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- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 29: The Influence of Hand Dimensions on Finger
Flexion during Lower Paleolithic Stone Tool Use in a Comfortable Grip Authors: Annapaola Fedato, María Silva-Gago, Marcos Terradillos-Bernal, Rodrigo Alonso-Alcalde, Emiliano Bruner First page: 29 Abstract: Considering the biomechanical and cognitive aspects involved in tool manipulation, hand size emerges as a critical factor. Males, on average, exhibit greater grip strength attributed to larger hand dimensions. Beyond mere physical factors, cognitive components tied to visuospatial abilities also influence stone tool use. However, the intricate relationship between hand size, grip strength, and ergonomic patterns necessitates further exploration. Here, we study the ergonomic pattern of phalanx flexion during the manipulation of Lower Paleolithic stone tools (choppers and handaxes) to understand the nuanced interplay between hand dimensions and grasping behaviors in Lower Paleolithic stone tool use. The static hand posture during the comfortable grasping of each tool is measured using a motion capture hand glove. Flexions are measured at the metacarpophalangeal joint, the proximal interphalangeal joint and the distal interphalangeal joint of each finger. Our investigation into Lower Paleolithic stone tool manipulation reveals gender-based differences in phalanx flexion, with hand dimensions showing correlation only in pooled samples. However, these associations diminish when analyzing males and females separately. This study suggests a minimal link between hand size and grasping behavior within our sample, hinting at the influence of cognitive, behavioral, and motor factors. Exploring lifestyle and psychometric profiles could provide further insights. In the context of early human technology, our results prompt considerations on the evolution of the hand-tool interaction system, linking our tool-dependent culture to our phylogenetic history. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-06-29 DOI: 10.3390/quat7030029 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 3 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 30: Bird Exploitation and Chicken Size in the
Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods in Continental Croatia Authors: Magdalena Kolenc, Aneta Piplica, Martina Čelhar, Tajana Trbojević Vukičević, Martina Đuras, Zoran Vrbanac, Kim Korpes First page: 30 Abstract: The significance of birds in the medieval human diet has been greatly explored in Europe. However, there is a lack of systematic analysis of data from Croatia. Avian remains dated to the Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods from five archaeological sites in continental Croatia underwent skeletal and taxonomic analysis. Age groups were determined and sex identification was conducted using visual and X-ray diagnostics. Chicken bone measurements were taken, and the logarithmic size index (LSI) technique was performed. Statistical analysis was applied to explore differences between sites. A total of 694 avian remains were studied, revealing 10 species/genera. Avian remains ranged from 8.88% to 20.32% across sites, with the highest percentage found at the urban site BAN. Hens outnumbered cockerels across all sites, with adult chickens prevailing over immature and subadult ones. Chicken sizes were generally consistent across sites, except for castle MIL, where a larger breed was identified. Cockerels tended to be larger than hens, except for one small-sized spurred specimen. To conclude, bird exploitation complemented the use of other animals in diets. Chickens were vital for eggs and meat, with monasteries excelling in bird husbandry over castles. Inhabitants of urban areas mainly consumed bird meat. Castles showed high status through game and imported birds. The aim of this article was to fill in the gap of information regarding the exploitation and consumption of birds at Croatian sites during the Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-07-10 DOI: 10.3390/quat7030030 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 3 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 31: New Diatom and Sedimentary Data Confirm the
Authors: Anna V. Ludikova, Dmitry A. Subetto, Denis D. Kuznetsov, Alexander V. Orlov, Angelina E. Shatalova First page: 31 Abstract: Despite more than 100 years of research, a number of questions concerning the evolution of the post-glacial connection between Lake Ladoga, the largest European lake, and the Baltic Sea remain unanswered. In particular, the location and chronological frames of the paleo-outlet from Lake Ladoga in the Holocene remain debatable. Paleolimnological studies were performed in small lakes in the northern part of the Karelian Isthmus (NW Russia), where the outlet from Lake Ladoga, the Heinjoki Strait, is thought to have existed until the lake drained to the south due to the tilting of its basin. The presence of the indicative “Ladoga species” (e.g., Aulacoseira islandica, Achnanthes joursacense, Cymbella sinuata, Ellerbeckia arenaria, Navicula aboensis, N. jaernefeltii, N. jentzschii, etc.) in the diatom assemblages is used as evidence for the influence of Lake Ladoga during the accumulation of coarse-grained sediments at the bottom of the ancient channel. It also confirms the functioning of the hypothetical northern local branch of the strait. Decreased abundances of the “Ladoga species” and the onset of the accumulation of fine-grained sediments suggest that the water discharge via this paleo-outlet rapidly reduced starting from ca. 4100 cal BP. The termination of the functioning of the Heinjoki Strait is recorded as an abrupt disappearance of the indicative taxa from the diatom record. This was dated to ca. 3500–3200 cal BP, which corresponds to the estimated ages of the birth of the River Neva, the present outlet from Lake Ladoga. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-07-19 DOI: 10.3390/quat7030031 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 3 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 32: Hydrological Regime of Rivers in the
Periglacial Zone of the East European Plain in the Late MIS 2 Authors: Aleksey Sidorchuk, Andrei Panin, Olga Borisova First page: 32 Abstract: At the end of the Pleniglacial and the first half of the Late Glacial period, approximately between 18 and 14 ka BP, rivers of the central and southern parts of the East European Plain had channels up to 10 times as large as the present day channels of the same rivers. These ancient channels, called large meandering palaeochannels, are widespread in river floodplains and low terraces. The hydrological regime of these large rivers is of great interest in terms of the palaeoclimatology of the late Marine Isotope Stage 2 (MIS 2). In this study, we aimed at quantitative estimation of maximum flood discharges of rivers in the Dnepr, Don and Volga basins in the late MIS 2. To approach this, we used massive measurements of the morphometric characteristics of large palaeochannels on topographic maps and remote sensing data—palaeochannel width, meander wavelength and their relationships with river flow parameters. The runoff depth of the maximum flood, which corresponds to the maximum depth of daily snow thaw during the snowmelt period, was obtained for unit basins with an area of <1000 km2. The mean value