Pub Date : 2025-07-07DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100287
Katarína Adameková , Michaela Prišťáková , Nela Doláková , Petr Dresler , Slavomír Nehyba , Pavel Dlapa , Kristína Majorošová , Ivo Světlík
The development of the Thaya River floodplain has been shaped by interactions between fluvial dynamics, soil formation, and human activity. To better understand these processes, we conducted geoarchaeological research, including sedimentological, micromorphological, geochemical, palynological and chronological analyses of soil-alluvial sequence at Pohansko site spanning from the Late Pleistocene to the present. We identified four distinct soils, each formed during periods of relative landscape stability. Fluvisol 4 developed in the Mesolithic (Early Holocene), when the Thaya River floodplain was dominated by oak-lime-hornbeam forests, showing no evidence of deforestation. Fluvisol 3 formed in the later phase of the Neolithic (Middle Holocene), when the increasing presence of cereals and ruderal taxa suggests agricultural expansion. From the Young/Late Bronze Age to the Early Medieval period (Late Holocene), Fluvisol 2 developed, with a significant reduction of synanthropic plants and an increasing presence of pioneer species during the Bronze Age, indicating limited human activity. A peak in deforestation in the soil corresponds with expansion of the Great Moravian Empire, which is also linked with significant increase in nitrogen-loving herbs. The pollen spectra indicate decline in softwood, pines, ferns, hygrophilous and aquatic plants, while an increase in meadow areas. Geoarchaeological evidence further reveals that the modification of a channel near fortification probably in the same period, potentially serving both as a defensive feature and a source of construction material. While soil development was primarily driven by natural processes outside sandy elevation, further analyses are needed to clarify the relative influence of climate and human activity on floodplain dynamics.
{"title":"Soil-alluvial dynamics, landscape evolution and human activity in the Thaya river floodplain (Czech Republic) from the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene","authors":"Katarína Adameková , Michaela Prišťáková , Nela Doláková , Petr Dresler , Slavomír Nehyba , Pavel Dlapa , Kristína Majorošová , Ivo Světlík","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100287","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100287","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of the Thaya River floodplain has been shaped by interactions between fluvial dynamics, soil formation, and human activity. To better understand these processes, we conducted geoarchaeological research, including sedimentological, micromorphological, geochemical, palynological and chronological analyses of soil-alluvial sequence at Pohansko site spanning from the Late Pleistocene to the present. We identified four distinct soils, each formed during periods of relative landscape stability. Fluvisol 4 developed in the Mesolithic (Early Holocene), when the Thaya River floodplain was dominated by oak-lime-hornbeam forests, showing no evidence of deforestation. Fluvisol 3 formed in the later phase of the Neolithic (Middle Holocene), when the increasing presence of cereals and ruderal taxa suggests agricultural expansion. From the Young/Late Bronze Age to the Early Medieval period (Late Holocene), Fluvisol 2 developed, with a significant reduction of synanthropic plants and an increasing presence of pioneer species during the Bronze Age, indicating limited human activity. A peak in deforestation in the soil corresponds with expansion of the Great Moravian Empire, which is also linked with significant increase in nitrogen-loving herbs. The pollen spectra indicate decline in softwood, pines, ferns, hygrophilous and aquatic plants, while an increase in meadow areas. Geoarchaeological evidence further reveals that the modification of a channel near fortification probably in the same period, potentially serving both as a defensive feature and a source of construction material. While soil development was primarily driven by natural processes outside sandy elevation, further analyses are needed to clarify the relative influence of climate and human activity on floodplain dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100287"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-26DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100286
Ulises Francisco Giraldo Malca , Lilian Netsy Yauri Solano , Sofia Valeria Choroco Carranza , Daniela Geraldine Camacho Alvarez , Fernanda Cryztal Quispe Quispe , Johann Alexis Chávez García , Bryan G. Mark
