The quality of the numerical age estimates used to establish the eruption chronology of a volcanic field is a critical control on the dependability of temporal hazard assessments. However, researchers involved in hazard assessment and modelling may be unfamiliar with dating methods and their complexities, which are needed to assess the quality of published ages. This paper aims to increase the awareness regarding the quality of geochronological data by providing brief introductions to the principles and applications of the dating methods applicable to Quaternary volcanism. The numerical dating methods included in this review are as follows: 40K / 40Ar and 40Ar / 39Ar dating, radiocarbon dating, uranium-series-related dating, cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating, and luminescence dating, as well as tephrostratigraphy and annual layer counting. First, the physical phenomena utilised by each method to provide age estimates are presented and then concerns related to the application of these methods are discussed, including necessary calibration steps and possible sources of error. This is followed by examples of the application of each of the methods. Die Qualit & auml;t numerischer Altersabsch & auml;tzungen, die f & uuml;r zeitliche Einordnung von Ausbr & uuml;chen eines Vulkanfeldes genutzt werden, spielt eine kritische Rolle f & uuml;r die Zuverl & auml;ssigkeit der zeitlich-aufgel & ouml;sten Gef & auml;hrdungsbeurteilung. Oft fehlt Forschenden, die in die Gef & auml;hrdungsbeurteilung und -modellierung involviert sind, ein eingehendes Verst & auml;ndnis f & uuml;r die genutzten Datierungsmethoden und deren Komplexit & auml;t. Dieses Verst & auml;ndnis ist jedoch Voraussetzung, um die Qualit & auml;t publizierter Alter einsch & auml;tzen zu k & ouml;nnen. Die vorliegende Arbeit soll das Bewusstsein bez & uuml;glich der Qualit & auml;tsfaktoren geochronologischer Daten sch & auml;rfen, indem die Prinzipien und Anwendungen von Methoden zur Datierung quart & auml;ren Vulkanismus zusammenfassend vorgestellt werden. Hierbei handelt es sich um Datierungsmethoden mittels 40K / 40Ar und 40Ar / 39Ar, Radiokohlenstoff, Uranzerfallsreihen, kosmogener Nuklide und Lumineszenz, sowie Tephrastratigraphie und Z & auml;hlung von Jahreslagen. Zuerst werden die physikalischen Hintergr & uuml;nde der einzelnen Methoden vorgestellt. Im Anschluss werden Probleme bei der Anwendung diskutiert, inklusive notwendiger Schritte zur Kalibrierung und potentielle Fehlerquellen diskutiert und Anwendungsbeispiele vorgestellt.
The postglacial geological evolution of the southwestern Baltic Sea is marked by dynamic water level developments, accompanied by pronounced coastline displacements and associated changes in coastal geomorphological features. This study describes preserved remnants of paleo-landscapes in northeastern Mecklenburg Bay, dating to the period from the Baltic Ice Lake to the regression following the Ancylus Lake stage. The Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene geologic development of the area is reconstructed based on multibeam echo sounder, sidescan-sonar, and sediment echo sounder data; sediment core analysis; and visual seafloor imagery. The spatial distribution of Baltic Ice Lake deposits suggests a coastline at depths of 20 m below present sea level at the northeastern margin of Mecklenburg Bay during the Baltic Ice Lake's initial transgressive phase. The deposits are truncated by a regional erosional unconformity associated with the final regression following the Baltic Ice Lake highstand that marks the onset of lowstand conditions in the study area. A developing terrestrial environment was subsequently flooded by the Ancylus Lake. The Ancylus Lake highstand is constrained by peat and fine-grained limnic deposits in water depths of 19 m below present sea level. The acoustic data reveal a lacustrine environment throughout the Ancylus Lake stage until at least 10.2 ka cal BP. The regression at the end of the Ancylus Lake period is preserved by a northward-draining channel system cutting into Ancylus Lake sediments. The geometry of these channels suggests a water level drop of 6-7 m in northeastern Mecklenburg Bay, supporting a minor Ancylus Lake regression west of the Darss Sill. The findings provide insights into the water level development of a key threshold area in the southwestern Baltic Sea and therefore contribute to the reconstruction of the postglacial evolution of the entire Baltic Sea. Die postglaziale geologische Entwicklung der s & uuml;dwestlichen Ostsee ist durch Fluktuationen des Wasserstands gekennzeichnet, die mit ausgepr & auml;gten K & uuml;stenverschiebungen und damit verbundenen Ver & auml;nderungen der geomorphologischen Merkmale des K & uuml;stenraums einhergehen. Diese Studie beschreibt & Uuml;berreste von Pal & auml;olandschaften im Nordosten der Mecklenburger Bucht, die aus der Zeit vom Baltischen Eissee bis zur Regression nach dem Ancylus-See Stadium stammen. Die geologische Entwicklung des Gebiets wird anhand von Daten aus F & auml;cherecholoten, Seitensichtsonaren und Sedimentecholoten, Sedimentkernanalysen und Videobildern des Meeresbodens rekonstruiert. Die r & auml;umliche Verteilung der Ablagerungen des Baltischen Eissees deutet auf eine K & uuml;stenlinie in einer Tiefe von 20 m unter dem heutigen Meeresspiegel am nord & ouml;stlichen Rand der Mecklenburgischen Bucht w & auml;hrend der anf & auml;nglichen Transgressionsphase des Baltischen Eissees hin. Die Ablagerungen werden durch eine regionale erosive Diskordanz abgeschnitten, die mit der abschlie ss enden Regression nach dem H & ouml;chststand des Baltischen Eissees in Verbindung steht. Eine sich anschlie ss end entwickelnde terrestrische Umgebung wurde vom Ancylus-See & uuml;berflutet. Der h & ouml;chste Wasserstand des Ancylus-Sees wird durch Torf und limnische Ablagerungen in Wassertiefen von 19 m unter dem heutigen Meeresspiegel angezeigt. Die akustischen Daten bilden eine lakustrine Umgebung w & auml;hrend des gesamten Ancylus-See Stadiums bis mindestens 10,2 ka. kal. BP ab. Der R & uuml;ckgang am Ende der Ancylus-See Phase ist durch ein nach Norden abflie ss endes System kleiner Fl & uuml;sse erhalten geblieben, welche sich in die Sedimente des Ancylus-Sees eingegraben haben. Die Geometrie dieser Kan & auml;le deutet auf einen Wasserstandsr & uuml;ckgang von 6-7 m im Nordosten der Mecklenburger Bucht hin, was eine Regression des Ancylus-Sees westlich der Darss-Schwelle st & uuml;tzt. Die Ergebnisse liefern Einblicke in die Wasserstandsentwicklung eines wichtigen Schwellenbereichs im S & uuml;dwesten der Ostsee und tragen somit zur Rekonstruktion der postglazialen Entwicklung der gesamten Ostsee bei.