for the southern megaslope of the East European Plain was 44.2 mm/day (6 times the modern value), with 46 mm/day for the Volga River (5.5 times), 45 mm/day (6.3 times) for the Don River and 39 mm/day (8 times the modern value) for the Dnepr River basins. In general, the Dnepr basin was drier than the Don and Volga basins, which corresponds well to the modern distribution of humidity. At the same time, the westernmost part of the Dnepr River basin was relatively wet in the past, and the decrease in humidity from the past to the modern situation was greater there than in the eastern and central regions. The obtained results contradict the prevailing ideas, based mainly on climatic modeling and palynological data, that the climate of Europe was cold and dry during MIS 2. The reason is that palaeoclimatic reconstructions were made predominantly for the LGM epoch (23–20 ka BP). On the East European Plain, the interval 18–14 ka BP is rather poorly studied. Our results of paleoclimatological and palaeohydrological reconstructions showed that the Late Pleniglacial and the first half of the Late Glacial period was characterized by a dramatic increase in precipitation and river discharge relative to the present day. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-07-19 DOI: 10.3390/quat7030032 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 3 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 33: Fine-Tuning of Sub-Annual Resolution
Spectral Index Time Series from Eifel Maar Sediments, Western Germany, to the NGRIP δ18O Chronology, 26–60 ka Authors: Johannes Albert, Paul D. Zander, Martin Grosjean, Frank Sirocko First page: 33 Abstract: Recent technological advancements in spectral imaging core-scanning techniques have proved to be a promising tool to study lake sediments at extremely high resolution. We used this novel analytical approach to scan core AU3 of the Pleistocene Auel maar, Western Germany. The resulting ultra-high-resolution RABD670 spectral index, a proxy for the lake’s primary production, shows an almost complete succession of Greenland Interstadials of the NGRIP ice core chronology back to around 60,000 years. Using the ELSA-20 chronology and its anchor points to the NGRIP record as a stratigraphic basis, we were able to compare and fine-tune prominent climate signals occurring in both regions. This in-depth correlation yields strong evidence that the climates of Greenland and Central Europe were not only strongly coupled on timescales of stadials and interstadials but even on multidecadal scales, showing prominent climate cycles between 20 and 125 years. As climate changes in these regions were ultimately driven by variations in the North Atlantic meridional heat transport, their strong coupling becomes most apparent during cold and arid intervals. In contrast, longer-lasting warmer and more humid phases caused the activation of various regional feedback mechanisms (e.g., soil formation, forest growth), resulting in more complex patterns in the proxy records. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-08-01 DOI: 10.3390/quat7030033 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 3 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 17: A Cryptotephra Layer in Sediments of an
Infilled Maar Lake from the Eifel (Germany): First Evidence of Campanian Ignimbrite Ash Airfall in Central Europe Authors: Fiona Schenk, Ulrich Hambach, Sarah Britzius, Daniel Veres, Frank Sirocko First page: 17 Abstract: We analyzed mineralogical characteristics, and major as well as rare earth element concentrations, from a cryptotephra layer in sediments of the infilled maar of Auel (Eifel, Germany). The results of detailed geochemical analyses of clinopyroxenes and their glassy rims from the Auel cryptotephra layer showed that they are similar to those from the thick Campanian Ignimbrite tephra occurrence in a loess section at Urluia (Romania). Both tephras show idiomorphic green clinopyroxenes and formation of distorted grains up to millimeter scale. The cryptotephra in the Auel core has a modelled age of around 39,940 yr b2k in the ELSA-20 chronology, almost identical to the latest 40Ar/39Ar dates for the Campanian Ignimbrite/Y-5 (CI/Y-5) eruption. These observations suggest that parts of the CI/Y-5 ash cloud were transported also northwestward into Central Europe, whereas the main branch of the CI/Y-5 ash plume was transported from southern Italy towards the NE, E, and SE. Based on pollen analyses, we conclude there was no direct effect on vegetation from the CI/Y-5 fallout in the Eifel area. Trees, shrubs, and grasses remained at pre-tephra-airfall levels for roughly 240 years, but changed around 39,700 yr b2k when thermophilic woody plants (e.g., Alnus and Carpinus) disappeared and Artemisia spread. This change in vegetation was well after the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion and also after the GI9 interstadial and quite probably represents the onset of the Heinrich Event 4 (H4) cold spell, when climatic conditions over the North Atlantic, and apparently also in Central Europe, deteriorated sharply. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-03-25 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020017 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 18: LOVE Is in the R—Two R Tools for Local
Vegetation Reconstruction Authors: Martin Theuerkauf, John Couwenberg First page: 18 Abstract: Pollen deposition in small lakes and peatlands is composed of local pollen deposition arriving from the nearby vegetation and of regional pollen deposition arriving from farther away. The LOVE model aims to reconstruct past vegetation on a small local scale by extracting only the local pollen signal. To this end, pollen deposition from small sites is related to pollen deposition from large lakes with predominantly regional pollen deposition. We here present a new implementation of the LOVE model in the R environment for statistical computing that is more user friendly than existing implementations. It allows more readily application with fossil pollen data and facilitates extensive testing of the approach in simulated landscapes. The LOVE model derives from critical mathematical assumptions that strongly limit its application. We additionally present LOVEoptim as an adjusted approach to local-scale reconstructions. Other than in LOVE, past local plant abundances are approximated using numerical optimization. Tests in a simulated landscape, which is based on true landscape patterns from digital maps, show that both approaches are valid. Due to fewer mathematical assumptions, LOVEoptim is more widely applicable. The modeling results help to better interpret the spatial scale of vegetation reflected in LOVE/LOVEoptim reconstructions. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-03-25 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020018 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 19: Complex Microlandscape as a Structural Unit