The loss of mountain glaciers has accelerated in recent decades, linked to global warming, which in Peru alone has caused the loss of more than half of its glaciated area in fifty years. The Cordillera Blanca is the highest and most extensively glacierized tropical mountain range in the world, and glacier-fed streams provide water for hundreds of thousands of people living downstream. Previous inventories and glacier-specific mass balance studies have documented persistent and sustained mass loss. Yet the range-wide resilience of glaciers – the capacity to accumulate annual snowfall to offset area loss – remains an unquantified variable that is important to understand the evolution and climate response of glaciers over time and better project future mass changes for the coming decades. Therefore, we analyze the relationship between the annually clean glacier area and snow cover fluctuations and climate variability throughout the entire glacierized Cordillera Blanca between 1984 and 2023. To this end, we used multispectral Landsat imagery to identify clean glaciers and distinguish accumulation areas by calculating the Normalized Water Differential Index. The results show a 44 % reduction in glacier area, reflected in a decrease from the pre-2013 annual average of 54,469 ha to 42,700 ha in subsequent years. Our results suggest glaciers have passed a significant mass balance threshold, such that since 2012, glaciers have lost their ability to regain mass. We also document a strong inverse correlation of glacier area with the increase in global mean temperature, with the greatest loss occurring during the lasts strong El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases. We conclude that glaciers have become less resilient over the past decade, that the deglaciation of the Cordillera Blanca is primarily driven by increasing average temperatures and that the glaciers with the greatest retreat are those with perimeters proportionally more exposed to other types of surfaces (i.e., bedrock or lakes),.
{"title":"The loss of glacier resilience due to climate change throughout the Cordillera Blanca, Peru between 1984 and 2023","authors":"Ulises Francisco Giraldo Malca , Lilian Netsy Yauri Solano , Sofia Valeria Choroco Carranza , Daniela Geraldine Camacho Alvarez , Fernanda Cryztal Quispe Quispe , Johann Alexis Chávez García , Bryan G. Mark","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100286","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100286","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The loss of mountain glaciers has accelerated in recent decades, linked to global warming, which in Peru alone has caused the loss of more than half of its glaciated area in fifty years. The Cordillera Blanca is the highest and most extensively glacierized tropical mountain range in the world, and glacier-fed streams provide water for hundreds of thousands of people living downstream. Previous inventories and glacier-specific mass balance studies have documented persistent and sustained mass loss. Yet the range-wide resilience of glaciers – the capacity to accumulate annual snowfall to offset area loss – remains an unquantified variable that is important to understand the evolution and climate response of glaciers over time and better project future mass changes for the coming decades. Therefore, we analyze the relationship between the annually clean glacier area and snow cover fluctuations and climate variability throughout the entire glacierized Cordillera Blanca between 1984 and 2023. To this end, we used multispectral Landsat imagery to identify clean glaciers and distinguish accumulation areas by calculating the Normalized Water Differential Index. The results show a 44 % reduction in glacier area, reflected in a decrease from the pre-2013 annual average of 54,469 ha to 42,700 ha in subsequent years. Our results suggest glaciers have passed a significant mass balance threshold, such that since 2012, glaciers have lost their ability to regain mass. We also document a strong inverse correlation of glacier area with the increase in global mean temperature, with the greatest loss occurring during the lasts strong El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases. We conclude that glaciers have become less resilient over the past decade, that the deglaciation of the Cordillera Blanca is primarily driven by increasing average temperatures and that the glaciers with the greatest retreat are those with perimeters proportionally more exposed to other types of surfaces (i.e., bedrock or lakes),.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100286"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144524221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-14DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100285
Karina Ferreira Chueng , Maria Virginia Alves Martins , Heloisa Helena Gomes Coe , José Antonio Baptista Neto , Arthur Ayres Neto , Egberto Pereira , Denise Lara Terroso , Rubens Figueira , Paulo Alves de Lima Ferreira , Caroline Adolphsson do Nascimento , Amanda Pacheco , Luzia Antolioli , Rodolfo Dino , Renata Cardia Rebouças , Josefa Varela Guerra , Antonio Tadeu dos Reis , João Wagner Alencar Castro , Fernando Rocha