Sediments preserved in glacially overdeepened structures can provide a record of the regional Pleistocene glacial dynamics beyond the last glaciation. In order to unravel the glacial dynamics of the Isar-Loisach paleo-glacier, a cored sedimentary succession (ICDP-DOVE 5068_3_A) from an overdeepened basin near Sch & auml;ftlarn, south of Munich, Germany, and an outcrop in its northern foreland ("M & uuml;nchner Klettergarten" near Baierbrunn, on the southern margin of the Munich gravel plain, the "M & uuml;nchner Schotterebene") were investigated with a multi-method approach. This approach focused on single-grain feldspar luminescence dating to establish a chronological framework and on a comprehensive geophysical survey to better understand the morphology of the overdeepened basin. The Sch & auml;ftlarn core is generally divided into a fine-grained basal section and a coarse-grained top section. The filling of the fine-grained basal section started in early Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8. The basal part of the overlying coarse-grained sediment can be attributed to late MIS 8. The "M & uuml;nchner Klettergarten" outcrop to the north exhibited a similar depositional age dating to late MIS 8 and therefore corresponding to the basal part of the coarse-grained sediment in Sch & auml;ftlarn. The geophysical survey revealed two cross-cutting glacial basins, with the MIS 8 basin being cut by a younger basin of undetermined age. Based on the luminescence dating results and the geophysical survey, a mid-Pleistocene landscape development model of the Isar-Loisach paleo-glacier region is presented. Sedimente, die in glazial & uuml;bertieften Strukturen erhalten geblieben sind, k & ouml;nnen Informationen & uuml;ber die regionale Gletscherdynamik des Pleistoz & auml;ns vor dem letzten Glazialzyklus geben. Um die Gletscherdynamik des Isar-Loisach Pal & auml;ogletschers zu entschl & uuml;sseln, wurden eine gekernte sediment & auml;re Abfolge (ICDP-DOVE 5068_3_A) aus einem & uuml;bertieften Becken bei Sch & auml;ftlarn s & uuml;dlich von M & uuml;nchen, Deutschland, und ein Aufschluss in seinem n & ouml;rdlichen Vorland ("M & uuml;nchner Klettergarten" bei Baierbrunn, am s & uuml;dlichen Rand der M & uuml;nchner Schotterebene) mit einem multimethodischen Ansatz untersucht. Dieser Ansatz fokussiert sich auf die Einzelkorn Feldspat Lumineszenzdatierung zur Erstellung eines chronologischen Rahmens und auf eine umfassende geophysikalische Untersuchung, um die Morphologie des & uuml;bertieften Beckens darzustellen und dessen Genese besser zu verstehen. Der Sch & auml;ftlarn-Kern ist grob in einen feink & ouml;rnigen unteren Abschnitt und einen grobk & ouml;rnigen oberen Abschnitt unterteilt. Die F & uuml;llung des feink & ouml;rnigen unteren Abschnitts begann im fr & uuml;hen Marinen Isotopenstadium (MIS) 8. Der unterste Teil des dar & uuml;ber liegenden grobk & ouml;rnigen Sediments kann dem sp & auml;ten MIS 8 zugeordnet werden. Der n & ouml;rdlich gelegene Aufschluss "M & uuml;nchner Klettergarten" wies eine & auml;hnliche Sedimentologie und ein Ablagerungsalter auf, das auf das sp & auml;te MIS 8 datiert wurde und somit dem untersten Teil des grobk & ouml;rnigen Sediments in Sch & auml;ftlarn entspricht. Geophysikalische Untersuchungen entdeckten zwei sich schneidende & Uuml;bertiefungen. Das MIS-8 & Uuml;bertiefungsbecken wird von einem j & uuml;ngeren Becken unbestimmten Alters durchschnitten. Auf Grundlage der Lumineszenzdatierungsergebnisse und der geophysikalischen Untersuchung wird ein mittelpleistoz & auml;nes Landschaftsentwicklungsmodell f & uuml;r die Region des Isar-Loisach Pal & auml;ogletscher pr & auml;sentiert.
