Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110143
Adrian Marciszak , Grzegorz Lipecki , Małgorzata Kot
Analysis of carnivore remains from Tunel Wielki Cave revealed the presence of highly diversified composition, representing two different faunal assemblages. Carnivores are an admixture of ancient and modern forms, such as Lycaon lycaonoides, Canis lupus mosbachensis, Panthera gombaszogensis gombaszogensis, Homotherium latidens latidens, those whose occurrence dates back 2 mya, and in the case of some forms even over 3 mya. These species are already in decline, and this is one of their last, relic occurrences. For them, the next 50–80 kya will be the time of their final extinction.
At the same time, second faunal assemblage signalised upcoming faunal changes. Among them, Cuon alpinus priscus, Ursus deningeri hercynicus, Ursus arctos taubachensis, Gulo gulo, Martes martes, Mustela putorius, Mustela nivalis, Panthera spelaea fossilis are the species confirming the beginning of the faunal turnover. Within the next 100 kya, all ancient species have disappeared, while those carnivores formed the core of the assemblage that survived with small modifications until the end of the Late Pleistocene.
{"title":"The carnivore great turnover during the Middle Pleistocene and the role of the MIS 12 glaciations in this process","authors":"Adrian Marciszak , Grzegorz Lipecki , Małgorzata Kot","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110143","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110143","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Analysis of carnivore remains from Tunel Wielki Cave revealed the presence of highly diversified composition, representing two different faunal assemblages. Carnivores are an admixture of ancient and modern forms, such as <em>Lycaon lycaonoides</em>, <em>Canis lupus mosbachensis</em>, <em>Panthera gombaszogensis gombaszogensis</em>, <em>Homotherium latidens latidens</em>, those whose occurrence dates back 2 mya, and in the case of some forms even over 3 mya. These species are already in decline, and this is one of their last, relic occurrences. For them, the next 50–80 kya will be the time of their final extinction.</div><div>At the same time, second faunal assemblage signalised upcoming faunal changes. Among them, <em>Cuon alpinus priscus</em>, <em>Ursus deningeri hercynicus</em>, <em>Ursus arctos taubachensis</em>, <em>Gulo gulo</em>, <em>Martes martes</em>, <em>Mustela putorius</em>, <em>Mustela nivalis</em>, <em>Panthera spelaea fossilis</em> are the species confirming the beginning of the faunal turnover. Within the next 100 kya, all ancient species have disappeared, while those carnivores formed the core of the assemblage that survived with small modifications until the end of the Late Pleistocene.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"756 ","pages":"Article 110143"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study investigates the hydrochemical characteristics and travertine deposition mechanisms in two karst scenic areas-Shenxianchi and Mouni Valley-located on the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Field and laboratory analyses of water samples collected in May 2024 reveal that both regions are dominated by HCO3-Ca type waters, indicating carbonate weathering as the primary geochemical process. Gibbs diagrams, ion ratios, and principal component analysis confirm that calcite and dolomite dissolution, with secondary contributions from silicate weathering and cation exchange, governs the hydrochemical composition. Cation exchange is particularly pronounced in the Shenxianchi scenic spot due to the dominance of thick-bedded limestones. The major ions originate primarily from natural water-rock interactions: Ca2+ and HCO3− derive mainly from calcite and dolomite dissolution; Mg2+ and SO42− are associated with dolomite and minor sulfate-bearing minerals; Na+ and K+ are likely released through silicate weathering and cation exchange; F− is mainly derived from natural geochemical processes (such as the weathering of silicate rocks); while NO3− and Cl− exhibit limited correlation with major ions and are interpreted as weak anthropogenic or biological inputs. Travertine deposition potential was evaluated using SIc, PCO2, and SPM. Shenxianchi shows higher SIc values and efficient CO2 degassing along steep flow paths, favoring stable calcite precipitation. Scanning electron microscopy reveals dominant calcite morphologies in Shenxianchi scenic spot, whereas Mouni Valley samples exhibit mixed CaCO3 polymorphs (calcite-aragonite-vaterite) and weaker depositional capacity, reflecting environmental instability. The polymorphic characteristics of CaCO3 provide sensitive indicators of depositional environment and hydrodynamic stability. Management strategies should prioritize maintaining natural slope gradients (approximately 0.01–0.30), adequate flow velocity, and CO2 degassing efficiency to sustain travertine formation. Continuous monitoring of SIc, CaCO3 polymorph transitions, and external ions (NO3−, Cl−) is recommended as an early-warning tool for ecosystem disturbances. These results enhance understanding of the coupling between hydrochemical processes and travertine deposition, while offering practical guidance for the conservation and adaptive management of fragile karst landscapes under increasing environmental and tourism pressures.