The study of the record of paleoclimatic oscillations in coastal areas is crucial because it helps us understand past climate changes, how they impacted these vulnerable regions, and draw lessons about what might happen in the future. This study presents the first application of phytolith analysis in a multiproxy paleoenvironmental reconstruction in a coastal marine area in Brazil. It investigates the natural and anthropogenic influences on the evolution of Guanabara Bay (GB), one of the most urbanized regions in Southeastern Brazil. To achieve this, grain size, geochemical, mineralogical, and phytolith data were analyzed on a short piston core. The analysis revealed changes in the continental input of lithogenic materials and variations in the quantity and type of organic matter, linked to alterations in vegetation and sediment supply from the rivers over the last ∼2500 years. The general marine regression may have favored the sediment transfer from the rivers to GB, while the low hydrodynamic regime contributed to the accumulation and preservation of the sedimentary record. Sedimentological changes related to shifts in rainfall patterns and the degree of mineral weathering were observed. Three main phases of dryness have been identified. The earliest was recorded between ∼415 and 50 BC, during the Late Holocene Dry Period (or the Late Holocene Neoglacial Anomaly); the second one was registered between ∼800 and 1300 AD, during the Medieval Climate Anomaly; and the third one happened ∼ between 1550 and 1900 yrs AD, during the Little Ice Age (LIA). These three dryness events have been caused by shifts in the oceanic Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ). Although phytolith analysis has been conducted in a few marine environments, no previous studies have been conducted in Guanabara Bay or Brazilian marine systems. The multiproxy analysis, including phytoliths, enabled the identification of changes in primary vegetation types, changes in rainfall and sediment supply and anthropogenic impacts in Guanabara Bay.
{"title":"Changes in the sedimentary record related to climate oscillations over the last ∼2500 years BP in Guanabara bay (SE Brazil): phytolith records","authors":"Karina Ferreira Chueng , Maria Virginia Alves Martins , Heloisa Helena Gomes Coe , José Antonio Baptista Neto , Arthur Ayres Neto , Egberto Pereira , Denise Lara Terroso , Rubens Figueira , Paulo Alves de Lima Ferreira , Caroline Adolphsson do Nascimento , Amanda Pacheco , Luzia Antolioli , Rodolfo Dino , Renata Cardia Rebouças , Josefa Varela Guerra , Antonio Tadeu dos Reis , João Wagner Alencar Castro , Fernando Rocha","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100285","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100285","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study of the record of paleoclimatic oscillations in coastal areas is crucial because it helps us understand past climate changes, how they impacted these vulnerable regions, and draw lessons about what might happen in the future. This study presents the first application of phytolith analysis in a multiproxy paleoenvironmental reconstruction in a coastal marine area in Brazil. It investigates the natural and anthropogenic influences on the evolution of Guanabara Bay (GB), one of the most urbanized regions in Southeastern Brazil. To achieve this, grain size, geochemical, mineralogical, and phytolith data were analyzed on a short piston core. The analysis revealed changes in the continental input of lithogenic materials and variations in the quantity and type of organic matter, linked to alterations in vegetation and sediment supply from the rivers over the last ∼2500 years. The general marine regression may have favored the sediment transfer from the rivers to GB, while the low hydrodynamic regime contributed to the accumulation and preservation of the sedimentary record. Sedimentological changes related to shifts in rainfall patterns and the degree of mineral weathering were observed. Three main phases of dryness have been identified. The earliest was recorded between ∼415 and 50 BC, during the Late Holocene Dry Period (or the Late Holocene Neoglacial Anomaly); the second one was registered between ∼800 and 1300 AD, during the Medieval Climate Anomaly; and the third one happened ∼ between 1550 and 1900 yrs AD, during the Little Ice Age (LIA). These three dryness events have been caused by shifts in the oceanic Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ). Although phytolith analysis has been conducted in a few marine environments, no previous studies have been conducted in Guanabara Bay or Brazilian marine systems. The multiproxy analysis, including phytoliths, enabled the identification of changes in primary vegetation types, changes in rainfall and sediment supply and anthropogenic impacts in Guanabara Bay.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100285"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144331449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This special issue consists of twenty-two articles related to four major themes based on the applications of geospatial technologies which provide an essential insight into Earth's dynamic processes, including mapping of the landforms shaped by glaciations, tectonic activity, and climate shifts. Studies in the Indian Himalayas and Indo-Gangetic Plain highlight the importance of multi-proxy climate records for understanding past climatic variability, such as changes in the Indian Summer Monsoon. Additionally, geospatial technology advances in seismic, landslide, and subsidence monitoring offer valuable data for assessing natural hazards, improving infrastructure resilience, and informing climate change adaptation strategies. Ultimately, these technologies support sustainable development, risk mitigation, and the ability to predict and adapt to future environmental changes.
