Abstract
An 8.40 m long sediment sequence from the Salziger See basin, Central Germany, was investigated by a multi-disciplinary approach including chronological, sedimentological, geo- and biogeochemical methods. Radiocarbon dating, conducted on ten samples of aquatic and terrestrial fossil remains, and the occurrence of the Laacher See Tephra (LST) reveal that the sediment sequence comprises the Late Glacial and Holocene lake history since ca. 13,800 cal. year BP. This onset of lacustrine sedimentation is almost 7,000 years earlier as assumed so far. The geo- and biogeochemical data indicate distinct variations throughout the Late Glacial, which can be correlated with cold and warm periods, such as the Oldest Dryas, the Bølling, the Allerød, and the Younger Dryas. During most of the Holocene, minor variations in the geo- and biogeochemical data and a high carbonate content due to the formation and precipitation of autochthonous carbonate in the lake indicate relatively stable lacustrine conditions. A slight change in the sedimentary conditions between 6,700 and 4,000 cal. year BP, with lower deposition of carbonate and fine material, can be traced back to enhanced subrosion in the basin. Increased deposition of coarser sediments and a high accumulation of heavy metals document intensive human activity in the region during the past ca. 1,000 years.
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Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to J. Fink for his help during the field work. S. Reuter, S. Zschunke and K. Bienert carried out much of the laboratory work. Special thanks are due to J. Fröhlich for the preparation of the XRF-samples and U. Amarell and P. Otto for the determination of the seeds. We extend our thanks to F. Anselmetti and J. Schneider for their valuable suggestions, which improved an earlier version of the manuscript.
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Wennrich, V., Wagner, B., Melles, M. et al. Late Glacial and Holocene history of former Salziger See, Central Germany, and its climatic and environmental implications. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 94, 275–284 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-005-0468-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-005-0468-1