{"title":"Analysis of hydrochemical characteristics, hydrochemical origin and travertine deposition capacity in the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: A case study of the Shenxianchi scenic spot and the Mouni Valley","authors":"Jiyu Tang , Wenhao Gao , Qingle Zeng , Xinze Liu , Ronglin Xu , Dong Sun , Liang Qin , Zhipeng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110126","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110126","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the hydrochemical characteristics and travertine deposition mechanisms in two karst scenic areas-Shenxianchi and Mouni Valley-located on the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Field and laboratory analyses of water samples collected in May 2024 reveal that both regions are dominated by HCO<sub>3</sub>-Ca type waters, indicating carbonate weathering as the primary geochemical process. Gibbs diagrams, ion ratios, and principal component analysis confirm that calcite and dolomite dissolution, with secondary contributions from silicate weathering and cation exchange, governs the hydrochemical composition. Cation exchange is particularly pronounced in the Shenxianchi scenic spot due to the dominance of thick-bedded limestones. The major ions originate primarily from natural water-rock interactions: Ca<sup>2+</sup> and HCO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> derive mainly from calcite and dolomite dissolution; Mg<sup>2+</sup> and SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> are associated with dolomite and minor sulfate-bearing minerals; Na<sup>+</sup> and K<sup>+</sup> are likely released through silicate weathering and cation exchange; F<sup>−</sup> is mainly derived from natural geochemical processes (such as the weathering of silicate rocks); while NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> and Cl<sup>−</sup> exhibit limited correlation with major ions and are interpreted as weak anthropogenic or biological inputs. Travertine deposition potential was evaluated using SIc, P<sub>CO2</sub>, and SPM. Shenxianchi shows higher SIc values and efficient CO<sub>2</sub> degassing along steep flow paths, favoring stable calcite precipitation. Scanning electron microscopy reveals dominant calcite morphologies in Shenxianchi scenic spot, whereas Mouni Valley samples exhibit mixed CaCO<sub>3</sub> polymorphs (calcite-aragonite-vaterite) and weaker depositional capacity, reflecting environmental instability. The polymorphic characteristics of CaCO<sub>3</sub> provide sensitive indicators of depositional environment and hydrodynamic stability. Management strategies should prioritize maintaining natural slope gradients (approximately 0.01–0.30), adequate flow velocity, and CO<sub>2</sub> degassing efficiency to sustain travertine formation. Continuous monitoring of SIc, CaCO<sub>3</sub> polymorph transitions, and external ions (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, Cl<sup>−</sup>) is recommended as an early-warning tool for ecosystem disturbances. These results enhance understanding of the coupling between hydrochemical processes and travertine deposition, while offering practical guidance for the conservation and adaptive management of fragile karst landscapes under increasing environmental and tourism pressures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"759 ","pages":"Article 110126"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110130
Luca Lai , Ornella Fonzo , Jessica F. Beckett , Robert H. Tykot , Ethan Goddard , David Hollander
The Bell Beaker phenomenon, as evidenced by its distinctive material culture, is regarded as a pivotal period of intensified connectivity in Western Europe and the Western Mediterranean, spanning several centuries from the mid-3rd millennium BC to different periods in different regions. The nature and mechanisms behind the diffusion of its markers have been under interpretive scrutiny for many decades, until the recent contribution of stable isotopes and ancient DNA supporting the reconstructed picture of an increasingly mobile lifestyle. Some aspects, however, remain elusive. This study addresses two key areas: the economic practices related to livestock, and the funerary practices recorded at the burial site of Padru Jossu in central southern Sardinia, with special reference to animal offerings. Whereas the context's human remains have been only partially morphologically and isotopically studied, the results of the comprehensive examination of the faunal remains are presented here. A substantial prevalence of caprines, found alongside and among the human remains, provided clues that could reflect management practices and ceremonial preferences across several generations. Data on age and skeletal districts provide clues regarding ceremonial use that are interpreted in light of available stable isotopic results, and then compared with evidence from other sites in the area across Sardinian prehistory and other surrounding Mediterranean regions. This illuminates apparent trends in management practices and contributes to our knowledge of Mediterranean Bell Beaker practices and economy, including potentially symbolic choices, adding to our knowledge of the diverse funerary rituals characterizing this cultural phenomenon.