{"title":"Quaternary geomorphology, tectonics and landslide hazards using geospatial technology","authors":"Ajay Kumar Taloor , Girish Ch Kothyari , Mithila Verma , Himanshu Mittal , Sunil Kumar Pundir , Himanshu Govil","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This special issue consists of twenty-two articles related to four major themes based on the applications of geospatial technologies which provide an essential insight into Earth's dynamic processes, including mapping of the landforms shaped by glaciations, tectonic activity, and climate shifts. Studies in the Indian Himalayas and Indo-Gangetic Plain highlight the importance of multi-proxy climate records for understanding past climatic variability, such as changes in the Indian Summer Monsoon. Additionally, geospatial technology advances in seismic, landslide, and subsidence monitoring offer valuable data for assessing natural hazards, improving infrastructure resilience, and informing climate change adaptation strategies. Ultimately, these technologies support sustainable development, risk mitigation, and the ability to predict and adapt to future environmental changes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100265"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144270827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2024.100249
Mohammad Irfan, Bikram Singh Bali, Ahsan Afzal
{"title":"Corrigendum to “Morphological characteristics and controlling factors of the piedmont fan systems in the Zanskar region, Northwest Himalaya, India” [Quat. Sci. Advan. 16 (2024) 100240]","authors":"Mohammad Irfan, Bikram Singh Bali, Ahsan Afzal","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2024.100249","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2024.100249","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100249"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144270828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Corrigendum to “Holocene alluvial dynamics, soil erosion and settlement in the uplands of Macedonia (Greece): New geoarchaeological insights from Xerolakkos in Grevena” [Quat. Sci. Adv. (15), September 2024, 100206]","authors":"Giannis Apostolou , Alfredo Mayoral , Konstantina Venieri , Sofia Dimaki , Arnau Garcia-Molsosa , Mercourios Georgiadis , Hector A. Orengo","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2024.100253","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2024.100253","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100253"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144270822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-09DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100283
Allyson L. Carroll , Belle Philibosian , Stephen C. Sillett , Marie E. Antoine , Özgür Kozaci
Sequoia sempervirens (coast redwood) tree rings have the potential to annually resolve late-Holocene earthquakes on the northern San Andreas Fault based on direct (e.g., physical damage) and indirect (e.g., co-seismic environmental change) impacts, but scarcity of suitable samples and challenges crossdating this long-lived species have limited progress. More precise dating of the pre-1906 (penultimate) earthquake can improve hazard assessment and understanding of rupture segmentation. We target old trees (maximum >815 yr) along the North Coast section of the fault (increment cores via rope-climbing, 11 living trees; plunge cuts, 23 stumps) and employ complementary disturbance detection methods including radial-growth averaging (tree- and series-level), cataloging anatomical indicators (e.g., traumatic resin ducts, TRD), and dating structural components (e.g., reiterated trunks, leans). Multi-centennial ring-width chronologies at Fort Ross (1569−2023) and Gualala (1397−2023) promote continued study with incomplete crossdating limiting utilization of some series. Growth pulses (reductions, releases) and TRD dispersed across the record reflect dynamic environments that obfuscate detection of earthquake signals. The 1906 earthquake did not leave strong signatures on most trees, and when it did, within-tree response varied from normal presentation to discoloration, TRD, and missing rings. Synchrony of indicators at both locations identified 1678−1680 (6 of 15 trees) and 1698−1700 (8 of 16 trees) as the strongest disturbances among dated rings in the time range of the penultimate earthquake, peaking at 1698 (15.7 % of possible growth and anatomical indicators), but the triggering mechanisms for these events are unknown.