Three phases of archaeological investigations have been conducted in the area of the City Museum of Novi Sad at the Petrovaradin Fortress. In this study, we summarize the results of geoarchaeological research carried out during the third phase of excavations inside the museum building. The investigated area covered 27 m2. The approximately 0.60 m thick loessic sequence offers a unique opportunity to reconstruct the environmental evolution of this area during the last glacial period. In sectors inside of the City Museum of Novi Sad, artefacts from the Upper Palaeolithic (Gravettian) were discovered. The analysed paleoenvironmental proxies (magnetic, geochemical, and colour proxies) largely indicate similarities with the uppermost three units of previously studied sections and with the Late Pleniglacial loess unit in nearby loess profiles in Petrovaradin and Mi & scaron;eluk. This chronostratigraphic interpretation, suggesting that the profile most likely formed during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 and possibly the youngest part of MIS 3, is supported by one radiocarbon date. The identified mollusc assemblages indicate relatively humid and cold environmental conditions in the upper part of the section. These results suggest that the northern slopes of Fru & scaron;ka Gora Mountain played an important environmental role during the Late Pleistocene. Up to 12 different mollusc species per sample were identified, favouring both steppe and forest-like vegetation. This environmental diversity, combined with favourable strategic factors, may have influenced the human occupation in the area. Im Bereich des Stadtmuseums Novi Sad auf der Festung Petrovaradin wurden drei Phasen arch & auml;ologischer Untersuchungen durchgef & uuml;hrt. Der vorliegende Beitrag fasst die Ergebnisse der geoarch & auml;ologischen Forschungen zusammen, die w & auml;hrend der dritten Grabungsphase im Inneren des Museumsgeb & auml;udes erfolgten. Die untersuchte Fl & auml;che umfasste 27 m2. Die etwa 0,60 m m & auml;chtige l & ouml;ssartige Sedimentabfolge bietet eine seltene Gelegenheit, die Umweltentwicklung dieses Gebietes w & auml;hrend des letzten Glazials zu rekonstruieren. In den Bereichen innerhalb des Stadtmuseums Novi Sad wurden Artefakte aus dem Jungpal & auml;olithikum (Gravettien) geborgen. Die analysierten Pal & auml;oumwelt-Proxy-Daten (magnetische, geochemische sowie farbmetrische Parameter) zeigen weitgehende & Uuml;bereinstimmungen mit den obersten drei Einheiten zuvor untersuchter Profile sowie mit der sp & auml;tpleniglazialen L & ouml;sseinheit benachbarter L & ouml;ssprofile in Petrovaradin und Mi & scaron;eluk. Diese chronostratigraphische Einordnung, der zufolge die Profilbildung h & ouml;chstwahrscheinlich w & auml;hrend der marinen Sauerstoffisotopenstufe (MIS) 2 und m & ouml;glicherweise im j & uuml;ngsten Abschnitt von MIS 3 erfolgte, wird durch ein Radiokarbondatum gest & uuml;tzt. Die identifizierten Mollusken-Assoziationen weisen im oberen Profilabschnitt auf relativ feuchte und kalte Umweltbedingungen hin. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass die Nordh & auml;nge des Fru & scaron;ka gora-Gebirges im Sp & auml;tpleistoz & auml;n eine bedeutende & ouml;kologische Rolle spielten. Pro Probe wurden bis zu zw & ouml;lf Molluskenarten nachgewiesen, die sowohl an Steppen- als auch an wald & auml;hnliche Vegetationsbedingungen angepasst sind. Diese Umweltdiversit & auml;t in Kombination mit g & uuml;nstigen strategischen Faktoren k & ouml;nnte die menschliche Besiedlung des Gebietes beg & uuml;nstigt haben.
Since the Late Holocene, human activities have fundamentally altered fluvial systems across central European catchments, driving a gradual transition from natural to human-dominated floodplains. The Wiesent River catchment in northern Bavaria, Germany, provides a low-mountain-range case study to investigate this transformation within the conceptual framework of the "fluvial anthroposphere". Despite its long settlement history, the catchment remained predominantly rural, allowing the assessment of cumulative anthropogenic impacts beyond major urban or industrial centres. Here, we combine a comprehensive multidisciplinary review with first geoscientific investigations to evaluate human-environmental interactions in the Wiesent River catchment. The review synthesizes environmental, archaeological, and historical evidence to reconstruct natural conditions, settlement dynamics, and human-induced sediment dynamics. Complementary first geoscientific field and laboratory investigations include electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and sedimentological analyses of percussion drill cores to characterize floodplain stratigraphy and sedimentary floodplain architecture. The results reveal a characteristic floodplain stratigraphy comprising basal organic-rich deposits and peat, locally intercalated gravel layers, and up to 3 m of homogenous silty to loamy overbank deposits. This succession reflects a shift from Early Holocene wetland conditions towards sustained overbank deposition likely to be primarily driven by intensified land use, deforestation, grazing, and hydrotechnical installations since, at the latest, the Early Middle Ages. The close correspondence between the review and first empirical findings demonstrates the suitability of the Wiesent River floodplain as a high-resolution archive of human-induced fluvial change. Seit dem Sp & auml;tholoz & auml;n haben anthropogene Aktivit & auml;ten die Flusssysteme in vielen mitteleurop & auml;ischen Einzugsgebieten ma ss geblich beeinflusst und zur Entwicklung von nat & uuml;rlichen zu menschengepr & auml;gten Auenlandschaften gef & uuml;hrt. Das Einzugsgebiet der Wiesent in Nordbayern (Deutschland) stellt ein Fallbeispiel aus dem Mittelgebirge dar, um diese Transformation im konzeptionellen Rahmen der "Fluvialen Anthroposph & auml;re" zu untersuchen. Trotz seiner langen Besiedlungsgeschichte blieb das Einzugsgebiet & uuml;berwiegend l & auml;ndlich gepr & auml;gt, wodurch sich kumulative anthropogene Einfl & uuml;sse jenseits gr & ouml;ss erer urbaner oder industrieller Zentren analysieren lassen. In dieser Studie kombinieren wir eine umfassende multidisziplin & auml;re Zusammenfassung der Literatur mit ersten geowissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen, um Mensch-Umwelt-Interaktionen im Einzugsgebiet der Wiesent zu bewerten. Die & Uuml;bersicht integriert umweltgeschichtliche, arch & auml;ologische und historische Befunde zur Rekonstruktion nat & uuml;rlicher Ausgangsbedingungen, der Siedlungsdynamik sowie anthropogen beeinflusster Sedimentdynamiken. Erg & auml;nzend wurden erste geowissenschaftliche Feld- und Laboruntersuchungen durchgef & uuml;hrt, darunter die geoelektrische Widerstandstomographie (ERT) sowie sedimentologische Analysen von Rammkernsondierungen, um die Auenstratigraphie und den sediment & auml;ren Aufbau der Flussaue zu beschreiben. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine charakteristische Auenstratigraphie mit basalen organikreichen Ablagerungen sowie Torfen, lokal eingeschalteten Kieslagen sowie bis zu drei Meter m & auml;chtigen, homogenen schluffig-lehmigen Auenlehmen. Diese Abfolge spiegelt einen & Uuml;bergang von einer fr & uuml;hholoz & auml;nen marschartigen Landschaft hin zu einer anhaltenden Auenlehmsedimentation wider, die sp & auml;testens seit dem Fr & uuml;hmittelalter vor allem durch intensivierte Landnutzung, Entwaldung, Beweidung und wasserbauliche Eingriffe gesteuert wurde. Die enge & Uuml;bereinstimmung zwischen der Literaturauswertung und den ersten empirischen Befunden unterstreicht die Eignung der Wiesentaue als hochaufl & ouml;sendendes Archiv anthropogen & uuml;berpr & auml;gter fluvialer Ver & auml;nderungen.
