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Copyright of Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the most entrenched binary oppositions in archaeology and anthropology has been the agriculturalist vs hunter-gatherer-fisher dichotomy fuelling a debate that this paper tackles from the bottom-up by seeking to reconstruct full past diets. The Japanese prehistoric Jōmon cultures survived without fully-developed agriculture for more than 10,000 years. Here we compile a comprehensive, holistic database of archaeobotanical and archaeozoological records from the two ends of the archipelago, the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido and the southernmost island-chain of Ryukyu. The results suggest Jōmon diets varied far more geographically than they did over time, and likely cultivated taxa were important in both regions. This provides the basis for examining how fisher-hunter-gatherer diets can fulfil nutritional requirements from varied environments and were resilient in the face of environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review on more than hundred years of palaeoenvironmental research in Sweden; from early descriptions of peat and tufa deposits in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to multiproxy transfer function studies in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries CE. Research on Holocene climate variability has a long history in Sweden and many ideas and concepts about changes in temperature and precipitation during the Holocene originated in Fennoscandia. The Holocene climate evolution in Sweden follows a pattern in common for many northern latitude records with a rapid warming starting at the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary at c. 11 650 cal a BP, followed by the middle Holocene thermal maximum between c. 8000 and 5000 cal a BP. A change to colder and wetter conditions starts c. 4000 cal a BP and lasts until the late 1800 s CE. There is evidence for climatic anomalies such as the 8.2 and 4.2 ka BP events and the Little Ice Age (LIA) but only inconclusive evidence for other events, such as the 10.3 ka BP event. The main pattern of Holocene climate and environmental evolution is well known for most parts of Sweden, but the present review also shows that several research questions remain to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAccording to archaeological data, Otaria flavescens and Arctocephalus australis were exploited at the mouth of the Santa Cruz River by hunter-gatherers in the late Holocene. These studies suggest the past existence of reproductive colonies from where individuals of different ages were taken, highlighting the offspring available in the austral summer. This paper presents new information on sex, age, and season of death based on the study of teeth growth layers and rings recorded on canines of both species recovered in three archaeological sites located in Punta Entrada, on the southern bank of Santa Cruz River. The results confirm that otariids were captured in the austral summer and show that winter and spring were also important seasons. Prey included females, pups, and adult males captured according to the abundance of each age group at different seasons of the year. These data are in agreement with those obtained from other lines of evidence, such as osteometry and sclerochronology, which indicate this sector of the Patagonian coast was occupied recurrently to hunt otariids as one of the main resources taken by hunter-gatherers when visiting Punta Entrada at different times of the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates a detailed geomorphological map (scale 1:50,000) of the marine and transitional terraces (glacio-lacustrine to marine) and raised shorelines linked to Holocene glacio-eustasy and neo-tectonics in the northern area of the Brunswick Penìnsula (Chilean region of the Strait of Magellan). The mapped area is located in Tierra del Fuego between the Segunda Angostura and Seno Otway. This map is the result of geomorphological field survey data integrated with the interpretation of aerial photographs and remote sensing imagery. The survey has allowed the mapping of a sequence of terraces and raised shorelines to be completed. The sequence mainly consists of four orders of marine and glacio-lacustrine terraced deposits, with elevations ranging from 25 to 1 m above mean sea level. The map also presents other landforms and deposits, with their formation linked to littoral, fluvial, glacial and aeolian processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hyper-arid climate of Ouargla area (Northern Sahara of Algeria) is important in the field of the paleoenvironmental reconstitution. This paper investigates the importance of palaeolake sediments as significant terrestrial archives for studying Quaternary climate changes. Through morphological and mainly micromorphological investigations of the studied sites (Sabkha of Ouargla and palaeolake of Mellala), we noted the fluctuation of climate between arid and more humid conditions during Quaternary. Some pedofeatures have recorded these environmental changes. The studied calcareous crusting has a lacustrine origin when precipitations were more important. The clay coatings around the quartz grains indicate an old origin and different geochemical conditions that led to their dissolution. Lenticular gypsum crystals were formed from groundwater saturated with Ca2+andions. Calcite pseudomorphs after lenticular gypsum crystals indicate changes in local climatic parameters. Gypsum crusts can be explained by formation under wet climatic conditions in a lagoonal environment. Black and gray layers indicate evolution of organic matter at a wetter period. This paper highlights an unknown palaeolake which can be useful for the comprehension of the ecological past of the Sahara. The comparison between this palaeolake and other Saharan palaeolakes has allowed us to assign it to a probable active period between 10000 and 4000 years B.P. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Formation and evolution processes of natural tombolos involve many interrelated geomorphological, sedimentary, oceanographic and anthropogenic factors, making their measurement and simulation an extremely difficult task. The present study attempts to fill this knowledge gap by detecting the natural tombolos in Greece, formed in the current sea level, through the statistical analysis of their morphometric and socio-environmental parameters. In addition, the long-term evolution of these coastal depositional landscapes has been determined by comparing old aerial photos taken in 1945 or 1960 and recent satellite images taken from 2020 to 2022. Two thirds of the twenty tombolos studied are subject to erosion, while eight are sporadically destroyed and turned into salients. The Greek tombolos are mildly or heavily exploited for touristic purposes, and fourteen of them are protected by national and international environmental laws. Future studies need to focus on the unstable type of these coastal landforms that are modified from tombolo to salient and vice versa to obtain helpful information about the morphodynamic conditions necessary for their evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Late Holocene environmental changes were examined in Dee Why Lagoon, New South Wales, based on the sedimentological, geochemical and geochronological analysis of six cores collected from the fluvial delta and lagoon basin. The lagoon formed about 7300–7200 cal yr BP, following the post-glacial marine transgression and establishment of a sand barrier. Infilling of the lagoon occurred at a rate of 0.09–0.15 mm/yr until about 3300–3200 cal yr BP, when the barrier closed, resulting in