Macrofossils of Bang Lake on the Fond du Lac Reservation in Carlton County

Sierra Lightfeather, Sienna Battees, Zak Howes, Deshawn Berglund, Bill Redding, Deshawn Campbell, Cecilia Abell, Mario Lazoya, Wayne Greensky, Ray Jones, Christa Drake, T.J. Ray, Mary Anderson, Lowana Greensky

Methods

Surface samples from Bang Lake were taken at four sites from a 50m2

area in less than 5m of water. Sediment samples were sieved through

1mm and 500 micron screens. Macrofossils were then picked from the

screened samples using tweezers and a low-powered microscope. The

macrofossils that were found were then identified to species using

macrofossil reference collection materials.

Definition

Macrofossils are plant remains (seeds, cones, leaves, flowers, needles)

found in lake sediment, bogs, and wetlands that can be seen without a

high-powered microscope. Macrofossils are used in conjunction with

pollen studies to find out more about the history of the local vegetation

around a body of water.

Plant Ojibwemowin Uses

Bog Birch binemzhbinemizhiins For smoking, to help respiratory ailments

Wild Rice manoomin Food

Paper Birch binemizhiins Canoes

Nodding Waternymph Food

Horsetail bebezhigooganzhii-ozow Used for tea for stomach sickness

Hardstem Bulrush Ground into a powder and used with cereal flours in making bread

Discussion

The sites 1,2,3, and 4 had evidence of different plants in them (Table 1).

Sites 1,2, and 4 had evidence of wild rice. The differences at the sites

could possibly be due to different nutrient levels (phosphorus, nitrogen),

sediment composition (sand, fine-grained, coarse-grained), or differences

in seed distribution (animals, waves, wind).

The water depth ranges of the plant evidence found matched the water

depth the samples were taken from. All plants grow in 5m or less of

water. Although, we did find evidence of terrestrial plants as well.

SITE 1

Plant Scientific Name Ojibwemowin

Ribbon-Leaf Pondweed Potamogeton epihydris

Bog Birch Betula pumilia binemzhbinemizhiins

Flat-Stem Pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis

Wild Rice Zizania palustris manoomin

SITE 2

Plant Scientific Name Ojibwemowin

Paper Birch Betula papyrifera wiigwaasi-mitig

Wild Rice Zizania palustris manoomin

Bottlebrush Sedge Carex comosa

Common Bugleweed Lycopus americanus

SITE 3

Plant Scientific Name Ojibwemowin

Nodding Waternymph Najas flexilis

Horsetail Equisetum spp. bebezhigooganzhii-ozow

Hardstem Bulrush Scirpus acutus

SITE 4

Plant Scientific Name Ojibwemowin

White Water-Lily Nymphaea tuberosa akandamoo

Wild Rice Zizania palustris manoomin

Water Milfoil Myriophyllum verticulatum waazhibiiya-aasaakamig

Aquatic Moss Bryales spp.

References

Birks, H.H. 2007. Plant macrofossil introduction.

Drake, C. 2011. Macrofossil reference collection images

manual.

Elias, Joan E., Heim, John A., Meeker, James E.

1994.Plants used by the Great Lakes Ojibwa.

Table 1