Linear anomalies of vegetation vitality observed in satellite images motivated in-depth investigations of historical anthropogenic modification and exploitation of the paleo-floodplain of the late-glacial Bergstra ss enneckar (BSN) in the Upper Rhine Graben near Mannheim (southwestern Germany). Stratigraphic investigations based on up to 1.7 m deep pits, sediment sampling, and laboratory analyses (grain size distribution; C, N, S; loss on ignition; X-ray fluorescence; morphoscopy of sand grains), as well as electrical resistivity tomography, reveal the presence of long parallel trenches cutting into the organic-rich and fine-grained natural strata which result from silting-up of the abandoned BSN channel during the Holocene. The linear features are interpreted as anthropogenic trenches and were later filled with sand. We identify an aeolian origin of the sand, which points to the use of sand, e.g., from the nearby Bettenberg dune of Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to late-glacial age. The samples for optically stimulated luminescence dating (OSL) from the fill of the trenches show a wide range of equivalent doses and insufficient bleaching as sand was filled in lumps during shoveling. This results in ages ranging from the LGM to 300 years, depending on the aliquot and age model. This wide range indicates incomplete bleaching and is in agreement with the manual filling process in historical times. Further corroboration is provided by data from the Hesse State Archive at Darmstadt through a license for clay mining and brick burning at the study site dated to 1865 CE, explicitly requiring immediate fill. Local-scale clay pits for mud-brick production have been known about in western Europe since Roman times. However, access to the resources in the BSN channels in 1865 CE was only possible after a significant fall in groundwater tables following the regulation campaign of the Rhine system starting in the first half of the 19th century, which, in a wider context, illustrates the extent to which large-scale anthropogenic changes in the fluvioscape have cascading effects down to the local scale.
Denudation is a key geomorphological process shaping landscapes. In-situ-produced cosmogenic 10Be has been used to quantify millennial denudation rates worldwide. Long-term denudation rates in the European lowlands can provide valuable insights into the roles of periglacial processes and human activity in landscape evolution. Here, we quantify local and catchment-wide denudation rates in the Roda Catchment in Thuringia, central Germany. Specifically, we constrain 17 catchment-wide denudation rates based on 10Be concentrations in river sediments and 5 local denudation rates based on 10Be concentrations from soil samples on the flat catchment divides. Catchment-wide denudation rates vary between 23.8 +/- 5.4 and 79 +/- 18 mm kyr-1, and local denudation rates range from 23.4 +/- 5.6 to 41.9 +/- 9.8 mm kyr-1. These catchment-wide denudation rates are consistent with published European data, which are generally higher than those reported from other regions worldwide. This difference can be attributed to periglacial dynamics during the last glacial period. The 10Be-derived long-term denudation rates in Europe are generally higher than recent, short-term erosion rates, despite vast human activities and intensive land use in recent decades. This could be due to past periglacial activity; large-scale forest clearance during the Roman and Medieval times; and the limitations of short-term measurements in capturing low-frequency, high-magnitude events. The observed differences between catchment-wide and local denudation rates suggest that denudation has led to changes in topographic relief in the Roda Catchment at a mean rate of 0-28 mm kyr-1 over the past 10 ka. Denudation ist ein zentraler geomorphologischer Prozess der Landschaftsformung. In-situ produziertes kosmogenes 10Be wurde mittlerweile nahezu weltweit gemessen, um Denudationsraten auf der Zeitskala von Jahrtausenden zu bestimmen. Entsprechende Daten aus den Mittelgebirgen und Tieflandregionen Europas k & ouml;nnten wertvolle Informationen & uuml;ber den Einfluss periglazialer Prozesse und menschlicher Aktivit & auml;ten auf die Landschaftsentwicklung liefern. In dieser Studie quantifizieren wir auf Einzugsgebietsebene gemittelte, sowie lokale Denudationsraten im Roda-Einzugsgebiet in Th & uuml;ringen, Deutschland. Grundlage hierf & uuml;r sind 17 10Be-Konzentrationen in Flusssedimenten, bzw. in 5 Bodenproben von den flachen Wasserscheiden. Die Denudationsraten liegen zwischen 23,8 +/- 5,4 und 79 +/- 18 mm kyr-1, bzw. 23,4 +/- 5,6 und 41,9 +/- 9,8 mm kyr-1. W & auml;hrend die Werte gut mit publizierten Daten aus Europa & uuml;bereinstimmen, sind sie h & ouml;her als in anderen Regionen weltweit, was auf periglaziale Dynamik w & auml;hrend der letzten Eiszeit zur & uuml;ckgef & uuml;hrt werden kann. Langfristige 10Be-Denudationsraten in Europa scheinen au ss erdem h & ouml;her zu sein als rezente, kurzfristige Erosionsraten, trotz intensiver Landnutzung und menschlicher Eingriffe in den letzten Jahrzehnten. M & ouml;gliche Erkl & auml;rungen sind periglaziale Prozesse, gro ss fl & auml;chige Waldrodungen in r & ouml;mischer und mittelalterlicher Zeit, sowie die begrenzte Aussagekraft kurzfristiger Messungen bei seltenen, ereignisreichen Prozessen. Die Unterschiede zwischen auf Einzugsgebietsebene gemittelten versus lokalen Denudationsraten deuten zudem darauf hin, dass die Denudation im Roda-Einzugsgebiet w & auml;hrend der letzten 10 ka Reliefver & auml;nderungen mit durchschnittlich 0-28 mm kyr-1 bewirkt hat.