mostly freshwater conditions, as evidenced by a change from pyrite-rich units to sediment containing little sulfur and a lack of foraminifera. Sedimentation rates increased to 0.23 then 0.43 mm/yr until about 100 years ago. Post-European land clearance led to an increase in sedimentation rates to 1.0–1.3 mm/yr on the fluvial delta, which are lower than those from other wave-dominated estuaries in New South Wales as well as those estimated by previous studies in Dee Why Lagoon. Our study shows that the fluvial delta started forming much earlier than originally thought, based on results of radiometric dating, and confirmed using sedimentological and geochemical data, as well as a critical examination of historic aerial photographs. Human impact has resulted in an increase in heavy metal (Cu, Pb, Zn) and metalloid (As) concentrations in the recent sediment, most likely attributed to stormwater discharge. Pb and As concentrations are above the ANZECC high sediment quality guideline values at the site closest to the stormwater outlet, with As-based pesticides one of the possible sources. Using the mean enrichment quotient, which is based on normalised Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations over their normalised background concentrations, we show that the surface sediments in Dee Why Lagoon are severely enriched, reflecting the recent anthropogenic impact that has also led to an increase in sedimentation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The identification of mobility patterns in prehistoric communities is crucial for the understanding of their social and economic strategies. Though factors such as economics, environment, and cultural choices are strictly related to mobility, it has been demonstrated how anticipated mobility is pivotal in generating different aspects of site structure and spatial organization. Considering the stone structures uncovered at Takarkori rock shelter (southwestern Libya, central Sahara), we performed morphometrical and spatial analysis to provide appropriate indicators of mobility patterns, site structure, and activity areas among hunter-gatherers and pastoral groups that inhabited the shelter during the Early and Middle Holocene. We recognized year-round semisedentary patterns and shorter seasonal occupations, based on the number, size, typology, and topography of stone structures. The paper discusses how, through the analysis of stone structures, it is possible to recognize mobility patterns in the archaeological record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracksites representing early human occupation are rare in South America. However, they have been reported in association with mammal and bird tracks from two coastal sites in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Both sites are reported in separate papers in this volume. In this paper a brief summary of the better known site is given on the basis of published information and the author's observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mapping the spread of Austronesian languages and its associated Neolithic culture forms the backbone of the orthodox model of the Island Southeast Asian Neolithic. The linguistic thrust of the narratives has tended to reduce the importance and independence of the archaeological record. In this paper we investigate how archaeological evidence has been used to support linguistic interpretations. Our own fieldwork and analysis suggest that reliance on the Austronesian linguistic 'tree' and the associated monolithic cultural categories may mask considerable complexity and diversity in the archaeological record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During recent detailed recording of Nanguluwurr, a rock art site that is part of the Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) complex of cultural sites in Kakadu National Park, Australia, the data showed discrete clusters of specific motif types distributed throughout the length of the gallery. This paper focuses on the spatial distribution of the main motif clusters depicting spirit figures, material culture, fish, and painted hand and forearm motifs in order to understand the significance of these clusters within the site and the significance of Nanguluwurr as part of a wider complex of cultural sites. We consider the concept of these motif groupings as "meaning clusters," as well as their chronological sequence, and discuss the possibility that they are the result of bursts of painting activity that occurred during the long history of the site manifest through depictions of ancient Dynamic Figures to the recent painting of X-ray fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abandoned river channels may provide rich primary sources of palaeoenvironmental and cultural information elucidating landscape evolution, climate change, vegetation history and human impact, especially since the beginning of the Holocene epoch. However, although potentially an important resource, palaeochannels are not often recorded systematically and only rarely enjoy robust statutory protection (in the UK as Sites of Special Scientific Interest). In consequence, it is challenging to mitigate and manage this important geoarchaeological resource effectively within the UK planning framework. Whilst palaeochannels have long been recognised on aerial photographs and historic maps, the advent of airborne laser scanning (Lidar) and other remote-sensing technologies has provided a hitherto unforeseen opportunity to record such landforms and related features at a catchment scale. This paper provides a case study from the Nottinghamshire reach of the Trent Valley, where a desk-based methodology that is now being extended across the entire catchment has been developed for recording, geospatially locating and defining the attributes of observed palaeochannels. After outlining the methodology, we consider how this approach to resource management can aid archaeological research and future heritage management, especially in the light of predicted climate and environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geomorphology of a coastal landscape may reveal an indication of past shoreline configurations. The spatial arrangement of the preserved morphologies may further contain indications on the importance of the different key parameters influencing shoreline evolution over millennial timescales, such as palaeo sea-level position, longshore currents, energy gradients, and sediment supply. This paper presents the results and observations of a surveying and mapping study conducted for the island of Samsø at a scale of 1:75,000. The objective of the work is to support the interpretation of core sample data and to extract information on the factors determining the morpho-sedimentary development of moraine-embedded coastal lagoon systems during the Holocene. The map is based on an airborne LiDAR-derived high-resolution digital terrain model that is combined with spatial information on bathymetry, surface geology and other features from archived geodata and maps. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