of the Study of Spatiotemporal Development of an Ombrotrophic Suboceanic Bog Authors: Tamara Ponomareva, Ivan Zubov, Anastasiya Shtang, Alexander Orlov, Svetlana Selyanina First page: 19 Abstract: Ombrotrophic suboceanic bogs are distinguished by a high diversity of complex microlandscapes within the bog massif. Each complex microlandscape is a separate intrabog ecosystem with a specific set of parameters and relationships. This study aims to assess the specifics of the characteristics and parameters of the complex microlandscapes as part of an ombrotrophic suboceanic Sphagnum bog and as stages of bog morphogenesis, and to establish the internal relationships and their relationship with external environmental factors. A comprehensive multidisciplinary approach was used to assess the functioning of the complex microlandscapes. It was found that the relationship with the air temperature is closer than with the bog water table dynamics. It was shown that the morphometric parameters of perennial dwarf shrubs can serve as indicators of the stages of development of bogs. The processes of the self-regulation of complex microlandscapes are weakened with the age of the complex microlandscape, as evidenced by an increase in the amplitude of temperature fluctuations and the level of bog waters, as well as the key physicochemical parameters of the peat deposit. This leads to a gradual, slow reorientation of the physicochemical processes occurring in the deposit, from the deposition of organic matter to the decomposition of peat biomass. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-04-15 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020019 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 20: Middle Pleistocene Hippopotamuses from the
Italian Peninsula: An Overview Authors: Beniamino Mecozzi, Alessio Iannucci, Marta Arzarello, Marco Carpentieri, Marie-Hélène Moncel, Carlo Peretto, Benedetto Sala, Raffaele Sardella First page: 20 Abstract: Our work presents an updated overview of the Italian Middle Pleistocene records of hippopotamuses, including the two species Hippopotamus antiquus and Hippopotamus amphibius. In addition to reviewing several well-known fossils in the literature, a large number of samples are described herein for the first time. Following the recent results published in the literature, where the skull from the Middle Pleistocene of Cava Montanari (ca. MIS 13) was confirmed to belong to H. amphibius, one of the aims of this work was to investigate the H. antiquus–H. amphibius transition. A morphological analysis applied to a large sample confirmed the validity of the arrangement of the enamel ridges of the external surfaces of the lower canines as a diagnostic character for specific identifications. Finally, biometric analyses allowed us to test the size variability during the Middle Pleistocene, which confirmed that H. antiquus was generally larger than H. amphibius. Nevertheless, the remains of H. antiquus dated to ca. 600 ka show a reduced size when compared to older fossils of the same taxon, probably as a response to severe glacial conditions that occurred during MIS 16. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-04-22 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020020 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 21: Relation between Central European Climate
Change and Eifel Volcanism during the Last 130,000 Years: The ELSA-23-Tephra-Stack Authors: Frank Sirocko, Frederik Krebsbach, Johannes Albert, Sarah Britzius, Fiona Schenk, Michael W. Förster First page: 21 Abstract: The analysis of tephra layers in maar lake sediments of the Eifel shows 14 well-visible tephra during the last glacial cycle from the Holocene to the Eemian (0–130,000 yr b2k). These tephra were analyzed for their petrographic composition, which allows us to connect several tephra to eruption sites. All tephra were dated by application of the ELSA-20 chronology, developed using the late Pleistocene infilled maar lake of Auel and the Holocene lake Holzmaar (0–60,000 yr b2k). We extend the ELSA-20 chronology with this paper for the millennia of 60,000–130,000 yr b2k (ELSA-23 chronology), which is based on the infilled maar lake records from Dehner, Hoher List, and Jungferweiher. The evaluation of the tephra from the entire last glacial cycle shows that all 14 tephra were close to interstadial warming of the North Atlantic sea surface temperatures. In particular, phreatomagmatic maar eruptions were systematically associated with Heinrich events or C-events. These events represent times of warming of the Southern Hemisphere, global sea level rise, and CO2 increase, which predate the abrupt interstadial warming events of the Northern Hemisphere. This synchroneity indicates a physical relationship between endogenic and exogenic processes. Changes in the lithospheric stress field in response to changes in continental ice loads have already been suggested as a potential candidate to explain the exogenic forcing of endogenic processes. The chronology of volcanic activity in the Eifel demonstrates that intraplate mantle plumes are also affected by the exogenic forcing of endogenic processes. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-04-25 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020021 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 22: Short-Term Climatic Oscillations in the
Central Region of the East-European Plain at the Beginning of the Holocene Based on Palynological Studies of Lacustrine Deposits Authors: Olga Borisova, Natalia Naryshkina, Andrey Panin First page: 22 Abstract: The Preboreal (11.75–10.70 ka BP) is still the least paleogeographically studied time interval in the central part of the East European Plain. High-resolution multi-proxy studies of lacustrine sediments at the Seltso site located in the Desna River floodplain (Dnieper River basin) were conducted. Radiocarbon dating, loss-on-ignition determination, sedimentological and palynological studies and identification of Non-Pollen Palynomorphs in lacustrine sediments allow us to reconstruct changes in vegetation caused by rapid warming at the Younger Dryas–Holocene boundary, short-term climatic fluctuations within the Preboreal and subsequent resumption of warming. Initial Preboreal warming reached its maximum at about 11.5 ka BP when a relatively dry continental climate existed. Between 11.4 and 11.2 ka BP, a short-term cooling corresponding to the Preboreal Oscillation in Greenland occurred, as indicated by a significant reduction of woody vegetation and expansion of open plant communities. In the Late Preboreal, approximately 11.2–10.7 ka BP, warming resumed, which was accompanied by a decrease in the climate continentality. Comparison with high-resolution lithological and palynological data from eight reliably dated sections of the central East European Plain indicates that in northwestern and central Europe, the impact of the Preboreal Oscillation cooling on the vegetation and the lake ecosystems’ development was probably somewhat stronger. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-05-15 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020022 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 23: Prolonged Response of River Terrace Flooding