The artificial historical Lake Lorsch (1474/79 to 1718/20 CE) in the northeastern Upper Rhine Graben (Germany) is known from various historical sources, e.g. for fish farming, as a significant anthropogenic imprint of the Weschnitz floodplain. Nevertheless, there have been no geomorphological and sedimentological investigations about the (quasi-)natural context for the creation of the lake, its importance as a potential sediment archive and the subsequent use of the lake area until modern times. No relics of the lake can be observed in today's landscape. We investigated the geomorphological setting of the area using a high-resolution digital elevation model, groundwater level data, geophysical prospection, as well as sedimentological information from four sediment cores. This allows us to determine that the location of the lake is geomorphometrically deeper in relation to its receiving waters of the Old Weschnitz and was strongly fed by groundwater. Sedimentary analysis (core LOR 21A, unit 2) exhibits lake deposit, with characteristics indicative for a limnic environment and a high groundwater table. At the same time, adjacent stratigraphy shows drainage channel deposits (core LOR 20A, unit 3), which reflects anthropogenic controlled inflow via a channel (Renngraben). Our results based on a relative elevation model fit well with the historical records, that inflow for the anthropogenic channel was via the Old Weschnitz (topographically higher than the lake area) and that the artificial Landgraben-canal (topographical lower than the lake area) was overflowed with a bridge. It is a good example of how humans started as fluvial and water related agents at least for 500 years in the Weschnitz floodplain.
Channel patterns and river connectivity are widely recognised to be representative parameters for the fluvial–geomorphological behaviour and the eco-morphological properties of rivers. They are sensitive to climate and land-use changes and, in turn, can indicate the habitat suitability for aquatic fauna, i.e. expressed by the diversity of channel width, flow velocity, and depositional regimes. Both habitat potential and the overall river connectivity since medieval times have also been influenced by barriers such as weirs and dams. Here we present the results of a multi-temporal study investigating river morphology, river connectivity, and floodplain land use in the Mulde River system. The study is motivated by the local extinction of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) within the last 2 centuries and reintroduction endeavours that have met with very limited success. In order to test for salmon presence in relation to waterbody structures, we make use of old maps (Sächsische Meilenblätter, 1780–1821; Von Deckersche Quadratmeilenblätter, 1816–1821) to pinpoint (i) historical barriers and (ii) anthropogenic changes in channel patterns that may have affected migratory fish populations. Furthermore, we evaluate (iii) historical floodplain land use as a pollution proxy, presuming that this also influences salmon habitat suitability. Our initial results point to a negative relation between an increasing number of cumulative barriers, as well as increased floodplain land use, and the presence of salmon populations during past periods. Finally, sinuous and meandering channel patterns correspond to higher probabilities of salmon presence.
The Elster–Pleiße floodplain south of Leipzig has undergone significant hydromorphological changes over the past few centuries, influenced by both natural processes and anthropogenic interventions (e.g. characterized by the repurposing of former river courses into mill races and other engineered water-management channels). This study employs selected mapping of fluvial–geomorphological features based on a Light Detection and Ranging Digital Terrain Model (LiDAR DTM; 1×1 m resolution) and the analysis of old maps to reconstruct past river dynamics and identify changes in channel morphology. Geomorphological features, such as oxbows, ridge-and-swale point bar structures, crevasse splays, and levees, reveal an earlier, more dynamic floodplain characterized by meandering and anabranching channels, which transitioned into a system of stabilized, largely immobile watercourses. Comparative analyses of old maps spanning the 16th to 20th centuries indicate a gradual reduction in river sinuosity and lateral migration, coinciding with increasing human modifications such as mill races, timber rafting canals, and flood protection measures. The major transformations date back to at least the late 16th century and may be even earlier in origin. Key drivers include the straightening of channels, floodplain aggradation, and the impact of open-cast lignite mining in recent centuries. The study highlights the complex interplay of sedimentary processes and anthropogenic activities in shaping the floodplain's evolution. This combined approach allows a detailed examination of the relative chronology of changes and helps identify topographic legacies left by dynamic floodplain systems, enhancing our understanding of the evolution of these landscapes. Understanding these long-term dynamics provides crucial insights for contemporary river restoration and flood management strategies.
The Rio Sella in northern Spain drains a catchment area of around 1200 km2. It originates in the Picos de Europa and erodes a variety of outcropping lithologies, mainly of Palaeozoic and minor Mesozoic to Cenozoic age. These rocks include siliciclastics, their metamorphic equivalents, carbonates and mixed sedimentary lithologies but almost no (meta-)igneous rocks. Some of the mentioned rock types are only found in specific areas within the study area, and most of them are identified by specific heavy mineral associations. It is therefore possible to make preliminary estimates of the potential detrital heavy mineral contribution of each region in the Rio Sella catchment. Further sampling of modern, i.e. currently deposited, river and beach sediments allows for sediment routing during transport and recycling processes. This also includes the impact of grain size effects and signal dilution due to different heavy mineral fertilities of the eroded strata. The influence of anthropogenic activities is reflected by the abundance of heavy anthropogenic particles, and the potential of this for sediment research or environmental impact is yet to be determined. The initial results indicate the potential and necessity of detailed heavy mineral characterisation of both fluvial sediments and outcropping lithologies within a catchment. This is particularly important when aiming to reconstruct sedimentary and particle fluxes at a high spatial resolution.