{"title":"Paleoeconomy and mortuary practices in the Mediterranean Copper Age: zooarchaeology of the Bell Beaker assemblage from Padru Jossu, Sardinia (Italy)","authors":"Luca Lai , Ornella Fonzo , Jessica F. Beckett , Robert H. Tykot , Ethan Goddard , David Hollander","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110130","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Bell Beaker phenomenon, as evidenced by its distinctive material culture, is regarded as a pivotal period of intensified connectivity in Western Europe and the Western Mediterranean, spanning several centuries from the mid-3rd millennium BC to different periods in different regions. The nature and mechanisms behind the diffusion of its markers have been under interpretive scrutiny for many decades, until the recent contribution of stable isotopes and ancient DNA supporting the reconstructed picture of an increasingly mobile lifestyle. Some aspects, however, remain elusive. This study addresses two key areas: the economic practices related to livestock, and the funerary practices recorded at the burial site of Padru Jossu in central southern Sardinia, with special reference to animal offerings. Whereas the context's human remains have been only partially morphologically and isotopically studied, the results of the comprehensive examination of the faunal remains are presented here. A substantial prevalence of caprines, found alongside and among the human remains, provided clues that could reflect management practices and ceremonial preferences across several generations. Data on age and skeletal districts provide clues regarding ceremonial use that are interpreted in light of available stable isotopic results, and then compared with evidence from other sites in the area across Sardinian prehistory and other surrounding Mediterranean regions. This illuminates apparent trends in management practices and contributes to our knowledge of Mediterranean Bell Beaker practices and economy, including potentially symbolic choices, adding to our knowledge of the diverse funerary rituals characterizing this cultural phenomenon.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"755 ","pages":"Article 110130"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146037727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110142
Simon Allerton
The terraces of the River Dee record the postglacial history of northeast Scotland. LiDAR data provide high resolution imaging of the geomorphic features, which, combined with field observations and borehole data has allowed the mapping of 112 km of the river valley. The lower river terraces exhibit meandering bedforms, likely formed in the Holocene. The upper terraces correspond to glacial outwash plains, back-stepping towards the west. These braided outwash plains are near-parallel to the riverbed in their distal, downstream sections, but terrace surfaces increase in slope upstream towards the west. Their upstream termination likely represents a stillstand point of the glacier. Two rock basins, at Ballater and at Braemar, each lie upstream of a wedge of ice-contact and distal outwash deposits, and may have marked ephemeral proglacial lakes, filled by lacustrine delta sediments. At least five separate flood deposits have also been identified, attesting to very high energy flooding events (jökulhlaups?) during the Lateglacial and potentially into the Younger Dryas. A model for punctuated glacial retreat in the Dee valley is developed. The evolution of the terraces provides a framework for understanding the paleoenvironment during early human activity in northeast Scotland. Most Mesolithic material is associated with the Lateglacial distal outwash, which would have been elevated terraces cut by a single meandering channel during the Holocene.
