rat Midden Results ., . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 51Dendroclimatological Reconstruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 52Chaco Project Interpretations ................................. " 53Summary ................................................... " 57iii