to Climate Change Authors: Jef Vandenberghe, Xianyan Wang, Xun Yang First page: 23 Abstract: From the start of river incision onward, the abandoned terrace surface is only reached by floods during peak discharges. Two main flood facies are distinguished: a relatively high-energetic, coarse-grained facies and a relatively low-energetic, fine-grained facies. In general, the flood deposits become gradually finer-grained and the finer-grained facies relatively more prominent when the river incises progressively deeper. This signifies a delayed and prolonged effect of channel incision and flood deposition compared with the climate changes that initiated the incision. However, these long-term trends may be interrupted by shorter-term events of flooding or non-deposition. Those short events are expressed by cycles of coarse-grained deposits from small/shallow flooding channels due to short peak discharges or fine-grained suspended sediment and incipient soils during periods of low flow. These short events may be attributed to short climatic episodes or intermittent intrinsic river evolution. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-05-27 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020023 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 24: Palaeoenvironmental Conditions of the Upper
Middle Pleistocene Warm Intervals in the Upper Volga Region, Northwestern Russia, Based on Palynological, Paleocarpological and Quantitative Geochronological Data Authors: Andrei Panin, Evgeny Konstantinov, Olga Borisova, Inna Zyuganova, Dmitrii Baranov, Natalia Karpukhina, Anna Utkina, Natalia Naryshkina, Redzhep Kurbanov First page: 24 Abstract: The climatostratigraphic scale of the Upper Middle Pleistocene in the northwest of the East European Plain contains a number of controversial issues, one of which is the position of the Likhvin (Holstein) Interglacial and lesser warm (interstadial) climatic events. To approach this problem, we have studied two sections of Quaternary deposits, Bolshaya Kosha (a well-known and long-studied natural exposure) and Nazarovo (a new, previously unknown section studied in a borehole), in which warm intervals of the Middle Pleistocene are recognized. In both sections, we performed lithological and paleobiological (carpological, spore-pollen) analyses and luminescence dating. In the Bolshaya Kosha section, seeds of the extinct species Caulinia goretskyi were revealed, which allowed us to attribute the obtained IRSL (ca 250–260 ka) dates to the post-Likhvin Bolshaya Kosha interstadial. The sum of data let us propose that both our IRSL and recently published 230Th/U dates (ca 240–290 ka) underestimate the age by 10–15%, and the post-Likhvin Kosha interstadial deposits were formed in the late MIS 9. In the Nazarovo section, palynological study showed the conditions of a relatively warm interstadial, with a change in the composition of vegetation from northern to middle taiga forests. According to IRSL dating, the section was formed in the MIS 10 late glacial between 330–370 ka. The two studied interstadials bracket the Likhvin (Holstein) Interglacial and sedimentary units in the Bolshaya Kosha section are proposed to have formed in MIS 9e. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-05-27 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020024 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 25: Holocene Paleohydrological Changes Reflected
in Lake-Level Fluctuations in Lake Annecy (French Pre-Alps): Climatic Significance and Archeological Implications Authors: Michel Magny, Eymeric Morin, Agnès Vérot, Hervé Richard, André Marguet, Robin Brigand, Franck Gabayet, Florent Hinschberger, Jacques Mouthon, Eric Thirault First page: 25 Abstract: Lakes are threatened by contemporary climate change and human activities. Paleohydrological records provide important evidence for developing scenarios for future changes in the availability of freshwater resources. This study presents a synthesis of a sedimentological, archeological, and chronological dataset collected from Lake Annecy (eastern France) to reconstruct a lake-level record documenting the whole Holocene. This dataset shows a pronounced minimum in the lake level during the Holocene thermal maximum (HTM) (ca. 9000–7000 cal BP), preceded by a general lowering trend (early Holocene), and followed by a general rising trend (Neoglacial). On both the millennial and centennial scales, the Lake Annecy record appears to match the regional pattern of Holocene lake-level fluctuations established for West-Central Europe. In agreement with other extra-regional paleoclimatic records, it shows the dominant influence of orbital forcing. The high magnitude of the lake-level lowering (more than 5 m) during the HTM, with a 2–2.5 °C difference between the HTM and the pre-industrial mean summer temperatures, suggests possible drastic lake-level lowering phases in the near future depending on the IPCC scenarios following climate change. This would mean dramatic impacts on human activities and the preservation of exceptional archeological remains in regional lake basins. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-05-29 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020025 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 26: A Hierarchical Bayesian Examination of the
Chronological Relationship between the Noaillian and Rayssian Phases of the French Middle Gravettian Authors: William E. Banks, Anaïs Vignoles, Jessica Lacarrière, André Morala, Laurent Klaric First page: 26 Abstract: Issues of chronology are central to inferences pertaining to relationships between both contemporaneous and successive prehistoric typo-technological entities (i.e., archaeological cultures), culture–environment relationships, and ultimately the mechanisms at play behind cultural changes observed through time in the archaeological record. We refine the chronology of Upper Paleolithic archaeological cultures between 35–18 calibrated kiloanni before the present in present-day France by incorporating recently published radiocarbon data along with new 14C ages that we obtained from several Gravettian archaeological contexts. We present the results of a Bayesian age model that includes these new radiometric data and that, more importantly, separates Gravettian contexts in regions north of the Garonne River into two successive cultural phases: The Northern Noaillian and the Rayssian, respectively. This new age model places the beginning of the Noaillian during Greenland Stadial 5.2. The appearance of contexts containing assemblages associated with the Rayssian lithic technical system occurs immediately prior to the termination of Greenland Interstadial 5.1, and it is present throughout Heinrich Event 3 (GS-5.1) and into the following GI-4 climatic amelioration. Despite the Rayssian’s initial appearance during the brief and relatively weakly expressed Greenland Interstadial 5.1, its duration suggests that Rayssian lithic technology was well-suited to the environmental conditions of Greenland Stadial 5.1. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-06-12 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020026 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 27: The Late Pliocene–Middle Pleistocene
