Palynology in Canada suffered an unexpected setback this summer. In spite of the current widespread interest in climate change and the unique perspective the paleoclimatic record contributes to this issue, Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) management has chosen to shift emphasis in their climate program from understanding climatic history to societal adaptation to future change. As a result, a forty five year history of research contributions documenting Quaternary paleoenvironments in Canada will come to an end on March 30, 1998. In addition to terminating this research effort in the country's only national paleoecological laboratory, the decision negatively impacts the Canadian government's ability to prepare for climate change, since all aspects of climate change research should be drawn on if sound strategies to cope with future contingencies are to be formulated. The fact that this round of cuts was not a government-wide reduction in funding, but instead a shift from supporting scientific research to implementation of a Common Office Environment (standardized computer hardware and software throughout the department) and other bureaucratic initiatives within Natural Resources Canada, makes the decision even more difficult for us to comprehend. Whether comprehensible or not however, the decision has been made. Before the doors close here, we thought it would be appropriate to briefly recount some of the history of the GSC Paleoecology Lab and acknowledge those who contributed to its success.

Quaternary paleoecology at the Geological Survey of Canada began some forty five years ago with the hiring of Jaan Terasmae to study the palynology of buried organic deposits in the St. Lawrence lowlands, Toronto area and northern Ontario, as well as the numerous other peat deposits throughout Canada. His two volumes "Contributions to Canadian Palynology" became classics and were followed by numerous publications of studies in many regions of Canada. Terasmae left the GSC in 1968 to take up a teaching position at Brock University. Although retired, he still retains a keen interest in palynology.

Bob Mott commenced his career at the Survey in 1958 as Terasmae's summer field assistant mapping the surficial geology of the Cornwall and St. Lawrence Seaway area, and as Terasmae's assistant in the Palynology Lab. When Terasmae left the GSC in 1968, Mott undertook the supervision of the laboratory. Mott's early work on Saskatchewan lake deposits was followed over the years by studies throughout Canada, often in collaboration with GSC mapping projects. Identification of sub-fossil wood specimens was developed by Mott as an additional service provided by the Lab. Most recently Mott's research focused on the Maritimes where he studied postglacial lake and buried organic deposits which led to the recognition of the late-glacial Younger Dryas climatic oscillation. Studies of numerous buried organic deposits of interstadial and interglacial affinity increased our knowledge of the vegetation and climate of these intervals. Mott retired in 1992 but has since received emeritus status and continues his research.

Dendrochronology received some attention by the GSC for a few years in the latter 1960's. Marion Parker was employed to determine the feasibility of conducting dendrochronological studies in Canada. He worked in various areas of the country and developed methods for utilizing wood density as a tool for determining past climate changes affecting trees. Unfortunately, this line of research was not supported, and Parker left for a position in Vancouver.

Leanne Wilson-Gill joined the Paleoecology Laboratory as a technician in 1968. She fulfilled this vital function as well as publishing reports on her own until 1981 when she changed venue and accepted other duties within the Department.

In 1970 Sigrid Lichti-Federovich joined the unit as a palynologist. Her research interests were centered on postglacial sites in Alberta and older sites in the Yukon. Sigrid's focus later changed and she began the study of diatoms which she pursued until her retirement in 1992.

Palynological expertise in the unit increased in 1971 with the arrival of Thane Anderson. Initially, Thane worked for the GSC at the Canada Centre for Inland Waters in Burlington, Ontario, where his research focused on Great Lakes deposits. He continued these studies after moving to Ottawa in 1976, and broadened his interests to include many areas of Canada from Prince Edward Island, to southern Ontario, western Canada, the Arctic, and Newfoundland. Anderson has been involved in a wide range of projects with workers within the Terrain Sciences Division, other Government agencies and universities, and has compiled syntheses for various regions. More recently he has been using palynology to document climate induced water level changes in lakes on the Oak Ridges Moraine, southern Ontario, as well as examining tsunami-laid deposits in coastal areas of Newfoundland, and tying landslide events in the Ottawa area to past climate change.

Expertise in the unit broadened further in 1973 with the arrival of John Matthews to conduct studies in paleoentomology. John's efforts were focused on sites throughout the Arctic, in particular Yukon. Paleoclimate interpretations based on insect remains became a service that complemented many projects, both within and outside government. John's involvement in compilations and syntheses broadened knowledge of Arctic paleoclimatology, a basic requirement to the understanding of future climate change and its impact on northern regions. John retired from the GSC in 1997, but remains keenly involved in science through his interest in the production of CD-ROMs that are aimed at disseminating topical scientific issues to a wide audience.

Lynn Ovenden, a bryologist, worked in the Paleoentomology Lab in the early 1980's, focusing on organic deposits. Mosses provided a further insight into paleoclimate, particularly in Arctic environments. Lynn left the GSC when no continuing positions became available. Able assistance in the Paleoentomology Lab was also provided by Linda Barton from 1980 until 1986, when she left the GSC to pursue other interests.

Alice Telka moved from the Radiocarbon Lab to the field of insects in 1986 when she took over Linda's position. Alice also provided expertise in plant macrofossil identification, a great asset to paleovegetation reconstruction and to the understanding of paleoclimatic conditions. Alice broadened her interests by gaining expertise in the identification of chironomids. Alice was not only involved with the laboratory but was an integral part of Matthews' field studies.