One of Indigenous Australia's unique stone tools, the tula adze is traditionally viewed as a hafted woodworking tool of the arid zone. Unlike most stone tools in Australia and around the world, the spread and adoption of the tula adze has been described as rapid and instantaneous. The conditions which underlie this technological change are critically assessed in this study, using risk minimisation and diffusion models. The focus of the paper is a study area with unclear tula distribution—the southern Kimberley of Western Australia. The spatial distribution of these tools is reviewed and new discoveries outlined. Reduction sequences and morphological trends observed elsewhere are examined, and compared to the Kimberley record. Some of the archaeological sites analysed also preserve evidence of woodworking activities, such as wood shavings and wooden tools. We use these records, augmented by the association of hardwood species from macrobotanical records, to associate tulas with hardwood species availability in the late Holocene archaeological record of the Kimberley. We conclude that woodworking craft production proliferated in the late Holocene, as a likely result of both diffusion of information and foraging risk minimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to understand the palaeoenvironment and the exploitation of vegetal resources during the Mid-Holocene in the southern Crimean Mountains. To address these questions, we apply a multi-proxy approach based on charcoal, seeds/fruits and phytoliths analyses from Neolithic layers (5800-5300 cal BC) of Buran-Kaya IV, a rock-shelter located in the south of Crimean Peninsula. Charcoal analysis shows that the Neolithic groups have exploited the Quercus petraeae forest belt composed mainly of Quercus, Carpinus and Acer. The identification of Fagus and a fragment of gymnosperm, which developed in upland areas, suggests the mobility of inhabitants of BK IV. According seed and phytolith analyses, it is more likely that the Neolithic groups did not practice agriculture on the site, and that their diet was not based on crop production. Furthermore, considering the probable absence of domestic animals in the layer 2, the economy may essentially be based on hunting-gathering at Buran Kaya IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why are there no perissodactyls in sub-Saharan West Africa? There are no records of hipparions or zebras in that region and records of rhinoceroses are peripheral and sparse. Absence of records is not information of absence. More than a century of palaeontological and archaeozoological research has yielded thousands of skeletal specimens of late Tertiary or Quaternary mammals throughout most of Africa with equid and rhinocerotid specimens well represented from North, East and South Africa, but not saharan, sahelian or soudanian West Africa. This paper explores the evidence of this absence but offers no solution. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper provides an incisive review of paleoclimate science and its relevance to natural-resource management within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). The drought of 1997–2010 focussed scientific, public and media attention on intrinsic climate variability and the confounding effect of human activity, especially in terms of water-resource management. Many policy and research reviews make statements about future planning with little consideration of climate change and without useful actionable knowledge. In order to understand future climate changes, modellers need, and demand, better paleoclimate data to constrain their model projections. Here, we present an insight into a number of existing long-term paleoclimate studies relevant to the MDB. Past records of climate, in response to orbital forcing (glacial–interglacial cycles) are found within, and immediately outside, the MDB. High-resolution temperature records, spanning the last 105years, exist from floodplains and cave speleothems, as well as evidence from lakes and their associated lunettes. More recently, historical climate records show major changes in relation to El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycles and decadal shifts in rainfall regimes. A considerable body of research currently exists on the past climates of southeastern Australia but, this has not been collated and validated over large spatial scales. It is clear that a number of knowledge gaps still exist, and there is a pressing need for the establishment of new paleoclimatic research within the MDB catchment and within adjacent, sensitive catchments if past climate science is to fulfil its potential to provide policy-relevant information to natural-resource management into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The cliffed and active dune coastal region of Broome provides an excellent record of Pleistocene and Holocene stratigraphy of desert environments interfacing with the Indian Ocean. The Mesozoic Broome Sandstone is the basal stratigraphic unit in the area and is overlain by Pleistocene red desert quartz sand (Mowanjum Sand). Modern coastal processes of waves, wind and tide have resulted in distinctive sedimentary bodies (stratigraphic units) clearly linked to the sedimentary environment. The Mowanjum Sand, reworked by coastal winds, generates the landward-ingressing orange quartzose Churchill Sand, or reworked by waves and abraded to white sand with the addition of carbonate grains that form the beaches (Cable Beach Sand) and with eolian action, coastal dunes or inland-ingressing white dunes (Shoonta Hill Sand). These sedimentary bodies and stratigraphic units form a template with which to locate and interpret archaeological middens and Indigenous occupation over the past 5000 years in a context of coastal occupation, coastal stability, mean sea-level changes, climate changes, and availability of marine food and freshwater. Shell middens and stone artefacts form definitive layers or horizons in relation to the stratigraphy, in places in situ, and elsewhere reworked as sheets and plumes; understanding their inter-relationships has enabled the unravelling of the archaeological history and relating Indigenous occupation to biofacies and lithofacies. The array of sedimentary, biofacies and stratigraphic units are of national geoheritage significance in their own right. The addition of archaeological deposits as stratigraphic units provides a link between geoheritage and archaeology, where the archaeological materials are viewed as part of the complex stratigraphic story, part of the coastal history, and part of the geoheritage story. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupation on the coastal margins of northern Australia over the mid to late Holocene characteristically reflects chronological and spatial variability in settlement and subsistence. In many geographically diverse regions across the tropical coast, the archaeological record indicates patterns of molluscan resource exploitation that reflects the altered local ecological habitats that accompanied broader coastal environmental change over the last few thousand years. This paper investigates these issues via analyses of molluscan species richness, diversity, and habitat exploitation through time and space on the Point Blane Peninsula, Blue Mud Bay, north-east Arnhem Land. As well as variability in the intensity of exploitation, this research confirms the interpretation of previous investigation of coastal occupation as being flexible and dynamic, with changes linked to alterations in species availability and abundance relative to changes in near-shore environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing body of evidence that reliance on rice cultivation emerged gradually in the Lower and Middle Yangtze river basin during the mid-Holocene amongst societies that had a heavy emphasis on the seasonal collecting and storage of acorns (Cyclobalanopsis, Lithocarpus and/or Quercus) and aquatic nuts (Trapa, Euryale). Recent archaeobotanical research, like that at Tianluoshan, provides evidence for the emergence of cultivation and the decrease in importance of gathered plant foods, and this paper situates these changes in relation to environmental, including climatically driven, changes especially in the Hangzhou Bay (Lower Yangtze) region. A growing number of pollen and other palaecological studies