{"title":"Deglaciation and the terraces of the River Dee, Scotland","authors":"Simon Allerton","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110142","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110142","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The terraces of the River Dee record the postglacial history of northeast Scotland. LiDAR data provide high resolution imaging of the geomorphic features, which, combined with field observations and borehole data has allowed the mapping of 112 km of the river valley. The lower river terraces exhibit meandering bedforms, likely formed in the Holocene. The upper terraces correspond to glacial outwash plains, back-stepping towards the west. These braided outwash plains are near-parallel to the riverbed in their distal, downstream sections, but terrace surfaces increase in slope upstream towards the west. Their upstream termination likely represents a stillstand point of the glacier. Two rock basins, at Ballater and at Braemar, each lie upstream of a wedge of ice-contact and distal outwash deposits, and may have marked ephemeral proglacial lakes, filled by lacustrine delta sediments. At least five separate flood deposits have also been identified, attesting to very high energy flooding events (<em>jökulhlaups</em>?) during the Lateglacial and potentially into the Younger Dryas. A model for punctuated glacial retreat in the Dee valley is developed. The evolution of the terraces provides a framework for understanding the paleoenvironment during early human activity in northeast Scotland. Most Mesolithic material is associated with the Lateglacial distal outwash, which would have been elevated terraces cut by a single meandering channel during the Holocene.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"759 ","pages":"Article 110142"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110128
Piotr Migoń , Jarosław Waroszewski
Poland has a long history of research aimed at deciphering periglacial inheritance in hillslope morphology of medium-altitude mountains which occur in the southern part of the country (the Sudetes, the Carpathians, the highest parts of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains). Its onset is marked by the seminal publications by Walery Łoziński from the beginning of the 20th century, in which the very term ‘periglacial’ was proposed for the first time. This paper is primarily intended as a review and serves a few specific aims. First, it provides an overview of several key themes in periglacial research such as the origin and significance of bedrock crags, the evidence of cryoplanation, the geomorphic history of blockfields and blockstreams, including the discussion of main controlling factors, a possible occurrence of rock glaciers, and the origin and significance of stacked hillslope deposits, including superimposed soils. Second, the efficacy of periglacial processes is evaluated using various lines of evidence, including dating based on cosmogenic nuclides and optically stimulated luminescence. Then, the discussion is shifted to a question whether all landforms and deposits once considered as the periglacial legacy are indeed causally linked with cold-climate environments. Specific themes addressed are the role of catastrophic wind-related events and shallow mass movements in reshaping hillslope morphology, the contemporary activity of scree slopes in the forest belt, and the renewal of regolith production in the Holocene. Finally, a comparison of periglacial landform inventories in mountain regions of contrasting lithology (basement versus flysch rocks) is offered to identify the role of rock control, whereas the most important research gaps are outlined at the end.
{"title":"Quaternary cold-climate hillslope processes, landforms and deposits in the Polish medium-altitude mountains – state-of-the-art and research perspectives","authors":"Piotr Migoń , Jarosław Waroszewski","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110128","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110128","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Poland has a long history of research aimed at deciphering periglacial inheritance in hillslope morphology of medium-altitude mountains which occur in the southern part of the country (the Sudetes, the Carpathians, the highest parts of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains). Its onset is marked by the seminal publications by Walery Łoziński from the beginning of the 20th century, in which the very term ‘periglacial’ was proposed for the first time. This paper is primarily intended as a review and serves a few specific aims. First, it provides an overview of several key themes in periglacial research such as the origin and significance of bedrock crags, the evidence of cryoplanation, the geomorphic history of blockfields and blockstreams, including the discussion of main controlling factors, a possible occurrence of rock glaciers, and the origin and significance of stacked hillslope deposits, including superimposed soils. Second, the efficacy of periglacial processes is evaluated using various lines of evidence, including dating based on cosmogenic nuclides and optically stimulated luminescence. Then, the discussion is shifted to a question whether all landforms and deposits once considered as the periglacial legacy are indeed causally linked with cold-climate environments. Specific themes addressed are the role of catastrophic wind-related events and shallow mass movements in reshaping hillslope morphology, the contemporary activity of scree slopes in the forest belt, and the renewal of regolith production in the Holocene. Finally, a comparison of periglacial landform inventories in mountain regions of contrasting lithology (basement versus flysch rocks) is offered to identify the role of rock control, whereas the most important research gaps are outlined at the end.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"758 ","pages":"Article 110128"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110131
Rahab N. Kinyanjui , Husna K. Mashaka , Kendra L. Chritz , Sylvia N. Wemanya , Emmanuel K. Ndiema , David R. Braun , Marion Bamford
The Koobi Fora Basin is renowned for its rich paleontological and archaeological record. Despite extensive study of earlier periods the Holocene (∼11,7000 years ago to present) sedimentary record, the Galana Boi Formation, remains understudied. This Formation preserves a record of lake-level fluctuation, environmental shifts, and the appearance of the first herders in eastern Africa around ∼5000 years ago. Here we examine Holocene vegetation change using phytolith and chronological data from five archaeological sites. Phytoliths from twenty Holocene, and three modern samples from Ileret, Karari and Koobi Fora were extracted using heavy liquid flotation. All phytoliths encountered were identified and classified.