Large Mammal Faunal Units of Greece Authors: George E. Konidaris, Dimitris S. Kostopoulos First page: 27 Abstract: Located at the eastern corner of Mediterranean Europe, Greece occupies a critical position for mammal dispersals to/from Europe, Asia, and Africa and constitutes a potential passageway towards Western Europe. During recent decades, numerous fieldwork campaigns in several Pliocene–Pleistocene sites have greatly enriched the fossil record and provided valuable taxonomic and biostratigraphic data. However, a fully developed reference biochronological unit scheme for the Greek record that could contribute to correlations at a continental scale is still pending. In this article, we provide the updated Late Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene large mammal succession, and we introduce the Faunal Units (FUs) of Greece. We define eight FUs, the Milia, Dafnero, Gerakarou, Tsiotra Vryssi, Krimni, Apollonia, Marathousa, and Apidima FUs (from the oldest to the youngest), which are determined by a set of first and last local occurrences. The results form the basis for discussion of already set turnovers, dispersals, and extinction/immigration events and showcase the importance of the local record for the investigation of the European terrestrial ecosystems. By developing the first detailed biochronological scheme for the Pliocene–Pleistocene of Southeastern Europe, this study comprises the basis for an expanded Balkan faunal unit scale and a reference framework for future investigations. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-06-12 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020027 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 28: A Glacial–Interglacial Malacofauna
Record from the Titel Loess Plateau, Serbia, between ~350 and 250 ka Authors: Milica G. Radaković, Bojan Gavrilović, Milivoj B. Gavrilov, Rastko S. Marković, Qingzhen Hao, Randall J. Schaetzl, Christian Zeeden, Binggui Cai, Zoran M. Perić, Aleksandar Antić, Tin Lukić, Slobodan B. Marković First page: 28 Abstract: We present data on molluscan fauna within the L3 loess unit (and partially within the S3 paleosol) from the key loess section of Veliki Surduk in Serbia. The section correlates to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 8 and late MIS 9 and, thus, spans the time frame from ~350 to 250 ka. The Veliki Surduk loess–paleosol sequence (LPS) is located on the northwestern margin of the Titel loess plateau and comprises ~30 m of sediments. Our focus is on a 5.4 m thick sedimentary interval, which was sampled at 20 cm increments, each sample covering approximately 2 ky. Nine mollusk species were identified in the loess sequence: Granaria frumentum, Helicopsis striata, Pupilla triplicata, Chondrula tridens, Pupilla muscorum, Succinella oblonga, Punctum pygmaeum, Vallonia costata, and Vitrina pellucida, as well as a few unidentified slug taxa (Limacidae, Agriolimacidae, and Milacidae). The majority of the snail assemblage occurs at the transition between MIS 9 and MIS 8, suggesting a mostly dry climate and an open and steppe-like habitat. The fauna identified in the upper part of the paleosol layer S3, below the L3 unit, indicated aridification. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-06-14 DOI: 10.3390/quat7020028 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 2 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 2: The Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic
Settlement of Northern Italy: Problems and Perspectives Authors: Paolo Biagi First page: 2 Abstract: This paper considers some problems of the Late Palaeolithic and the Mesolithic periods in Northern Italy. More precisely, it deals with chronology, settlement pattern, techno-typological characteristics of knapped stone assemblages, and climatic changes that have taken place in the region from the discovery of the first sites in the 1960s and the excavations that soon followed to the present state of research. The Italian Alps, the Piedmont, and the valleys that descend from the high massifs have yielded important traces of Late Palaeolithic (Final Epigravettian) and Mesolithic (Sauveterrian and Castelnovian) sites and findspots, some of which are rock shelters that were settled throughout several millennia. This paper describes and discusses the evidence available mainly from two regions of the western and eastern Alpine arc, which are characterised by very different landscapes and yielded a great variety of archaeological features. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-01-04 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010002 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 3: Boreal (Eemian) Transgression in the
Northeastern White Sea Region: Multiproxy Evidence from Bychye-2 Section Authors: Ekaterina Taldenkova, Yaroslav Ovsepyan, Olga Rudenko, Anna Stepanova, Henning A. Bauch First page: 3 Abstract: Reconstructing interglacial marine environments helps us understand the climate change mechanisms of the past. To contribute to this body of knowledge, we studied a high-resolution 455 cm-thick sediment sequence of the Boreal (Eemian) marine beds directly overlying Moscovian (Saalian) moraine in the Bychye-2 section on the Pyoza River. We analyzed lithological and microfossil (foraminifers, ostracods, pollen, aquatic palynomorphs) variations at the studied site. Stratigraphical zonation is based on the local and well-established regional pollen zones, correlated with the western European pollen zones. The studied marine beds accumulated from the end of the Moscovian glacial (>131 ka) until ca. 119.5 ka. We distinguished three successive phases: a seasonally sea-ice-covered, relatively deep, freshened basin in the initial rapid flooding stage (>131–130.5 ka); a deep basin in the maximum flooding phase with less extensive sea ice cover (130.5–130.25 ka); and a shallow basin with reduced sea ice cover (130.25–119.5 ka). According to a pollen zone comparison with other sites, the regional glacioisostatic rebound started ca. 130 ka. The diverse warm-water assemblages of benthic foraminifers and ostracods containing typical Baltic Sea species occurred during the regression, mainly 128–124 ka, thus giving evidence for a relatively long-lasting connection between the White and Baltic Seas. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-01-05 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010003 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 4: An Updated Review of The Quaternary
Hippopotamus Fossil Records from the Iberian Peninsula Authors: Darío Fidalgo, Joan Madurell-Malapeira, Roberta Martino, Luca Pandolfi, Antonio Rosas First page: 4 Abstract: This work presents a comprehensive review of the Quaternary fossil records of hippopotamuses from the Iberian Peninsula, unveiling biogeographical insights of global significance. The results presented herein include the inference of a delayed arrival of Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus antiquus) populations onto the Iberian Peninsula compared to other European Mediterranean regions, with an estimated age of ca. 1.7 Ma, in contrast to 2.1–2.2 Ma elsewhere. Moreover, we hypothesize the possibility of a short-lived coexistence between H. antiquus and Hippopotamus amphibius, close to the extinction of the former taxon (ca. 0.45 Ma). The local extinction of all hippopotamus populations on the Iberian Peninsula between MIS 5 and 3 is suggested here, mirroring proposals made for the Italian peninsula. Notable aspects of this fossil record include the abundance of specimens, previously undocumented anatomical elements, and partially complete individuals with articulated body segments. The remains analyzed herein also present different ontogenetic stages and sexual dimorphism. Moreover, the presence of specimens displaying paleopathologies provides valuable insights into ethological and paleoecological studies. The exceptional record of at least three events of human exploitation of hippopotamus stands out, with this being a rarity in the broader context of the archaeological and paleontological record of the European continent. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-01-10 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010004 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 5: Environmental Variability of the Northern