In 1984, Hélène Jetté was hired to work in the Lab. Hélène had been a palynologist in the Laboratoire de Palæophytogéographie et de Palynologie with Pierre Richard and came to the GSC highly recommended. Hélène was initially an assistant in the Lab but eventually assumed supervisory duties from Mott. Besides providing valuable paleoecological contributions to many GSC colleagues, she conducted her own field studies in the Yukon. Development of databases and the production of transfer functions, vital requirements in the study of paleoclimates, followed as she became adept with computers. Hélène contributed to and edited the 6K BP volume of Géographie physique et Quaternaire and was preparing paleovegetation maps of other Late Quaternary time slices when her position was abruptly terminated in 1995 in a previous cost-cutting exercise. Hélène took another position within Natural Resources Canada where her abilities are greatly appreciated.

Sylvia Edlund had been a part of the Terrain Sciences Division for a number of years before joining the Paleoecology Section. Sylvia's research involved the botany of the Arctic and its relationship to climate, topography and geology. Her knowledge of modern vegetation and climate of the Arctic provided a valuable insights into past climate and vegetation. Sylvia took medical retirement in 1994.

Sheridan Hipwell joined the Paleoecology Lab in 1992 as a technician for Hélène Jetté. Sheri remained in the Lab as the contact person to conduct lab preparations and to help arrange new systems for the Lab work, until her departure from the GSC in early 1997.

Diatom analysis in the unit was revived in 1993 with the addition of Clément Prévost. Clément worked with Anderson on the Oak Ridges Moraine project and continues to provide paleolimnological expertise in the ongoing GSC "Metals in the Environment" program.

Expertise in plant macrofossils, particularly in the Arctic, was enhanced with the addition of Michelle Garneau in 1990. Although part of the Paleoecology Lab in an organizational sense, Michelle was stationed in the Quebec GSC office. Michelle's efforts were mainly focused on peat deposits in the Arctic, although she has also worked on projects in subarctic and temperate regions during her tenure with the GSC. She has recently compiled a synthesis of Arctic global change studies, which will appear in the near future as a GSC Bulletin.

Bob Vance was moved in August of 1996 from the Calgary office of the GSC, where he had been conducting plant macrofossil studies of lake level changes in the southern prairies, as part of the Palliser Triangle Global Change Project. Once in Ottawa, he continued his Palliser studies and coordinated development of a Canadian paleoecological database. This database was to be used to generate maps of past vegetation and lake level dynamics, which could then be used to infer past climatic conditions. This work was a component of the ongoing Climate System History and Dynamics Project, where geological datasets were being used to test the ability of Canada's General Circulation Model to "hindcasting" past climatic conditions.

Over its 45 year existence, the Paleoecology Lab has had a close affiliation with the Radiocarbon Laboratory. In fact, from the late 1960s until the mid-1980s, the Radiocarbon Lab was a part of the Paleoecology Section. J. A. (Sandy) Lowdon provided valuable advice to the paleoecologists up to 1981 and Roger McNeely has continued to provide advice and expertise to the group. As a result of this close association, the Paleoecology group has substantially enhanced the information provided by the Lab through sample identifications, as well as macrofossil and microfossil determinations of associated deposits. This collaboration with the Radiocarbon Lab resulted in significant contributions to scientific projects and syntheses, such as; Jetté's identifications of Arctic driftwood to strengthen documentation of Holocene Arctic ocean current dynamics, Lichti-Federovich's analyses of diatom profiles in the Fraser Delta to enhance regional paleoenvironmental interpretations, and Matthew's collaboration on the Pasley River site to provide detailed interpretations of early Holocene environmental dynamics, and Mott's collaboration on an arctic interglacial site.

Student assistants (too numerous to name individually here), both in the field and labs, have been invaluable over the years. The often mundane tasks of obtaining sediment cores and processing samples were willingly conducted by a number of enthusiastic students. The Paleoecology Group hope that these persons obtained at least some degree of knowledge and satisfaction from their association with us.

As the end of Quaternary paleoecological studies at the GSC rapidly approaches, those of us still involved in the final few weeks have some concerns over the fate of the accumulated reference materials, databases and samples. Efforts are being made to have space and equipment available for the reference collections so that researchers throughout the country can make use of these assets. In addition, we are now in the process of forwarding data to the North American Pollen and Plant Macrofossil Databases where it will, of course, be available to all interested parties.

The fate of samples stored in cold rooms and other areas is less certain. Space is in demand, so efforts are being made to have researchers arrange long term loans of samples and cores that they are interested in. Several decades of field work has produced a large number of samples and cores from widespread areas of Canada. Numerous lake sediment cores, many of which have been radiocarbon-dated but not yet analyzed, have still not found a secure resting place. Anyone interested in these samples and cores should contact us soon.

All of us in the soon to be disbanded paleoecology research group, and we are sure others mentioned above, look back with gratitude and appreciation for the many years of collaboration with colleagues here at the GSC and at other agencies and universities in Canada and throughout the world. Our hope is that once the impacts of Global Climate Change become even more apparent to the Federal government and its managers, the role of paleoecology in understanding and anticipating these impacts will become apparent and the science may once receive the support it deserves.

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  This article first appeared in CAP Newsletter 20(2):17-20, 1997.