Our data show subtle temporal changes in vegetation cover from wooded grasslands in the early Holocene to open wooded grasslands in the mid Holocene. By late Holocene, the; vegetation cover had transitioned to open grassy shrublands. Broadly, the phytolith; assemblages likely reflect local to regional scale vegetation. However, at Karari ridge, intra-site differences suggest localized, small-scale anthropogenic modification, indicated by; elevated abundances of useful taxa, such as palms.
The phytolith data suggest that climate became progressively drier from 6000 years ago to present, consistent with basin-wide paleoenvironmental reconstruction from leaf wax biomarkers. These ecological changes coincided with shifts in socio-economic subsistence strategies. Early Holocene populations engaged in hunting, gathering, and fishing while the mid Holocene, early pastoralists appear within the basin, but continued to use diverse wild food resources alongside maintaining livestock (caprines and cattle).
The reduced woody cover density, together with decline in wetland indicators over the past four millennia, gradually transformed the region into sparsely; vegetated landscapes observed today. These changes subsequently shaped and sustained; resilient pastoralist lifeways under increasingly arid conditions.
An increased sample size and multiproxy approach are crucial for understanding Holocene spatiotemporal human-environment interactions in the Basin and for understanding human resilience to environmental pressures, including unpredictable climate change and contemporary lake-level fluctuations Lake Turkana.
{"title":"Holocene vegetation dynamics of the Koobi Fora Basin, East Turkana, Kenya: Insights from phytolith analysis","authors":"Rahab N. Kinyanjui , Husna K. Mashaka , Kendra L. Chritz , Sylvia N. Wemanya , Emmanuel K. Ndiema , David R. Braun , Marion Bamford","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110131","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110131","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Koobi Fora Basin is renowned for its rich paleontological and archaeological record. Despite extensive study of earlier periods the Holocene (∼11,7000 years ago to present) sedimentary record, the Galana Boi Formation, remains understudied. This Formation preserves a record of lake-level fluctuation, environmental shifts, and the appearance of the first herders in eastern Africa around ∼5000 years ago. Here we examine Holocene vegetation change using phytolith and chronological data from five archaeological sites. Phytoliths from twenty Holocene, and three modern samples from Ileret, Karari and Koobi Fora were extracted using heavy liquid flotation. All phytoliths encountered were identified and classified.</div><div>Our data show subtle temporal changes in vegetation cover from wooded grasslands in the early Holocene to open wooded grasslands in the mid Holocene. By late Holocene, the; vegetation cover had transitioned to open grassy shrublands. Broadly, the phytolith; assemblages likely reflect local to regional scale vegetation. However, at Karari ridge, intra-site differences suggest localized, small-scale anthropogenic modification, indicated by; elevated abundances of useful taxa, such as palms.</div><div>The phytolith data suggest that climate became progressively drier from 6000 years ago to present, consistent with basin-wide paleoenvironmental reconstruction from leaf wax biomarkers. These ecological changes coincided with shifts in socio-economic subsistence strategies. Early Holocene populations engaged in hunting, gathering, and fishing while the mid Holocene, early pastoralists appear within the basin, but continued to use diverse wild food resources alongside maintaining livestock (caprines and cattle).</div><div>The reduced woody cover density, together with decline in wetland indicators over the past four millennia, gradually transformed the region into sparsely; vegetated landscapes observed today. These changes subsequently shaped and sustained; resilient pastoralist lifeways under increasingly arid conditions.</div><div>An increased sample size and multiproxy approach are crucial for understanding Holocene spatiotemporal human-environment interactions in the Basin and for understanding human resilience to environmental pressures, including unpredictable climate change and contemporary lake-level fluctuations Lake Turkana.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"759 ","pages":"Article 110131"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145981858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110123
Sumira Nazir Zaz , Shakil Ahmad Romshoo , Farheen Qazi , Shaista Maqbool , Shah Khalid Ahmad