High alpine peatlands are naturally impacted by extreme climatic conditions and heterogeneous topography. In the Alps, humans have been influencing their development for millennia, and accelerating climate change puts them under additional pressure. In the Swiss part of the Fimba Valley (or Val Fenga; > 2350 m a.s.l. (metres above sea level)), small-scale peatlands have been investigated to gain knowledge on climatic and anthropogenic impacts on alpine landscapes using quantitative and semi-quantitative geochemical parameters derived from inter-calibrated portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF) and XRF core scanning, sedimentology, and radiocarbon dating. The onset of peat formation, after the retreat of the Fimba Valley glacier, has been dated to a time window between 10 450 and 9000 cal BP at the lower (northern) end and to 6600 cal BP at the upper (southern) end of a 470 m long transect. Holocene cold episodes appear to have increased erosive glacial activity in the western side of the valley, resulting in high minerogenic sediment loads being deposited on the peatlands by a meltwater channel, interrupting peat accumulation repeatedly. In the early Holocene, distinct minerogenic layers suggest glacier growth and cold and potentially wet conditions around 9200, 8200, and 6300 cal BP. With the impact and extent of the 8.2 ka cold event still being under discussion for this region of the Alps, a coarse gravel layer is strong evidence for a marked glacial response in the Silvretta Mountains to a particularly cold and wet episode. Cooler climate conditions seem to have prevailed around 5400, 5000, 4500, and 3600 cal BP. Afterwards, the proportion of anthropogenic forcing in erosional processes and other disturbances increased. During and since the Middle Ages, soil or sediment erosion and decreasing peat accumulation were and have continued to be consequences of at least one of the following factors: deforestation; livestock grazing and traffic (trade, tourism); and, temporarily, the Little Ice Age. These impacts and their potential effects on carbon accumulation and flood risk mitigation in the valley should be considered in land management practice. Despite their strong minerotrophic character and a likely post-depositional release due to erosion and decomposition in recent layers, the peatlands have preserved clear signals of atmospheric lead (Pb) pollution: one correlated with the Roman period and another around 1450 cal BP. Rapidly changing sedimentation and hydrology in small mountain peatlands are a challenge for radiocarbon chronologies, high-resolution sampling, and the detection of atmospheric geochemical signals. Yet, our study demonstrates that dynamic glaciofluvial stream-bank mires are valuable for the reconstruction of the impact of climate and humans on alpine environments – from prehistory to the present.
Central European fluvial systems shifted from naturally to anthropogenically controlled during the middle to late Holocene, responding uniquely to non-synchronous and interdependent natural and anthropogenic forcings. Previous research mainly focused on either large river systems or small catchments, yet meso-scale systems linking these have received little attention so far. Floodplains constitute an ideal setting to address this issue as their sediments recorded past river dynamics and human activity. This study investigates the transition from natural to anthropogenic control in the meso-scale Kinzig River in southwestern Germany using a combination of sedimentology, geochemical analysis, luminescence dating, and geophysical surveys. In the Kinzig catchment, three phases of floodplain accumulation are identified with characteristic sedimentation rates: late Pleistocene–early Holocene until 9.0 ka (0.1 mm a−1), middle–late Holocene from 9.0 until 0.82 ka (0.3 mm a−1), and the modern era from 0.82 ka until current times (1.1 mm a−1). Characterising these phases are decreasing grain sizes and increasing heavy metal concentrations (barium, lead, copper) in overbank fines, correlating with historical mining activity (peaking in the 16th and 18th centuries). This indicates the impact of mining on sediment delivery via deforestation that caused hillslope instability and sediment contamination. A cross-reference of floodplain stratigraphy with the catchment land use history reveals a gradual shift to an anthropogenically altered system, with intensified human impacts over the last 1000 years, approximately. This aligns with high floodplain sedimentation rates related to human presence. These findings depict the timing and dynamics of anthropogenic impacts on meso-scale fluvial systems in previously natural landscapes.
Climate records for the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) in Southern Africa are scarce, and the glaciation of the highest summits has been controversially discussed. Geomorphological features on south-facing slopes at six sites in the high Drakensberg Escarpment of Eastern Lesotho were postulated as moraines indicating marginally short-lived and site-specific glaciation during the LGM. However, previous discussions on precipitation amounts limiting or inhibiting glaciers are challenged by more recent studies suggesting increased humidity and water availability during the LGM. One postulated moraine site at the Tsatsa-La-Mangaung mountain range near Sani Pass was revisited to address the contradictory results. Drone-based remote sensing and field surveys suggest a different formation process of the moraine-like slightly bent landform considering lithological variance and dike system occurrence, which is connected not to glacial but to gravitational and erosional processes. The formation of landforms interpreted as moraines in the high-altitude regions of Lesotho and their paleoclimatic implications for the LGM require reevaluation.
We present new chronological and palaeoclimatological constraints on the evolution of the Valsugana glacier network (south-eastern European Alps) during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The detection of ice-marginal sediments and landforms, related to the geological mapping of the area at 1 : 50 000 scale (CARG project, sheet 061 "Borgo Valsugana"), enabled a detailed reconstruction of past glaciers at their maximum extent. Chronological control on the geomorphological evidence is obtained using 10Be surface exposure dating of erratic boulders from lateral moraine ridges at Monte Lefre, a nunatak within the LGM ice network. The exposure ages cluster between 20 and 19 ka, demonstrating that lateral moraines were formed at the very end of the LGM and that ice surface lowering in the area did not start prior to ca. 19 ka. Isolated from the Valsugana glacier network, several smaller ice masses developed. The reconstruction of four of these isolated glaciers and their equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) allows us to better understand the climatic conditions that controlled glacier evolution during the LGM: glacier ELAs were lowest in the Venetian Prealps (ca. 1300-1500 m a.s.l.) and were gradually rising towards the more internal mountain chains (ca. 1500-1700 m a.s.l.). This ELA gradient suggests that precipitation sourced from the Mediterranean Sea was highest in the vicinity of the Alpine fringe, with successive moisture starvation towards the north. The detailed glacier reconstructions, the chronological data, and the palaeoclimatological insights may serve as ground control for future modelling efforts of large and interconnected palaeoglacier networks. Wir pr & auml;sentieren neue geochronologische und pal & auml;oklimatische Daten zur Entwicklung des glazialen Eisstromnetzes im Valsugana (s & uuml;d & ouml;stliche Europ & auml;ische Alpen) w & auml;hrend des Letzteiszeitlichen Maximums (LGM). Die Kartierung glazialer Sedimente und Landschaftsformen im Zuge der Erstellung der regionalen geologischen Grundlagenkarte (CARG-Projekt, Blatt 061 "Borgo Valsugana"), erm & ouml;glichte eine detaillierte Rekonstruktion der Gletscher zum Zeitpunkt ihrer gr & ouml;ss ten Ausdehnung. Die chronologische Einordnung wurde mithilfe der 10Be-Oberfl & auml;chenexpositionsdatierung von erratischen Bl & ouml;cken auf Seitenmor & auml;nen am Monte Lefre, einem Nunatak im Eisstromnetz, vorgenommen. Die Expositionsalter fallen gr & ouml;ss tenteils in den Zeitraum zwischen 20 und 19 ka, was zeigt, dass die Bildung dieser Seitenmor & auml;nen bis zum Ende des LGMs andauerte und dass die Absenkung der Eisoberfl & auml;che nicht vor ca. 19 ka begann. Mehrere kleinere Gletscher entwickelten sich unabh & auml;ngig vom Valsugana-Eisstromnetz. Die Rekonstruktion vierer dieser isolierten Gletscher und ihrer Gleichgewichtslinien (ELAs) erlaubt ein besseres Verst & auml;ndnis der klimatischen Bedingungen, die die Entwicklung der LGM-Gletscher beeinflussten: ELAs waren am niedrigsten in den Venezianischen Voralpen (ca. 1300-1500 m) und stiegen allm & auml;hlich in Richtung des inneralpinen Raums an (ca. 1500-1700 m). Dieser ELA-Gradient deutet darauf hin, dass der aus dem Mittelmeerraum stammende Niederschlag in der N & auml;he des Alpenrands am h & ouml;chsten war und gegen Norden kontinuierlich abnahm. Die detaillierten Gletscherrekonstruktionen, die chronologischen Daten und die pal & auml;oklimatischen Erkenntnisse dieser Studie k & ouml;nnen zur Validierung k & uuml;nftiger Modellierungen gro ss er und komplexer Eistromnetze hilfreich sein.