have become available in recent years, and here they will be reviewed to test the hypothesis that regional declines in nut-bearing trees (especially oaks, but also possibly Castanea/Castanopsis chestnuts) was one of the factors that favoured the increasing reliance on rice, which in turn drove the evolution, expansion and intensification of cultivation and the evolution of morphologically domesticated rice. Another factor, however, that also needs to be considered is the evidence for the emergence of social hierarchy and specialised craft production which may have concurrently pushed for an increasingly socially controlled and reliable staple food source in the form of rice. In this regard, it is important to note that intensification of rice use required increasing degrees of labour mobilisation, and landscape transformation, which could provide returns on labour investment to a degree that was not possible with oak groves. Current evidence indicates that both climate-driven environmental changes and social motivations correlate with the shift to domesticated rice and rice agriculture over the latter part of the Neolithic (6000-3000 BC). The earlier beginnings of rice cultivation, the first steps along this pathway, remain obscure although some earlier Holocene climatic events appear correlated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the southern tip of South America, the archaeology of the Beagle Channel-Cape Horn region documents a clear specialization on the exploitation of littoral and nearshore resources that began at least 6400 years ago. The use of marine resources varied through space and time, but the main staple was pinnipeds. To regularly obtain these marine mammals it was essential to use canoes and harpoons with detachable points. This paper explores two aspects of this interesting maritime sociocultural system: its success, which occurred despite its simple social and technological organization; and its stability, which spanned over six millennia up to the nineteenth century AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the question of the links between the ecology of the planet and developments in human culture, viewed in the perspective of the last 10,000 years. It tries to avoid simple assignations of environmental determinism or post-modern constructivist views and is aware of the role of chance and contingency. Trends in the social world that lead to fragmentation or coalescence in that sphere are examined for their environmental consequences. The human desire to control becomes a focus. This is a topic that reuqires further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Israelite Plain, a narrow terrace at the western edge of the Great Australian Bight, is characterised by a series of schizohaline, ephemeral lakes leeward of a marginal marine eolianite dune complex that has many similarities to the Coorong Coastal Plain (CCP). The late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments are a mixture of dominantly quartzose sand and lesser carbonate components. Paleolagoon to shallow marine MIS 5e, mollusc-rich quartzose deposits are capped by calcrete or karst and contain a biota similar to the well-documented, coeval Glanville Formation on the CCP. Holocene sands with minor carbonate are also lagoonal and resemble many modern Coorong Lagoon deposits. Both deposits are interpreted to reflect marine accumulation during sea-level highstands. Lakes today range from dry to water-filled with most floored by calcareous quartzose sand. Microbial influenced sedimentary structures in the form of pustular to laminated mats veneer lake margin bedrock and sediment. Carbonate minerals are mostly calcite with abundant accessory magnesium-calcite, aragonite and traces of magnesite, monohydrocalcite and halite. Gypsum is minor but ubiquitous and floors one of the smaller, marginal-marine lakes. Although having a similar evaporative climate and evidence of groundwater resurgence like Coorong lakes, there is no significant synsedimentary dolomite. This aspect is interpreted to reflect the narrow width of the plain, and the Mg-poor source of groundwater from the nearby karst Nullarbor Plain to the north. The Israelite Plain, together with other coeval, young successions marginal to the Southern Ocean under a semiarid climate now illustrate the depositional variations and early diagenetic differences that can occur in similar environments adjacent to a cool ocean. The Israelite Plain is a narrow, marginal marine terrace covered by Quaternary, lagoonal, eolian to lacustrine, calcareous siliciclastic sands, similar to several other calcareous terraces along the southern Australia coast. The interpreted sediment ages are late Pleistocene stage MIS 5e with the deposit sporadically overlain by similar Holocene deposits. Most 14C age dates are suspicious because of interpreted diagenesis or MIS 5e age, whereas U/Th age dates appear correct or altered by diagenesis. Pleistocene biota is dominated by the bivalve Anadara trapezia, whereas Holocene deposits contain a varied array of cooler water molluscs. The carbonates are similar to those on the Coorong Coastal Plain but do not contain any dolomite likely because of climate and lack of Mg-groundwater flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The later Holocene spread of pastoralism throughout eastern Africa profoundly changed socio-economic and natural landscapes. During the Pastoral Neolithic (ca. 5000-1200 B.P.), herders spread through southern Kenya and northern Tanzania—areas previously occupied only by hunter-gatherers—eventually developing the specialized forms of pastoralism that remain vital in this region today. Research on ancient pastoralism has been primarily restricted to rockshelters and special purpose sites. This paper presents results of surveys and excavations at Luxmanda, an open-air habitation site located farther south in Tanzania, and occupied many centuries earlier, than previously expected based upon prior models for the spread of herding. Technological and subsistence patterns demonstrate ties to northerly sites, suggesting that Luxmanda formed part of a network of early herders. The site is thus unlikely to stand alone, and further surveys are recommended to better understand the spread of herding into the region, and ultimately to southern Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For several decades, geomorphologists have focused on the functioning of geomorphic systems after deglaciation. The relative importance of paraglacial vs. periglacial processes has been highly debated. At present, the development of dating techniques allows to contribute to this debate. We reconstruct in this paper the geomorphic evolution of Tindastóll mountain slopes in Laxárdalur valley (Skagafjörður area, central northern Iceland), where a chronological framework can be established through tephrochronology and an assemblage of dated raised beaches. Volumetric calculations of constructed and excavated landforms were created from field data and from DEM and geographical information system techniques. Collectively, our data exhibit a first stage of paraglacial landsliding during the first half of the Holocene, followed by a stage of scree and rockglacier development (during the second half of the Holocene, but before 1100 AD). Our estimations indicate that more than 85% of the total sediment production were due to rock slope failure, and the rate of bedrock denudation due to periglacial processes was about one half of the rate of paraglacial processes. Nevertheless, paraglacial and periglacial processes cannot be seen here as antagonistic processes: they are organized in a sequence during which periglacial processes are conditioned (enhancement of bedrock