{"title":"Dendroseismological investigation of redwood trees along the North Coast section of the San Andreas Fault","authors":"Allyson L. Carroll , Belle Philibosian , Stephen C. Sillett , Marie E. Antoine , Özgür Kozaci","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Sequoia sempervirens</em> (coast redwood) tree rings have the potential to annually resolve late-Holocene earthquakes on the northern San Andreas Fault based on direct (e.g., physical damage) and indirect (e.g., co-seismic environmental change) impacts, but scarcity of suitable samples and challenges crossdating this long-lived species have limited progress. More precise dating of the pre-1906 (penultimate) earthquake can improve hazard assessment and understanding of rupture segmentation. We target old trees (maximum >815 yr) along the North Coast section of the fault (increment cores via rope-climbing, 11 living trees; plunge cuts, 23 stumps) and employ complementary disturbance detection methods including radial-growth averaging (tree- and series-level), cataloging anatomical indicators (e.g., traumatic resin ducts, TRD), and dating structural components (e.g., reiterated trunks, leans). Multi-centennial ring-width chronologies at Fort Ross (1569−2023) and Gualala (1397−2023) promote continued study with incomplete crossdating limiting utilization of some series. Growth pulses (reductions, releases) and TRD dispersed across the record reflect dynamic environments that obfuscate detection of earthquake signals. The 1906 earthquake did not leave strong signatures on most trees, and when it did, within-tree response varied from normal presentation to discoloration, TRD, and missing rings. Synchrony of indicators at both locations identified 1678−1680 (6 of 15 trees) and 1698−1700 (8 of 16 trees) as the strongest disturbances among dated rings in the time range of the penultimate earthquake, peaking at 1698 (15.7 % of possible growth and anatomical indicators), but the triggering mechanisms for these events are unknown.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100283"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-08DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100284
Lukas Gegg , Olivier Moine , Philipp Stojakowits , Frank Preusser
The Upper Rhine Graben is a large-scale tectonic basin in central Europe that has accumulated a kilometre-thick sedimentary succession including, in some places, several hundred metres of mostly continuous Quaternary strata. Especially in the central graben part, these strata have hardly been scientifically explored. We introduce a new, 45-m-long drill core record from the vicinity of Offenburg. At its base, it comprises glaciofluvial gravels derived from the Alpine headwaters, which are superseded by aeolian deposits intercalated with locally derived gravels distinct by a different gravel spectrum. Post-infrared infrared-stimulated luminescence dating shows that the entire sequence reaches back beyond 300 ka, and that the glaciofluvial-aeolian transition occurred during the penultimate glaciation at ∼160 ka. By comparison with neighbouring boreholes, we infer repeated normal faulting south of the drill site since roughly the same time, with the resulting topography filled in by locally sourced gravel interbeds. Finally, two layers of fines indicating stagnant palustrine conditions contain interstadial pollen assemblages of the penultimate and last glaciation, and shells of gastropods typical of Pleistocene loess deposits and a glacial palaeoclimate are encountered in the aeolian succession. Thus, this study offers insights into Middle to Late Pleistocene sediment dynamics, neotectonic activity and palaeoenvironments, and highlights the wealth of stratigraphic information that the Upper Rhine Graben preserves.