The Himalayan region is undergoing significant changes in soil erosion due to rapid Landuse/landcover change and climate variations. This study employs the ICONA model along with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and satellite-based precipitation data from 1981 to 2024 to assess changes in erosion across the Trans Himalayan region in Ladakh. Key study inputs include slope, lithofacies, land-use/cover and Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) (1992 and 2020), to generate the erosion risk maps. Results reveal that in 1992, 60.88 % (10483.6 km2) and 19.20 % (3302.9 km2) of the area exhibited high and very high erosion risk respectively, with moderate risk in 14.59 % (2513.3 km2), and low and very low risk together in 5.32 % (918.85 km2). By 2020, high and very high erosion risk areas increased only by 1 %–61.80 % (10641.20 km2) and 20.03 % (3445.5 km2) respectively, with a decrease in moderate risk areas to 10.47 % (1804.37 km2) and an increase in low and very low risk areas to 7.70 % (1327.58 km2). Analysis of precipitation data from 1981 to 2024 suggests a significant (S = 0.05) increase, of 13.5 % (383 mm). RCI (Rainfall Concentration Index) result shows peak precipitation in the year 1992, 2010 and 2014. The increasing precipitation and intensity is likely contributing to changes in the erosional processes with enhanced agricultural activities and decreased erosion in certain regions and increase in other regions. Changes in erosion are also attributed to agricultural expansion and potential expansion in infrastructure development from 3.45 km2 to 6.92 km2 between 1991 and 2020. This study helps in identifying changes in the erosion-pattern in the region with changing precipitation, which is essential for formulating mitigation strategies, and for sustainable planning in the study area.
{"title":"Assessing soil erosion risk in the Trans Himalayan range of Ladakh: Implications of climate change and agricultural expansion","authors":"Sumira Nazir Zaz , Shakil Ahmad Romshoo , Farheen Qazi , Shaista Maqbool , Shah Khalid Ahmad","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110123","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110123","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Himalayan region is undergoing significant changes in soil erosion due to rapid Landuse/landcover change and climate variations. This study employs the ICONA model along with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and satellite-based precipitation data from 1981 to 2024 to assess changes in erosion across the Trans Himalayan region in Ladakh. Key study inputs include slope, lithofacies, land-use/cover and Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) (1992 and 2020), to generate the erosion risk maps. Results reveal that in 1992, 60.88 % (10483.6 km<sup>2</sup>) and 19.20 % (3302.9 km<sup>2</sup>) of the area exhibited high and very high erosion risk respectively, with moderate risk in 14.59 % (2513.3 km<sup>2</sup>), and low and very low risk together in 5.32 % (918.85 km<sup>2</sup>). By 2020, high and very high erosion risk areas increased only by 1 %–61.80 % (10641.20 km<sup>2</sup>) and 20.03 % (3445.5 km<sup>2</sup>) respectively, with a decrease in moderate risk areas to 10.47 % (1804.37 km<sup>2</sup>) and an increase in low and very low risk areas to 7.70 % (1327.58 km<sup>2</sup>). Analysis of precipitation data from 1981 to 2024 suggests a significant (S = 0.05) increase, of 13.5 % (383 mm). RCI (Rainfall Concentration Index) result shows peak precipitation in the year 1992, 2010 and 2014. The increasing precipitation and intensity is likely contributing to changes in the erosional processes with enhanced agricultural activities and decreased erosion in certain regions and increase in other regions. Changes in erosion are also attributed to agricultural expansion and potential expansion in infrastructure development from 3.45 km<sup>2</sup> to 6.92 km<sup>2</sup> between 1991 and 2020. This study helps in identifying changes in the erosion-pattern in the region with changing precipitation, which is essential for formulating mitigation strategies, and for sustainable planning in the study area.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"759 ","pages":"Article 110123"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145981859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110125
Mengying Wu , Hanzhi Zhang , Huayu Lu , Jian Yu , Yang Chen , Chen Chen , Jingjing Wang
The evolution of deserts is sensitive to climate changes. However, the trends and evolutionary processes of deserts under global warming remain controversial. The late Pliocene serves as a climatic analog for future conditions. Therefore, reconstructions of desert distributions during this period can provide a valuable historical reference frame for predicting the evolution of deserts under future warming scenarios. Aeolian depositional sequences on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), located at the down-wind direction of the desert, serve as a direct record of desert expansion and contraction. Previous reconstructions relied on the relationship of the grain-size patterns on the Chinese Loess Plateau and the desert margin position during the Last Glacial Maximum. In contrast, we propose a new model based on Holocene desert margin and loess grain-size distribution, and apply it to reconstruct desert margins during the Pliocene warm period. Our new results show that, during the late Pliocene, the southern margin of the proto-Mu Us sand fields was approximately 260 km north of the modern boundary. This study suggests that, in the absence of human disturbance, deserts in northern China may contract under future global warming.