denudation rates) by fracturing and consequent mass wasting. Screes and concomitant rockglaciers were indeed preconditioned by the landslide, while areas non-affected by landslides have remained mostly intact, characterized by a very low rate of accumulation due to geomorphic (periglacial) activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents data on and discusses the degree of postglacial stability of the northern Canadian tree limit. Holocene climatic changes have been both directional and synchronous for this region, though deteriorations/ameliorations either (1) lagged from west to east, (2) were buffered by local geographic factors, or (3) were not registered in the fossil record owing to the inherent persistence of the vegetation at some sites. The present northern tree limit in eastern Canada is in equilibrium with the prevailing climate, with the tree populations successfully regenerating both sexually and vegetatively. These tree stands are still occupying their maximum Hypsithermal positions. In contrast, the tree limit, tree line, and intervening forest-tundra ecotone in central and western Canada are out of equilibrium with today's climate. These populations are not sexually regenerative and apparently became established during warmer climates where the tree line was north of its present position. As such, they are susceptible to destruction by further climatic deterioration or anthropogenic disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study provides valuable new information on the evolution of Sydney estuary by tracing the development of the complete marine–estuarine–fluvial system through a full glacial cycle (Last Interglacial, LIG, to the present Interglacial). Extensive seismic (361.3-line km) and sedimentological studies provided a sound foundation for production of a detailed litho- and seismic-stratigraphic record for the estuary. In the absence of reliable age data, a relative chronology was constructed based on Quaternary flooding surface elevations constrained by a recent local relative sea-level record supported by other global studies. A thick, ubiquitous estuarine unit deposited during the LIG period (MIS 5.5; 130–115 ka BP) was an important chronological marker horizon and played a critical role in controlling seismic interpretation and correlation throughout the estuary. Deposition during the MIS 5.1/5.3 interstadial period (100–80 ka BP) resulted in deposition of fine-grained, estuarine sediments in the lower estuary and time-equivalent, fluvial-sourced estuarine and channel sediments, and marsh sediments in the upper and central estuary, respectively. The MIS 3 interstadial event did not play a significant role in sedimentation in Sydney estuary. An eolian dune field formed adjacent to the southern shores of the estuary during the last glacial (31–24 ka BP) when most of the sediment in the lower estuary had been removed by fluvial erosion. Transgressive marine sand, which deposited in the lower paleovalley after the ocean re-entered the estuary, experienced repeated erosion and infilling by laterally migrating paleoriver channels. A marine flood-tide delta now occupies the estuary mouth, and the lower and upper/central estuary are mantled in a veneer (mean 7 m) of Holocene sand and mud, respectively. A relative chronology was based on Quaternary flooding surface elevations constrained by relative sea-level. First geological history of the Sydney estuary with a complete marine–estuarine–fluvial system. A late Quaternary estuary evolution through a full glacial cycle. Geological history includes an interstadial (MIS 5.3/5.1) estuarine sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stratified rockshelter deposits form the most important source of information on the prehistoric hunter-gatherers of the Namibian Holocene Later Stone Age (LSA). This paper reports on two new test excavations conducted at rockshelters in the Sesfontein area in northwestern Namibia in 2005. Both archaeological sites are located between two archaeologically well researched regions, to the north Kunene and to the south the Brandberg and Erongo. Although the stratigraphies are rather problematic with regard to taphonomic integrity, their study identifies information that can be reliably used in order to contribute to our knowledge of prehistoric LSA hunter-gatherer societies in Namibia. The cultural material is examined in relation to available environmental, contextual and taphonomic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a geomorphological map of the southwestern coast of Sardinia encompassing inland and offshore areas of the S’Omu e S’Orku Mesolithic site. The submerged area was documented by high-resolution multibeam bathymetry combined with Side-Scan Sonar data. The emerged coastal area was surveyed using Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Remote Sensing and field surveys. The inland landforms were shaped by coastal, fluvial, and gravity-induced processes. Most of the submerged landforms appear be modeled in subaerial conditions during sea-level lowstands, and then sealed by the rising sea level. The coastal evolution has been characterized by the rapid cliff retreat facilitated intense linear erosion of watercourses, by debris flows, rockfalls and toppling. Geomorphological evidences of cliff retreat due to landslide was supported by a simplified analytic hydraulic model of the wavecliff interaction. These processes and the sea level rise canceled any possible Mesolithic settlement along the coast. The survival of the S’Omu e S’Orku site is only due to a protected morphological position and to the distance from the Early Holocene coastline. The dearth of coastal Early Holocene prehistoric sites is likely the outcome of the presented coastal dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the first systematic attempt to conduct archaeological survey and excavation for submerged prehistory on the island of Ireland. Fieldwork was conducted in two small bays where Early Mesolithic flint artefacts washed ashore hinted at the presence of a submerged assemblage. Methods employed include non-intrusive survey, hand coring and excavation. Together, these allowed identification of the artefact source, albeit reworked, in one bay and an early Holocene peat in the other. Though the subtidal assemblage is reworked and relatively small, it is significant in an Irish context and more widely illustrates the potential preservation of prehistoric sites and palaeo-landscapes in high-energy settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The island laboratory concept has long been an important construct in island archaeology, with an emphasis on human biogeography and issues of isolation, connectivity, interaction, evolution, and extinction. The Pacific Coast of Alta and Baja California contains several offshore islands that offer a framework for evaluating a variety of cultural and ecological issues. The California Islands include large islands (>100 km2) with abundant resources that were attractive to ancient people for 13,000 years and numerous small islands (5 km2 in area or less), many of which contain evidence of human occupation for centuries to millennia. Most of these small islands have seen limited archaeological research and often are presumed to have been marginal locations for past human settlement. Today, small islands from San Francisco Bay to Baja California provide key habitat for endemic species, breeding seabirds and marine mammals, and rare plants. Here, we review the archaeology of small islands on California's outer coast, focusing on paleogeography, human settlement dynamics, and ecology and biodiversity. Synthesis of archaeological and environmental data demonstrate the utility of