Caspian Sea during Khazarian Epoch (Based on Drilling Data) Authors: Nataliya Bolikhovskaya, Tamara Yanina, Valentin Sorokin First page: 5 Abstract: The objective of our work was to reconstruct transgressive-regressive events in the Northern Caspian Sea during the Khazarian epoch of its Pleistocene history to determine the natural conditions of the development of the basins and to assess their response to climate change. This work is based onstudies of the sedimentary formations of the upper part of the Quaternary sequence in the Northern Caspian Sea. The borehole was drilled in the eastern part of the depression Shirotnaya, the sea depth was 11.9 m, and the depth of drilling was 56.4 m. The core was subjected to lithological, malacological, and palynological analysis. This paper discusses the results related to the interval 56.0–26.6 m. The structure, facies-lithological, and malacological composition of the core capture three transgressive stages of the Caspian, namely the Early Khazarian, Late Khazarian, and Hyrcanian stages, separated by regressive phases. The representative spore-pollen assemblages made it possible to carry out the climatic and stratigraphic subdivision of the studied Khazarian deposits and to suggest a provisional version of the history of climatic and phytocenotic events during the sedimentation period. The results of our studies have introduced new discussion points into the paleogeography of the Northern Caspian Sea. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-01-11 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010005 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 6: 87Sr/86Sr Isotope Ratio as a Tool in
Archaeological Investigation: Limits and Risks Authors: Mattia Rossi, Paola Iacumin, Gianpiero Venturelli First page: 6 Abstract: During the last forty years, the use of strontium isotopes in archaeology and biogeochemical research has spread widely. These isotopes, alone or in combination with others, can contribute to trace past and present environmental conditions. However, the interpretation of the isotopic values of strontium is not always simple and requires good knowledge of geochemistry and geology. This short paper on the use of strontium isotopes is aimed at those who use this tool (archaeologists, but not only) but who do not have a thorough knowledge of mineralogy, geology, and geochemistry necessary for a good understanding of natural processes involving these isotopes. We report basic knowledge and suggestions for the correct use of these isotopes. The isotopic characteristics of bio-assimilable strontium depend not so much on the isotopic characteristics of the bulk rock as, rather, on those of its more soluble minerals. Before studying human, animal and plant remains, the state of conservation and any conditions of isotopic pollution should be carefully checked. Samples should be collected according to random sampling rules. The data should be treated by a statistical approach. To make comparisons between different areas, it should be borne in mind that the study of current soils can be misleading since the mineralogical modification of soil over time can be very rapid. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-01-11 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010006 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 7: Reconstructing the Last 71 ka Paleoclimate in
Northeast China by Integrating Typical Loess Sections Authors: Juan Li, Kristofor R. Brye, Zhong-Xiu Sun, Phillip R. Owens, Zhuo-Dong Jiang, Tian-Hao Wang, Meng-Ge Zhang, Qiu-Bing Wang First page: 7 Abstract: Long-term continuous deposits and well-preserved thick loess sections are natural archives for the reconstruction of global climate change. However, the loess sections are often discontinuous owing to soil erosions and accumulations. This study aimed at reconstructing long-term continuous paleoclimatic records by integrating the target sections of two typical loess sequences in northeast (NE) China. One section, the Dajiugang (DJG) section, was investigated and sampled, and the Sanbahuo (SBH) section was used as the target for integrating and reconstructing the paleoclimate. Sedimentary, pedogenesis, and luminescence dating analyses were conducted to analyze the potentials for reconstructing the paleoclimate by integrating two typical loess sections. The results indicated that the paleoclimate records derived from the DJG section can be used to reconstruct the continuous paleoclimate of NE China by integrating them with the SBH section. The paleoclimate information inferred from the DJG section could impute paleoclimate data from 71 to 11.7 ka, which were missing in the SBH section. The paleoclimate of NE China generally consisted of three periods from 71 to 11.7 ka: cold and dry from 29 to 11.7 ka, alternately cold and warm from 57 to 29 ka, and warm and wet to cold and dry from 71 to 57 ka. Integrating the target loess sections can contribute to reconstructing regional long-term continuous paleoclimate records where discontinuous loess sequences occurred. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-01-12 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010007 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 8: Vegetation Patterns during the Last 132,000
Years: A Synthesis from Twelve Eifel Maar Sediment Cores (Germany): The ELSA-23-Pollen-Stack Authors: Sarah Britzius, Frank Dreher, Patricia Maisel, Frank Sirocko First page: 8 Abstract: Seven published and four new pollen records from well-dated sediment cores from six Pleistocene and Holocene maar structures located in the Eifel, Germany, are combined to a pollen stack that covers the entire last 132,000 years. This stack is complemented by new macroremain data from one additional sediment core. The pollen data included into the stack show consistently that the Eifel was covered by a dense forest during the Eemian, early Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, and the Holocene. While other European records indeed indicate a warming, the early MIS 3 fully developed forest remains a unique feature in central European pollen records. Comparison to orbital parameters and insolation hints to warm and humid, however, not fully interglacial conditions, which are also visible in speleothem growth throughout Europe. With the cooling trend towards the glacial maxima of MIS 4 and 2, tree pollen declined, with recovering phases during MIS 5c and 5a, as well as during all MIS 3 interglacials. During the colder stadials, steppe vegetation expanded. For MIS 5 and 4, we defined six new landscape evolution zones based on pollen and macroremains. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-02-06 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010008 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 9: Fluvial Response to Environmental Change in