{"title":"The late Pliocene spatial distributions of proto-Mu Us sand fields margin indicated from the spatial grain size variation of aeolian sediments in the Chinese loess Plateau","authors":"Mengying Wu , Hanzhi Zhang , Huayu Lu , Jian Yu , Yang Chen , Chen Chen , Jingjing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110125","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110125","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evolution of deserts is sensitive to climate changes. However, the trends and evolutionary processes of deserts under global warming remain controversial. The late Pliocene serves as a climatic analog for future conditions. Therefore, reconstructions of desert distributions during this period can provide a valuable historical reference frame for predicting the evolution of deserts under future warming scenarios. Aeolian depositional sequences on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), located at the down-wind direction of the desert, serve as a direct record of desert expansion and contraction. Previous reconstructions relied on the relationship of the grain-size patterns on the Chinese Loess Plateau and the desert margin position during the Last Glacial Maximum. In contrast, we propose a new model based on Holocene desert margin and loess grain-size distribution, and apply it to reconstruct desert margins during the Pliocene warm period. Our new results show that, during the late Pliocene, the southern margin of the proto-Mu Us sand fields was approximately 260 km north of the modern boundary. This study suggests that, in the absence of human disturbance, deserts in northern China may contract under future global warming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"758 ","pages":"Article 110125"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110129
Kristina Krklec , Dražen Perica , Aleksandra Bensa , David Domínguez-Villar
Studies of denudation rates in carbonate areas are an important step to understand rates of karst landscape development. Weathering of carbonate rocks is an essential process in soil formation and has a significant role in the global CO2 budget. We studied short-term weathering and denudation rates at a location in the Dinaric karst using the rock tablet method while monitoring surficial and soil environmental parameters. We exposed “standard” rock tablets and those from local lithologies to the natural environment at the surface and buried them at two depths (20 and 50 cm) in the soil profile. Our results show that the average actual denudation rate measured at this site is 2.28 μm/a (for rock tablets exposed at the surface and buried in the soil). Furthermore, this rate is higher at the surface (2.95 μm/a) than those recorded in the soil (1.46 μm/a and 1.99 μm/a at 20 and 50 cm depth, respectively) and is dominated by physical weathering processes driven by diurnal temperature cycles. On the other hand, weathering of rock tablets buried in the soil profile is dominated by chemical weathering processes strongly dependent on the availability of CO2 in the soil, resulting in higher denudation rates deeper in the soil profile. Furthermore, the denudation rate strongly depends on lithology; thus, local lithologies should be used to obtain actual denudation rates.
{"title":"Investigations of short-term denudation rates on the North Dalmatian Plain (Croatia)","authors":"Kristina Krklec , Dražen Perica , Aleksandra Bensa , David Domínguez-Villar","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110129","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110129","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studies of denudation rates in carbonate areas are an important step to understand rates of karst landscape development. Weathering of carbonate rocks is an essential process in soil formation and has a significant role in the global CO<sub>2</sub> budget. We studied short-term weathering and denudation rates at a location in the Dinaric karst using the rock tablet method while monitoring surficial and soil environmental parameters. We exposed “standard” rock tablets and those from local lithologies to the natural environment at the surface and buried them at two depths (20 and 50 cm) in the soil profile. Our results show that the average actual denudation rate measured at this site is 2.28 μm/a (for rock tablets exposed at the surface and buried in the soil). Furthermore, this rate is higher at the surface (2.95 μm/a) than those recorded in the soil (1.46 μm/a and 1.99 μm/a at 20 and 50 cm depth, respectively) and is dominated by physical weathering processes driven by diurnal temperature cycles. On the other hand, weathering of rock tablets buried in the soil profile is dominated by chemical weathering processes strongly dependent on the availability of CO<sub>2</sub> in the soil, resulting in higher denudation rates deeper in the soil profile. Furthermore, the denudation rate strongly depends on lithology; thus, local lithologies should be used to obtain actual denudation rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"759 ","pages":"Article 110129"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145957813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110127
Rafał Sikora , Mirosław Masojć , Antoni Wójcik , Patrycja Wójcik-Tabol , Andrzej Gałaś , Dominik Pawłowski , Grzegorz Michalec , Piotr Moska , Mirosław Makohonienko , Józef Szykulski , Jin Cheul Kim , Jieun Kwon , Byambaa Gunchinsuren
We describe the sedimentological properties of four palaeolake basins located in the Tsakhiurtyn Hundi Lakeland, situated at the southern edge of the Arts Bogd massif in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia.