small islands as model systems for evaluating changes in island ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms behind the 20 ppm pre-industrial rise in atmospheric CO2since 6000 BC have been the focus of considerable debate in recent years. Some studies suggest that natural processes, such as a decline in global forests, calcite compensation, and warming ocean temperatures, can explain the increase in CO2. Others have argued that, because the CO2increase did not occur during previous interglacial periods, it is an indication of an early human influence on the climate. In this paper, we investigate several facets of the natural carbon cycle of the past 8000 years related to ocean circulation patterns and ice shelf configuration using the University of Victoria Earth System Climate Model (v. 2.9), which includes a representation of the climate system with dynamic vegetation and an interactive carbon cycle. The fully simulated earth system for various freely evolving atmospheric carbon scenarios since 6000 BC failed to recreate the observed rise in CO2and consistently produced a decline in CO2throughout the Holocene, in keeping with projections related to previous interglacial periods. However, the extent and timing of the decline was strongly dependent on the initial state of the ocean's meridional overturning circulation and the location of marine ice shelves off the coast of Antarctica. For simulations with ice shelves, carbon-poor North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) dominated the deep Atlantic basin, with less production of (relatively) carbon-rich deep water from the Southern Ocean. This setup led to lower net ocean carbon storage and thus elevated atmospheric CO2levels. These deep water distributions, which are relatively independent of orbital forcing and CO2concentrations but strongly dependent on Antarctic marine ice shelves, suggest that greater ice shelf extent during the Holocene relative to previous interglacial periods (Pollard & DeConto, 2009) may have contributed 5–6 ppm CO2to the atmosphere. The results from this study also indicate that multi-centennial scale changes in the meridional overturning circulation on the order of 2–3 Sv may lead to quasi-periodic increased atmospheric CO2concentrations (approximately 6 ppm) through enhanced ventilation of Pacific deep waters. RÉSUMÉ [Traduit par la redaction] Depuis quelques années, les mécanismes qui sont intervenus dans l'augmentation du CO2atmosphérique de l'ordre de 20 ppm, survenue à l'ère préindustrielle font l'objet d'un vaste débat. Selon certaines études, ce phénomène serait attribuable à des processus naturels, comme le recul des forêts dans le monde, la compensation du calcite et le réchauffement de la température des océans. D'après d'autres études, en l'absence d'augmentation de la concentration de CO2pendant les périodes interglaciaires précédentes, il marquerait le début de l'influence des activités humaines sur le climat. Nous explorons ici plusieurs facettes du cycle naturel du carbone des 8000 dernières années dans la perspective de la configuration de la circulation océanique et de celle des plates-formes de glace flottante au moyen du modèle du système climatique de la Terre (version 2.9), qui comprend une représentation des systèmes climatiques avec une végétation dynamique et un cycle du carbone interactif. Le système terrestre entièrement simulé pour différents scénarios de carbone atmosphérique à évolution libre depuis 6000 ans avant Jésus-Christ n'a pas permis de recréer l'augmentation de la concentration de CO2observée; il a plutôt produit systématiquement une diminution du CO2pendant l'Holocène, ce qui va dans le sens des projections se rapportant aux périodes interglaciaires précédentes. Cependant, l'ampleur de la baisse et le moment où le phénomène s'est produit dépendaient fortement de l'état initial de la circulation méridienne de retournement de l'océan ainsi que de l'emplacement des plates-formes de glace flottante au large de la côte de l'Antarctique. Dans le cas des simulations avec des plates-formes de glace flottante, l'Eau profonde de l'Atlantique Nord (NADW) pauvre en carbone prédominait dans les eaux des grands fonds du bassin de l'Atlantique, la production d'eaux des grands fonds (relativement) riches en carbone en provenance de l'océan Austral étant réduite. Dans le cas de cette configuration, le stockage net de carbone dans les océans diminuait, ce qui augmentait la concentration de CO2dans l'atmosphère. D'après la répartition des eaux profondes, qui est relativement indépendante du forçage orbital et des concentrations de CO2, mais qui dépend énormément des plates-formes de glace flottante dans l'Antarctique, le fait que les plates-formes de glace flottante étaient plus étendues pendant l'Holocène que durant les périodes interglaciaires précédentes (Pollard & DeConto, 2009) expliquerait peut-être un apport de 5 ou 6 ppm de CO2dans l'atmosphère. L’étude nous apprend également que des changements à l’échelle pluricentennale dans la circulation méridienne de retournement de l'ordre de 2 à 3 Sv peuvent se traduire par des augmentations presque systématiques des concentrations de CO2atmosphérique (de l'ordre d'environ 6 ppm) grâce à une meilleure ventilation des eaux profondes du Pacifique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a simple analytical model for estimating rock glacier age by coupling the ratio of frontal advance to total rock glacier length and the ratio of debris volume in the rock glacier to present debris flux in the talus cone–rock glacier transition zone. The model was applied to two rock glaciers at Prins Karls Forland, Svalbard. By assuming volumetric debris contents in the deforming layer of the rock glacier of between 0.3 and 0.4, we obtained age estimates for the rock glaciers of between 12 ka and 24 ka. The corresponding average rockwall retreat rates are between 0.30 and 0.62 mm a-1. Considering the limitations of the model, we suggest a minimum age of 13 ka for the initiation of rock glacier development. Using this age, rockwall retreat rates for the seven rock glaciers investigated at Prins Karls Forland are between 0.13 and 0.64 m ka-1 (assuming the volumetric debris content for the whole rock glacier/talus cone is 0.35). The model requires further testing on other datasets, better field estimates of the debris content and depth of the deforming layer, and could also benefit from the inclusion of an unsteady debris supply function in order to refine age estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we summarise the geological work conducted in the desert village of Maitan, in South of Oman, during a geological and archaeological survey. The region is dominated by extensive, tall linear dunes overlying an incised Eocene marine limestone plateau. Above the limestone plateau, the interdunal areas expose various recent deposits including palaeo-regolith and epikarst deposits, fluvial conglomerates, gypsum «playa-like» deposits, aeolianites, semi-consolidated dunes, sand and silt with gypsum-roses, calcareous tufa and loose sand. The sediments indicate the prevalence of largely arid and hyper-arid conditions, with brief intervals of relatively humid conditions, during which humans and their livestock probably inhabited the region. The presence of abundant millstones, grindstones and pestles and mortars, along with fossilised animal bones, beads and other ornaments, scrapers, blades and other instruments, speaks for prolonged occupation of the area. The survey revealed the presence of Late Palaeolithic, Middle and Late Neolithic sites. The discovery of this new archaeological area provides extraordinary information about the middle Holocene peopling of this region, about which little