{"title":"Sediment dynamics, neotectonic activity and palaeoenvironments recorded in the Quaternary infill of the central Upper Rhine Graben","authors":"Lukas Gegg , Olivier Moine , Philipp Stojakowits , Frank Preusser","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100284","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100284","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Upper Rhine Graben is a large-scale tectonic basin in central Europe that has accumulated a kilometre-thick sedimentary succession including, in some places, several hundred metres of mostly continuous Quaternary strata. Especially in the central graben part, these strata have hardly been scientifically explored. We introduce a new, 45-m-long drill core record from the vicinity of Offenburg. At its base, it comprises glaciofluvial gravels derived from the Alpine headwaters, which are superseded by aeolian deposits intercalated with locally derived gravels distinct by a different gravel spectrum. Post-infrared infrared-stimulated luminescence dating shows that the entire sequence reaches back beyond 300 ka, and that the glaciofluvial-aeolian transition occurred during the penultimate glaciation at ∼160 ka. By comparison with neighbouring boreholes, we infer repeated normal faulting south of the drill site since roughly the same time, with the resulting topography filled in by locally sourced gravel interbeds. Finally, two layers of fines indicating stagnant palustrine conditions contain interstadial pollen assemblages of the penultimate and last glaciation, and shells of gastropods typical of Pleistocene loess deposits and a glacial palaeoclimate are encountered in the aeolian succession. Thus, this study offers insights into Middle to Late Pleistocene sediment dynamics, neotectonic activity and palaeoenvironments, and highlights the wealth of stratigraphic information that the Upper Rhine Graben preserves.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100284"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143943273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100282
Yu Cao , Sai Wang , Guangrong Jin , Li Liu , Chuangji Feng , Fatma Yehia , Haiyun Ma , Lihua Liu
The enhanced silicate weathering on tropical continental shelves has been linked to the exposure of unconsolidated sediments during glacial lowstands, contributing to atmospheric CO2 consumption. However, the lack of sedimentary record from the exposed continental shelf limited our understanding of glacial weathering regimes. To address this, Core DG from the shelf of the northern South China Sea (SCS) was analyzed to investigate sediment provenance and weathering intensity during the late Quaternary (39–287 ka). Geochemical determination revealed five units (I to V) corresponding to two transgressive-regressive cycles. Sediment of Unit I, III, IV, and V primarily originated from southwestern Taiwan rivers, while Unit II derived mainly from the small streams in Hong Kong. Chemical weathering indices indicated three episodes of enhanced silicate weathering and which contributed mainly by secondary weathering due to the long-term exposure, however, with different patterns. One was the exposure of the continental shelf under favorable temperature and precipitation conditions during the early Marine Isotope Stage 6 (MIS6). Another one was the re-transport of secondary weathered sediments from the SCS shelf near Taiwan by glacially reactivated shelf channels during the end of MIS 6 and early MIS 5. This study provides new sedimentary evidence for enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands, emphasizing the role of secondary weathering and source-to-sink processes in carbon sink on shelf and theimpact on the global carbon cycle.