Sub-Tropical Australia over the Past 220 Ka Authors: Jacky Croke, Chris Thompson, Annegret Larsen, Mark Macklin, Kate Hughes First page: 9 Abstract: This paper uses a 30 m record of valley alluviation in the Lockyer Creek, a major tributary of the mid-Brisbane River in Southeast Queensland, to document the timing and nature of Quaternary fluvial response. A combination of radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating reveals a sequence of major cut and fill episodes. The earliest aggradation phase is represented by a basal gravel unit, dating to ~220 ka (marine isotope sub-stage 7d), and although little evidence supports higher fluvial discharges during MIS 5, a MIS 3 fluvial episode characterised by incision and aggradation dates to ~60 ka. A penultimate phase of incision to a depth of 30 m prior to ~14 ka saw the lower Lockyer occupy its current position within the valley floor. The Lockyer Creek shows evidence of only minor fluvial activity during MIS 2, suggesting a drier LGM climate. The appearance of alternating fine- and coarse-grained units at about 2 ka is notable and may represent higher-energy flood conditions associated with a strengthening of El Niño Southern Oscillation activity as observed in the flood of 2011. The aggradation rate for this Holocene floodplain unit is ~11 times higher than the long-term rate. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-02-09 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010009 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 10: The Sardinian Mammoth’s Evolutionary
History: Lights and Shadows Authors: Maria Rita Palombo, Marco Zedda, Daniel Zoboli First page: 10 Abstract: The dwarf Sardinian mammoth, Mammuthus lamarmorai, is a well-known species frequently cited in the literature; however, the fossil record of the Pleistocene Sardinian mammoths mainly consists of isolated remains (an incomplete skeleton from Guardia Pisano Hill, isolated teeth and a largely incomplete tibia from different localities, and some footprints from Funtana Morimenta), which have been found in sites presumably ranging in age from the late Middle to the Late Pleistocene. All of the remains have been ascribed to a single species of an endemic mammoth, Mammuthus lamarmorai, which is moderately reduced in size. The paucity of remains increases uncertainties about the chronological range of Sardinian mammoth remains, some of which are currently missing, while others lack sound information about their exact provenance or were removed and collected without contextual information. As a result, the different sizes of molariform teeth from different localities, the lack of chewing tooth remains at Guardia Pisano Hill, and the doubtful chronology of some remains hamper any attempt to infer whether one or more species that originated from an anagenetic or radiative evolutionary process or through multiple arrivals from the mainland inhabited the island. Therefore, the continental ancestor or ancestors of Sardinian mammoth populations and the time and number of dispersals of the ancestral taxon or taxa have long been debated, and the persistence through time of mammoth endemic populations still remains an unsolved matter. This research summarizes and critically reviews our knowledge about the Sardinian endemic mammoth, provides new evidence about the Sardinian mammoth’s ancestor and the possible time of its dispersal from the mainland to the island, gives new information about the Sardinian mammoth’s histology and physical characteristics, and highlights some focal, unsolved questions (e.g., morphological and dimensional differences in dentition, number of Sardinian mammoth species, population dynamics, decline, and disappearance). Further research and increasing data, which will enable taphonomic, spectrometric, and dating studies, will provide better results to solve the remaining questions. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-02-17 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010010 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 11: The Occurrence of Suids in the Post-Olduvai
to Pre-Jaramillo Pleistocene of Europe and Implications for Late Villafranchian Biochronology and Faunal Dynamics Authors: Alessio Iannucci First page: 11 Abstract: It has been proposed that suids were absent from Europe during the post-Olduvai to pre-Jaramillo Early Pleistocene (from less than 1.8 to more than 1.2 Ma) and that their “re-appearance” in the late Early Pleistocene would mark the end of the late Villafranchian and the beginning of the Epivillafranchian. Arguments enumerated in favor of this “suid gap” are the lack of suid remains from extensively sampled fossil localities of this age and the high reproductive potential (r-strategy) of suids, which would translate in a high commonness of their remains in the fossil record. However, here it shown that while suids’ reproductive potential is certainly exceptional within artiodactyls, there is no direct relationship between the reproductive strategy and preservation rate of a taxon in the fossil record. In Early Pleistocene localities of Europe and adjoining areas, where suids are present in a fossil assemblage, they are always rare. In terms of number of occurrences (frequency), suids range from being moderately common (~2.0–1.8 Ma) to moderately rare (~1.1–1.0 Ma). Suid material is also described herein from Peyrolles (Issoire, France; reference locality for MNQ 19), a site dated at 1.47 Ma, providing direct evidence for the presence of suids within the purported “suid gap”. The case of suids underlines an important source of caveat in inferring faunal dynamics of the late Early Pleistocene of western Europe—including the dispersal of hominins—i.e., the unequal geographical distribution of the paleontological sites of post-Olduvai to pre-Jaramillo age. Indeed, Peyrolles is the only large mammal site in western Europe located outside the Iberian and Italian Peninsulas reliably dated around 1.5 Ma. In the post-Olduvai to pre-Jaramillo period, there is a paucity of radiometric estimates (or they have too coarse a resolution) and of paleomagnetic excursions detectable in continental deposits. Basically, for this time span, there is a high dependence on biochronological correlations, although, at the same time, these correlations are less reliable—because these are based on a few sites not covering the entire spectrum of environments present in Europe and the sites are not independently dated with methods that outperform biochronology—than those for other periods. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-02-21 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010011 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 12: Rare Earth Elements in Sediments from the