was previously known. Comparisons with known sites in the Rub Al Khali desert show an incredibly high presence of living and moving human populations in an area which now seems so inhospitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holocene coastal infill was examined in Anglesea Estuary, an intermittently open barrier-type estuary in Victoria. Based on coring and radiocarbon dating, it was found that accommodation space in the estuary was almost entirely occupied in the early–mid Holocene corresponding to periods of higher sea-level. The pattern of infill is in stark contrast to established models of estuarine sedimentation developed on the east Australian coast. The contemporary estuary is composed of two distinct sedimentary basins. The upper basin is infilled by autochthonous peaty-marsh sediments, whereas the lower basin is infilled by saltmarsh material. The traditional tripartite flood-tide delta–central mud basin–fluvial delta sequence is absent. The contemporary estuary appears to have evolved as two distinct basins, which are connected through hydrodynamic rather than sedimentological processes. This pattern of connected basins occurs from the top of the catchment to the wave base, with the contemporary estuary infilling the two basins coincident with modern sea-level. Low sediment supply from both terrestrial and marine sources and bedrock-limited accommodation space means that Anglesea can be considered to be geologically constrained barrier estuary. Geological-control limits mud basin development. Low allochthonous sediment supply significantly affected estuarine facies in Anglesea. Anglesea Estuary infilled to higher mean sea-level elevations in the mid Holocene. Anglesea Estuary is composed of two distinct sedimentary basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coasts in tectonically active regions face varying threat levels as land subsides or uplifts relative to rising sea levels. We review the processes influencing relative sea-level change in New Zealand, and the geological context behind ongoing land movements, focussing on major population centres. Whilst Holocene sea levels have been reconstructed using a variety of techniques, recent work uses salt-marsh microfossil assemblages to reconstruct relative sea-level changes over the past few centuries. For the twentieth century, these proxy-based studies often show enhanced rates of sea-level rise relative to tide-gauge observations. The effects of tectonic subsidence must be considered, alongside vertical and dating uncertainties in the sea-level reconstructions. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) observations for the past few decades show that vertical land movement (VLM) may be influencing rates of relative sea-level rise. However, the short period of GPS observations, during which trends and rates have varied at some localities, raises questions over the longer-term contribution of VLM to sea-level change over the past few centuries and for future projections. We argue that high-resolution palaeo-sea-level reconstructions from salt-marsh sedimentary sequences can help to answer these questions regarding the interplay between sea-level change and VLM at key locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the southwest Yukon, valley walls mantled by talus and glacial deposits have been modified by a variety of catastrophic processes. Avalanches, landslides, mudflows, and retrogressive slope failures have been triggered by a variety of internal and external causes. These flow mechanisms produce a range of landforms in the paraglacial environment that dominate the landscape, particularly in the higher mountain zones. Models of rock glacier formation resulting from retrogressive slope failures, high hydrostatic pressures, and avalanche activity are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Western Amazonia underwent dramatic changes in its landscape and environments during the Neogene, which led to its extant, hyperdiverse, tropical rainforest. Although the palynological fossil record has been the most useful proxy for understanding the history of the Amazonian biome, the floristic composition and diversity of the Neogene and the present Amazonian environments have never been thoroughly compared. In this work, we present preliminary comparisons of the pollen content of a Miocene core from the Solimões Formation in western Amazonia (Brazil) with the pollen content of Holocene sediments from flooded environments (várzeas and lake margins) near the Miocene site. We found a total of 463 pollen and spore types (Miocene, n = 284; Holocene, n = 231), only 52 of which were shared. The Holocene flooding environments displayed distinct palynological signals; both the Holocene and Miocene palynofloras have pollen primarily sourced from the local, flooded environments, with no significant differences in within-sample pollen diversity. The Holocene palynoflora was more heterogeneous in composition than the Miocene palynoflora, probably because the Miocene wetlands (the Pebas System) were highly homogeneous at a continental scale, far more than modern western Amazonia, thus implying that the spatial vegetation turnover was much lower than in modern ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spermophilus citelloides is a poorly known Old World ground squirrel from the Middle Pleistocene – early Holocene of Central Europe that has only been briefly described previously. Here, we expand our understanding of its craniodental morphology by providing the first detailed description of numerous S. citelloides materials from five Late Pleistocene and early Holocene localities of Hungary and Slovakia. Spermophilus citelloides is recognised as a valid species that is characterised by a shallow, gently domed skull with massive and short rostrum, broad interorbital region, strong zygomatic process of the frontal, posteromedially expanding lacrimal, posteriorly narrowed hard palate, wedge-shaped horizontal process of the palatine, small to absent suboptic foramen, thin condyloid neck of the mandible, M3 possessing a metaloph, and anteroposteriorly elongated m3 with strong hypoconulid and entoconulid. A cladistic analysis of 103 craniodental characters scored across 32 ingroup taxa recovers S. citelloides as the sister taxon of living spotted ground squirrel, S. suslicus, thus confirming the hypothesis of close phylogenetic relationships between the taxa. These relationships are further confirmed by the geometric morphometric analysis of the occlusal outlines of the premolars and molars. The alternative hypothesis allying S. citelloides with S. citellus is not supported by our analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Värmland in south western Sweden lies across the established zone of marine-terrestrial transition of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet (SIS) margin. The region lies inside the Younger Dryas maximum limit reached at 12.7 cal ka BP and the area of rapid final SIS retreat from 11.5 cal ka BP. LiDAR data across Värmland allows more detailed observation and analysis of glacial landforms formed during this stage than previously possible. This study synthesises geomorphological mapping performed on highly detailed digital elevation models (DEMs) and field observations across the region around Torsby in northern Värmland to reconstruct the dynamics of the ice sheet as it retreated. Several landforms that developed during deglaciation are identified and clearly reflect the change from a marine to terrestrially terminating ice margin. Ice-marginal deltas suggest a slowing of retreat at the point of marine-terrestrial transition. Increased topographic control on ice-sheet flow, pattern of drainage and ice sheet decay