The interior of the Central Iranian Plateau is an important area for the study of the palaeoenvironmental controls of early human dispersal in arid regions. In the now hyper-arid region, human migrations may have been affected by the major Quaternary climatic changes. However, due to the difficult access and harsh climate in the central desert, there are scarce palaeoenvironmental data available to reconstruct the interplay between migration of past cultures and environmental change. In the Khur Basin, located in the central part of the Iranian Plateau and on the eastern edge of the central Great Kavir, geomorphological landscape archives have been preserved that provide valuable information about the landscape evolution and climate dynamics of this characteristic desert region. As the spatiotemporal relationships between the dominant geomorphological forms and processes in this area have mostly been studied in isolation, this study adopted an integrative approach to better assess the diverse interactions. This involved geomorphological mapping and detailed field-based geomorphological and stratigraphical analyses of 12 sedimentary sequences distributed over eight geomorphic units of the Khur Basin. The resulting relative chronological classification of the morphostratigraphy suggests a logical sequence of six main phases of landscape evolution. By combining our mapping results with dated geoarchives of the region, a tentative chronology was developed. The early stages as observed in the stratigraphically oldest preserved landforms were characterised by a sequence of different processes, including pediment erosion, alluvial fan and dune formation, and soil development, and probably date to the phase before and during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. The subsequent landforms and deposits are to be interpreted as a result of alluvial fan progradation into the basin interior as well as dune development, which are probably attributable to the cold and arid conditions during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The most recent morphostratigraphic findings correlate with the combined effects of pedological and geomorphological processes, including the formation of gypsum-rich soils, sand dune reactivation, and the deflation of playa surfaces. These findings indicate an increasing aridity in the area, which is often associated with the climatic development of the Holocene. Through the systematic integration of stratigraphical and geomorphological evidence, this study provides a first comprehensive historical-genetic model of landscape evolution in the Khur Basin. Pal & auml;o & ouml;kologische Ver & auml;nderungen im Inneren des zentraliranischen Plateaus hatten gro ss en Einfluss auf die fr & uuml;he Ausbreitung des Menschen. W & auml;hrend die Region heutzutage hyperarid ist, k & ouml;nnten feuchtere Klimabedingungen w & auml;hrend des Quart & auml;rs die Wanderungsrouten beeinflusst haben. Aufgrund der Abgeschiedenheit der Region und des rauen Klimas in der zentralen W & uuml;ste sind jedoch nur wenige pal & auml;o & ouml;kologische Daten verf & uuml;gbar, anhand derer sich die Wechselwirkungen zwischen der Migration vergangener Kulturen und den Umweltver & auml;nderungen rekonstruieren lie ss en. Im Khur-Becken, das sich im zentralen Teil des iranischen Plateaus und am & ouml;stlichen Rand des zentralen Gro ss en Kavir befindet, haben sich geomorphologische Landschaftsarchive erhalten, die wertvolle Informationen & uuml;ber die Entwicklung und Klimadynamik dieser charakteristischen W & uuml;stenregion liefern. Da die raum-zeitlichen Beziehungen zwischen den dominierenden geomorphologischen Formen und Prozessen in diesem Gebiet bisher meist isoliert untersucht wurden, wurde in dieser Studie ein integrativer Ansatz gew & auml;hlt, um gerade die vielf & auml;ltigen Wechselwirkungen besser bewerten zu k & ouml;nnen. Die Untersuchungen umfassten sowohl detaillierte geomorphologische Kartierungen als auch die geomorphologische und stratigraphische Aufnahme von zw & ouml;lf Sedimentsequenzen, die sich auf acht verschiedene geomorphologische Einheiten des Khur-Beckens verteilen. Die daraus resultierende relative Chronologie erm & ouml;glicht die Identifizierung von sechs Hauptphasen der Landschaftsentwicklung. In Kombination mit bereits datierten Geoarchiven der Region konnte die Landschaftsentwicklung zeitlich eingegrenzt werden. In einer ersten Phase kam es im Khur-Becken zur Erosion der Pedimente am Rande der Gebirgsketten. Zudem bildeten sich ausgedehnte Schwemmf & auml;cher und erste D & uuml;nen. An verschiedenen Stellen gibt es Hinweise auf Bodenbildung. Diese Prozesse erfolgten wahrscheinlich bis zum Ende des MIS 3. Unter den kalten und trockenen Bedingungen des LGM kam es zur Progradation der Schwemmf & auml;cher ins Beckeninnere sowie zu ausgedehnter D & uuml;nenbildung. Im Holoz & auml;n kam es zur Deflation der Playafl & auml;chen, zur Reaktivierung von D & uuml;nen und zur Bildung von gipsreichen B & ouml;den. Mithilfe der systematischen Integration stratigraphischer und geomorphologischer Analysen konnte im Rahmen dieser Studie ein erstes historisch-genetisches Modell der Landschaftsentwicklung im Khur-Becken erstellt werden.