The palaeolakes – Talingaryn Shal, Chavgantsyn Shal, Zuun Khuree, and Luulityn Toirom – are part of the endorheic Shereegiin Gashuun Basin. In this study, we reconstruct the local palaeogeographic and palaeoclimatic conditions from the Pleistocene to the Holocene through integrated field surveys, sedimentological profiling, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating.
The sedimentation patterns reflect alternating fluvial, lacustrine and aeolian conditions that correspond to climatic oscillations and hydrological changes. OSL dating indicates that lakes in the region began to form during MIS-6 (138.3 ± 7.5 ka), and markedly expanded during MIS-5, particularly between 104 and 72 ka. The Holocene record shows evidence of episodic aridification, with dry phases dated to approximately 10.6 and 8.6 ka. In the Late Holocene, wetter conditions returned, lasting about 3.6 ka.
Pollen analysis yielded limited results but recovery of cladoceran (water flea) remains in Lake Zuun Khuree indicates likely seasonality of this water body. These findings underscore the interplay of tectonic subsidence and climate-driven processes in shaping lacustrine systems across southern Mongolia. There is evidence too of early human activity, with archaeological traces being documented near the lake basins studied.
{"title":"Sedimentological characteristics of four palaeolakes in the Tsakhiurtyn Hundi Lakeland (Gobi Desert, Mongolia)","authors":"Rafał Sikora , Mirosław Masojć , Antoni Wójcik , Patrycja Wójcik-Tabol , Andrzej Gałaś , Dominik Pawłowski , Grzegorz Michalec , Piotr Moska , Mirosław Makohonienko , Józef Szykulski , Jin Cheul Kim , Jieun Kwon , Byambaa Gunchinsuren","doi":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110127","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.quaint.2026.110127","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We describe the sedimentological properties of four palaeolake basins located in the Tsakhiurtyn Hundi Lakeland, situated at the southern edge of the Arts Bogd massif in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia.</div><div>The palaeolakes – Talingaryn Shal, Chavgantsyn Shal, Zuun Khuree, and Luulityn Toirom – are part of the endorheic Shereegiin Gashuun Basin. In this study, we reconstruct the local palaeogeographic and palaeoclimatic conditions from the Pleistocene to the Holocene through integrated field surveys, sedimentological profiling, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating.</div><div>The sedimentation patterns reflect alternating fluvial, lacustrine and aeolian conditions that correspond to climatic oscillations and hydrological changes. OSL dating indicates that lakes in the region began to form during MIS-6 (138.3 ± 7.5 ka), and markedly expanded during MIS-5, particularly between 104 and 72 ka. The Holocene record shows evidence of episodic aridification, with dry phases dated to approximately 10.6 and 8.6 ka. In the Late Holocene, wetter conditions returned, lasting about 3.6 ka.</div><div>Pollen analysis yielded limited results but recovery of cladoceran (water flea) remains in Lake Zuun Khuree indicates likely seasonality of this water body. These findings underscore the interplay of tectonic subsidence and climate-driven processes in shaping lacustrine systems across southern Mongolia. There is evidence too of early human activity, with archaeological traces being documented near the lake basins studied.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49644,"journal":{"name":"Quaternary International","volume":"758 ","pages":"Article 110127"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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