Laptev Sea Shelf: Insight into Sources and Distribution Factors Authors: Alexey Ruban, Oleg Dudarev, Maxim Rudmin, Igor Semiletov First page: 12 Abstract: The study of rare earth elements (REEs) in marine sediments is a powerful geochemical tool for determining depositional processes and sediment provenance, as well as for understanding paleoenvironmental changes. In this context, we present REE, some major and trace elements, grain size, and mineralogy data on surface and core sediments, which were collected in different areas of the eastern Laptev Sea Shelf (LSS; Arctic Ocean). The primary objective of this paper was to assess the principal controlling factors influencing REE concentration and their vertical to lateral distribution. The total REE content (ΣREE) ranged from 139 ppm to 239 ppm within the studied sediment samples, predominantly consisting of silt. The normalized REE distribution patterns, based on North American Shale Composite (NASC) standard, exhibited an enrichment in light REE (LREE) when compared to heavy REE (HREE), which is similar to that in Lena River suspended particulate matter. The primary sources of REEs in the eastern LSS were both the suspended particulate matter from the Lena River and sediments originating from the coastal ice complex. The spatial distribution of REEs was primarily contingent upon the distance from sediment sources and prevailing hydrological conditions and was generally characterized by a decrease in REE concentration seaward. There was a moderate positive correlation between ΣREE and mean grain size in the studied surface sediment. However, this relationship was specific only for surface samples and was not found in the sediment cores, indicating that sediment grain size does not play a significant role in the REE vertical distribution. The strong positive correlation between ΣREE and Al, K, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Hf, and Th suggests that REEs are hosted by not only heavy but also clay minerals. The vertical fluctuations of LREE/HREE, Eu/Eu*, (La/Lu)N can point at variable dominance of one or another REE source for during sediment accumulation. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-02-28 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010012 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 13: The Middle Pleistocene Hippopotamus from
Malagrotta (Latium, Italy): New Data and Future Perspectives Authors: Roberta Martino, Fabrizio Marra, María Ríos, Luca Pandolfi First page: 13 Abstract: The Middle Pleistocene was characterized by the presence in continental Europe of at least two different species of hippopotamus: Hippopotamus antiquus and H. amphibius. Although suspected, the presence of both hippopotamuses in the same geographical area has not yet been proven. The following manuscript describes findings from Malagrotta (Rome, central Italy), dating back to the time span between 0.45 and 0.38 Ma. These findings offer new insights into the Middle Pleistocene period. The fragmented mandible has a slender and low corpus, the humerus is robust with a deltoid tuberosity placed medially on the diaphysis, the unciform shows a facet for the MCIV wider than the one for the MCV and the calcaneum is clepsydra-shaped. The morphological characteristics of the sample are closer to those of H. antiquus, despite the fact that the morphometric measurements are smaller than those of the samples coming from Valdarno (Italy), Untermaßfeld (Germany) or Colle Curti (Italy). Considering all the information, the material from Malagrotta is here attributed to H. cf. antiquus, indicating the survival of the European hippopotamus until at least 0.38 Ma in central Italy. The coexistence of H. amphibius and H. antiquus in the same geographical area is also discussed. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-02-29 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010013 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 14: Rhynchotalona latens (Sarmaja-Korjonen,
Hakojärvi et Korhola 2000) (Crustacea, Anomopoda, Chydoridae) in Lacustrine Sediments of European Russia Authors: Aisylu G. Ibragimova, Artyom V. Gusarov, Larisa A. Frolova First page: 14 Abstract: Remains of Rhynchotalona latens (Sarmaja-Korjonen, Hakojärvi et Korhola 2000) were found in the bottom sediments of several glaciogenic lakes in northwestern Russia. Subfossil remains of the species were noted both in the bottom sediments of the Late Pleistocene and Mid-Holocene. We discovered a rare species, R. latens, in the bottom sediments of Lake Medvedevskoye (Karelian Isthmus). This species prefers shallow oligo-mesotrophic lakes with organic sediments and has attracted the interest of scientists around the world as it is considered a glacial relict and has recently been found in surface sediments and as a living population in Finland and Russia. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-03-06 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010014 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 15: Fluvial Morphology in Different Permafrost
Environments—A Review Authors: Jef Vandenberghe First page: 15 Abstract: This review presents a synthesis of the interaction between the hydro-morphological processes on interfluves and channels within fluvial catchments in permafrost regions. Both in modern and ancient permafrost catchments, this integrated landscape is quite diverse because of a variegated extent of frozen ground, density of vegetation cover, snow thickness, and other local factors. Moreover, temporal changes in environmental conditions are expressed in the morphological evolution of catchments. Channel patterns vary between single- and different multi-channel forms while the interfluves show a high diversity ranging from complete stability to intense denudation by surface runoff. It appears that braided channels, despite their high energy, were only significant during short intervals of peak discharge and transported only limited amounts of eroded sediment, while other channel patterns required more subdued annual discharge variability. Further, denudational processes on interfluves were a specific characteristic of landscape evolution during subsequent ice ages, especially in conditions of snow-rich and poorly vegetated, seasonal frost, or discontinuous permafrost resulting in the formation of extended planforms (cryopediments). In contrast, interfluves appeared to be rather stable on continuously frozen soils. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-03-15 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010015 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
- Quaternary, Vol. 7, Pages 16: Ostracod Assemblages in the East Siberian
Sea: A Comparative Study of River-Influenced and River-Isolated Shelf Ecosystems Authors: Maria Zenina, Ekaterina Ovsepyan, Yaroslav Ovsepyan First page: 16 Abstract: The East Siberian Sea (ESS) is one of the least studied seas in terms of ostracod fauna. Ostracods are sensitive organisms to environmental changes, and detailed information on their ecology is still required. To fill this knowledge gap, we studied 33 meiobenthic dredge samples collected from the western part of the ESS and the Chaun Bay together with 17 grab samples taken from the eastern part of the sea. Quantitative analyses of the ostracod assemblages demonstrate that the river-influenced western part of the ESS is inhabited by low diverse and impoverished fauna consisting of the taxa which are able to adapt to different environmental conditions. In the isolated Chaun Bay sheltered from significant riverine influence, the ostracod assemblages contain species that prefer more stable conditions. The predominance of living specimens over dead ones and individual valves points to strong carbonate dissolution that is more pronounced in the western ESS than in the Chaun Bay. The formation of such conditions might be related to the high content of dissolved carbon dioxide resulting from bacterial remineralization of in situ produced and land-derived organic matter in the bottom sediments and low pH near the seabed. Numerous ferromanganese crusts were found on the ostracod valve surfaces and inside the shells from the Chaun Bay. Citation: Quaternary PubDate: 2024-03-19 DOI: 10.3390/quat7010016 Issue No: Vol. 7, No. 1 (2024)
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