Geochronological constraints on fluvial terraces provide valuable insights into channel migration and adjustment involved within actively meandering river systems. However, numerical age estimation of fluvial deposits using luminescence dating is often challenged by inherent methodological limitations. Pre-depositional partial bleaching of grains can lead to overestimation, while anomalous fading in feldspar grains often results in underestimation of the luminescence ages. The current study applies both optically stimulated luminescence and multi-elevated temperature post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence dating to fine sand and sandy matrix deposits collected from three distinct fluvial terrace levels across the lower reach of the Bruche River, in the Upper Rhine Graben (URG, north-eastern France). To evaluate the extent of partial bleaching, modern alluvial sand from the active riverbed is analysed for residual luminescence signals. Additionally, fading rates are measured, and quartz and feldspar ages are compared to evaluate the effectiveness of the applied measurement protocol in targeting signals less susceptible to fading. Overall, our study provides (i) a methodological focus, highlighting the effect of partial bleaching and fading on age estimation, and (ii) new insights into landscape evolution of the lower Bruche valley through numerical dating of the terrace deposits. The luminescence ages of the three fluvial terraces reveal distinct periods of aggradation in the URG. The uppermost sequences of the youngest (i.e. lowest) and middle terraces were deposited during the Younger Dryas (similar to 12-14 ka) and Marine Isotope Stage 3 (similar to 27-35 ka), respectively, while the oldest (i.e. highest) alluvial terrace has a minimum age of similar to 200 ka. Geochronologische Untersuchungen von Flussterrassen erlauben wertvolle Einblicke in die Migration und Anpassung von Gerinnen in aktiv m & auml;andrierenden Flusssystemen. Die numerische Altersbestimmung von fluvialen Ablagerungen mit Hilfe der Lumineszenzdatierung wird jedoch h & auml;ufig durch inh & auml;rente methodische Beschr & auml;nkungen in Frage gestellt. Das teilweise Bleichen von K & ouml;rnern vor der Ablagerung kann zu einer & Uuml;bersch & auml;tzung f & uuml;hren, w & auml;hrend anomales Fading in Feldspatk & ouml;rnern oft zu einer Untersch & auml;tzung des Lumineszenzalters f & uuml;hrt. Die aktuelle Studie wendet sowohl optisch stimulierte Lumineszenz als auch stufenweise erh & ouml;hte Temperatur post-infrarot stimulierte Lumineszenzdatierung auf Feinsand und sandige Matrixablagerungen an, die von drei verschiedenen fluvialen Terrassenebenen an dem Unterlauf des Flusses Bruche im Oberrheingraben (URG, nord & ouml;stliches Frankreich) entnommen wurden. Um das Ausma ss der partiellen Ausbleichung zu bewerten, wird moderner Schwemmsand aus dem aktiven Flussbett auf residuale Lumineszenzsignale hin untersucht. Dar & uuml;ber hinaus werden die Bleichungsraten gemessen und das Alter von Quarz und Feldspat verglichen, um die Wirksamkeit des angewandten Messprotokolls bei der Erkennung von Signalen zu bewerten, die weniger anf & auml;llig f & uuml;r Ausbleichen sind. Insgesamt bietet unsere Studie (i) einen methodischen Schwerpunkt, der die Auswirkungen des partiellen Ausbleichens und des Fadings auf die Altersbestimmung hervorhebt, und (ii) neue Einblicke in die Landschaftsentwicklung des unteren Bruche-Tals durch die numerische Datierung der Terrassenablagerungen. Die Lumineszenz-Alter der drei Flussterrassen lassen unterschiedliche Phasen der Aggradation im URG erkennen. Die obersten Abfolgen der j & uuml;ngsten (d.h. untersten) und mittleren Terrassen wurden w & auml;hrend der J & uuml;ngeren Dryas (similar to 12-14 ka) bzw. der marinen Isotopenstufe 3 (similar to 27-35 ka) abgelagert, w & auml;hrend die & auml;lteste (d.h. h & ouml;chste) alluviale Terrasse ein Mindestalter von similar to 200 ka aufweist.
Quantifying sedimentary volumes in mountain valleys can not only enhance our understanding of Quaternary valley evolution and river dynamics but also yield critical insights into hydrogeological characteristics. In contrast to the thoroughly investigated Upper Rhine Graben, little coherent information is available on the subsurface structure of adjacent Black Forest valleys. This study therefore aims at estimating the thickness, spatial distribution, and volumes of alluvial material in the valleys of the southwestern Black Forest. We utilized an extensive borehole database, high-resolution digital topographic data, and information from geological maps to integrate two complementary approaches. First, local valley cross sections were compiled to investigate subsurface bedrock morphology, allowing for a rough approximation of valley fill volumes. Second, catchment-specific linear and random forest regression based on morphometric and hydrologic variables were utilized to estimate sediment depths in valleys. Our results reveal a considerable spatial heterogeneity regarding shape, symmetry, ruggedness, and thickness of valley floor deposits. The composite valley cross sections with valley floor widths between 16 m and 3 km and average sediment depths ranging from 2 to 36.3 m include V-shaped geometries prevailing in narrow headwater valleys and main valleys mostly showing a surprisingly flat erosion surface and a shallow (on average < 15 m) sediment cover. Yet, towards the Upper Rhine Graben (URG), some valley sections widen and are rather box- or trough-shaped, comprising sediments up to 100 m thick. Overall, the valley orientation, sediment thickness, and valley shape in the main Black Forest catchments appear to be largely structurally controlled. For our study area of about 2100 km2 including nine main catchments with sizes between 13 and 1034 km2, estimated median values of valley fill volumes of the entire area range between 1.2 and 2.8 km3. Specifically the disproportionately high sediment volumes of two of the larger catchments, Dreisam and Schutter, are striking. Both areas exhibit a particular structural imprint, the one being located within a deep-seated, large-scale Late Paleozoic deformation zone, the other one crossed by the Cenozoic main border fault along the URG. These crustal discontinuities may be connected to an enhanced incision, which further underscores the importance of tectonic boundary conditions on the valley infill. In comparison with alpine settings, the sediment storage within the predominantly wide and shallow valleys is lower.