is indicated by the distribution of streamlined terrain, eskers, and outwash material. Hummocky terrain across low ground and incised valleys suggest persistence of ice in topographic lows beyond the retreat of the main ice front. Combined analysis of identified landforms allows a model for the pattern of retreat to be produced that traces the retreating ice sheet margin in far greater detail than previously has been possible in this area. This provides important data for understanding the final retreat of the SIS and details processes likely occurring beneath the margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two fragments of millipedes, referred to the genus Archispirostreptus, are reported from an archaeological site in the Tadrart Acacus region of southwestern Libya. Radiocarbon dating of the specimens shows that one of them dates to between ca. 9100 and 8800 years ago, and the other one between 6400 and 6300 years ago (calibrated dates). The site lies far from known present-day occurrences of spirostreptid millipedes, and the Libyan subfossils probably, like other isolated occurrences of Archispirostreptus species in the Sahara and the Middle East, represent geographical relicts of a former, continuous distribution. The millipedes were probably able to survive at the Libyan site during the early and middle Holocene periods thanks to the more humid conditions, and may descend from animals that initially colonised the area during the even more humid, and longer, last interglacial period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In De Bello Gallico, Gaius Julius Caesar describes the various campaigns waged by the Romans under his leadership against the 'Gauls' and the geography, wildlife, and the various tribes of the lands he observed during his time in 'Gallia'. Caesar remarks in one passage in chapters 26–28 of book 6 on the large mammals of an area of wilderness known to him as 'Hercynia Silva,' the Hercynian Forest. This passage, analyzed previously by several authors who identified the animals Caesar described and compared his descriptions with those of several mythological creatures, allows for a unique glimpse into the large mammal fauna of Germany of ~ 2000 years ago, as the mammals Caesar mentions include several species either locally extirpated from Germany or extinct altogether. Here, I review these descriptions and prior analyses of their meaning to compile a faunal list of the Hercynian forest megafauna from the Classical period. Additionally, I briefly statistically compare this faunal to several from Pleistocene Germany. These comparisons serve to both demonstrate changes in the megafauna of Europe during the late Quaternary and the use of classical sources in paleobiogeography and paleoecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new fossil diatom species, Paralia kawasumii Sato sp. nov., has been found in upper Holocene coastal sediments of the central Ise Plain, central Japan. Detailed examination by light and scanning electron microscopy showed that P. kawasumii is a straight, chain-forming diatom characterized by double heterovalvy and spathulate linking spines. Like P. elliptica Garcia, its valve face is elliptical and undulate, and parallel and anastomosing ridges and grooves are present on sibling valve faces. Both species together comprise the 'Paralia elliptica group'. However, P. kawasumii is considered a separate species from P. elliptica because of morphological differences in the structure and position of the rimoportulae and in the densities of fenestrae and of slits on the cingulum. Rimoportulae of P. kawasumii are perpendicular to the striae and distributed just below the overhanging mantle edge. Fenestrae and slits on the cingulum of P. kawasumii are more densely distributed than in P. elliptica. Paralia kawasumii is associated with loose sandy bottoms in intertidal areas (tidal flats to shallow outer bay environments). It is possible that P. kawasumii is an extant species, although no living cells have been found in surface sediments in Japan. If this were the case, P. kawasumii would be the fifth extant Paralia species in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Roman well US 100, located in the Tenuta Zuccarello near Venice, has yielded a large number of different animals remains, dated back to 2000 ± 40 years BP. Amphibians and reptiles are represented by at least 11 taxa: two caudates (Lissotriton gr. L. vulgaris, Triturus gr. T. cristatus), three anurans (Bombina sp., Bufo bufo, Rana dalmatina vel R. latastei), one turtle (Emys orbicularis), at least two lizards (Anguis gr. A. fragilis, Lacerta gr. L. viridis), and three snakes (Natrix natrix, cf. Coronella sp., Hierophis viridiflavus). Based on this assemblage, an ecotonal environment with water bodies, open and humid areas, as well as dry and sunny areas, is here suggested for the surroundings of the well when the sediments deposited. Most of the identified taxa were found in other Venetian sites since the Pleistocene, suggesting a certain continuity in the amphibians and reptiles population in Veneto during the Quaternary. The only taxon that is absent from the Venetian Lagoon today is Bombina. Its presence in a 2000-years-old archaeological site proves that the disappearance of suitable environments for the genus is a recent phenomenon near the Lagoon. This may support future reintroduction projects in suitable areas, following a conservation palaeobiology perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tafí valley is an elongated tectonic basin of about 450 km2 located in NW Argentina in a mountainous frame of metamorphic and granitic Precambrian-Paleozoic rocks belonging to Sierras Pampeanas. This study presents the first detailed geomorphological map of the area. The most representative landforms date to the Lateglacial-Holocene, with four differentiating aggradative units separated by incision phases. Among these phases, it is possible to identify the units H1 (Lateglacial-Early and Middle Holocene) and H2 (Upper Holocene until ca. 600 cal BP). These units are composed of slopes, fluvial terraces, and alluvial fans, forming a coupled system. In some areas, this system is complemented with fluvioglacial and glacial landforms. More recent units (H3 and H4), together with active processes, contribute to the great variety of morphologies represented in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is based on 616 geochronological ages from aeolian and colluvial sediments as well as paleosols, representing the largest database of geochronological data from northeastern Germany available to date. Cumulative probability density functions for radiocarbon data and kernel density estimates for luminescence data were created covering the last 15 ka. The data analysis aimed at the identification of changes and their drivers in geomorphodynamics and soil formation. The ages representing aeolian activity cluster in the Late Glacial, the Early Holocene, and the Late Holocene, where the first two clusters are assumed to result mostly from climatic impact with only a minor share of human impact triggering the mobilization of aeolian sediments. The third cluster is considered to result mainly from human impact. The Late Glacial to Early Holocene activity phase is interrupted by a phase of surface stability around 11.5–12.7 ka, which is indicated by the occurrence of initial soil formations of Finow and Usselo types. Colluvial sedimentation predominantly occurred during the last 7 ka and clearly accelerated since the last 1000 a. According to the ages of specific paleosol types, related soil-forming processes started already in the Late Glacial and were completed in the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]