{"title":"Enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands: new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern South China Sea","authors":"Yu Cao , Sai Wang , Guangrong Jin , Li Liu , Chuangji Feng , Fatma Yehia , Haiyun Ma , Lihua Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The enhanced silicate weathering on tropical continental shelves has been linked to the exposure of unconsolidated sediments during glacial lowstands, contributing to atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> consumption. However, the lack of sedimentary record from the exposed continental shelf limited our understanding of glacial weathering regimes. To address this, Core DG from the shelf of the northern South China Sea (SCS) was analyzed to investigate sediment provenance and weathering intensity during the late Quaternary (39–287 ka). Geochemical determination revealed five units (I to V) corresponding to two transgressive-regressive cycles. Sediment of Unit I, III, IV, and V primarily originated from southwestern Taiwan rivers, while Unit II derived mainly from the small streams in Hong Kong. Chemical weathering indices indicated three episodes of enhanced silicate weathering and which contributed mainly by secondary weathering due to the long-term exposure, however, with different patterns. One was the exposure of the continental shelf under favorable temperature and precipitation conditions during the early Marine Isotope Stage 6 (MIS6). Another one was the re-transport of secondary weathered sediments from the SCS shelf near Taiwan by glacially reactivated shelf channels during the end of MIS 6 and early MIS 5. This study provides new sedimentary evidence for enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands, emphasizing the role of secondary weathering and source-to-sink processes in carbon sink on shelf and theimpact on the global carbon cycle.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100282"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143911633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-04-14DOI: 10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100281
Somasundharam Magalingam , Selvakumar Radhakrishnan , Shankar Karuppannan , Edris Alam , Md Kamrul Islam
A reconstruction of paleoflood stages reflects the magnitude and frequency of historic floods. Sediment-filled landforms store centuries-old paleoflood data, allowing examination of past events, though river changes and human activities can obscure these valuable records. Hence, identifying the plausible locale for collecting the sediment core is cumbersome. The present research proposes a methodological approach for precisely identifying the repositories. The Cauvery Delta, the largest sediment deposit on Tamil Nadu's eastern coast, is chosen for the study. The study's methodology is structured into: (1) reconstructing a catalogue of significant flood events using documentary records; (2) mapping fluvial geomorphic landforms using satellite images; (3) spatially correlating the records obtained from documentary sources with landforms, and (4) identifying flood geomorphic landforms (FGL) and demarcating promising prospective locales for future chronological studies. It has been observed that the Cauvery River has experienced recurrent instances of flooding throughout the past 8000 years. The FGL mapped using digitally processed satellite images displayed 17 types of landforms. Subsequently, the FGL are precisely identified by spatially integrating documentary data with landforms. Braided bar, channel bar, lateral bar, channel islands, natural levees, paleochannels, older flood plains, point bars, oxbow lakes, and water bodies are the most promising FGL for paleoflood research.
{"title":"Demarcating paleoflood repositories using documentary evidence and flood geomorphic landforms","authors":"Somasundharam Magalingam , Selvakumar Radhakrishnan , Shankar Karuppannan , Edris Alam , Md Kamrul Islam","doi":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.qsa.2025.100281","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A reconstruction of paleoflood stages reflects the magnitude and frequency of historic floods. Sediment-filled landforms store centuries-old paleoflood data, allowing examination of past events, though river changes and human activities can obscure these valuable records. Hence, identifying the plausible locale for collecting the sediment core is cumbersome. The present research proposes a methodological approach for precisely identifying the repositories. The Cauvery Delta, the largest sediment deposit on Tamil Nadu's eastern coast, is chosen for the study. The study's methodology is structured into: (1) reconstructing a catalogue of significant flood events using documentary records; (2) mapping fluvial geomorphic landforms using satellite images; (3) spatially correlating the records obtained from documentary sources with landforms, and (4) identifying flood geomorphic landforms (FGL) and demarcating promising prospective locales for future chronological studies. It has been observed that the Cauvery River has experienced recurrent instances of flooding throughout the past 8000 years. The FGL mapped using digitally processed satellite images displayed 17 types of landforms. Subsequently, the FGL are precisely identified by spatially integrating documentary data with landforms. Braided bar, channel bar, lateral bar, channel islands, natural levees, paleochannels, older flood plains, point bars, oxbow lakes, and water bodies are the most promising FGL for paleoflood research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34142,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary Science Advances","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 100281"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143825530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}