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- Title
Deciphering timing and rates of Central German Chernozem/Phaeozem formation through high resolution single-grain luminescence dating.
- Authors
von Suchodoletz, Hans; van Meer, Mike; Kühn, Peter; Wiedner, Katja; Schunke, Torsten; Reimann, Tony
- Abstract
Chernozems/Phaeozems are important agricultural resources and have been intensively used for millennia. However, their origin and age are still controversial. In Europe, the westernmost widespread Chernozem/Phaeozem area is located in Central Germany. In contrast to other German regions with anthropogenic Chernozems/Phaeozems, their natural origin is suggested in connection with intensive bioturbation. Yet, radiocarbon is unsuitable for decoding Chernozem/Phaeozem formation so this hypothesis remains untested, whereas single-grain luminescence dating allows to discriminate between different soil sub-processes and formation phases. We applied single-grain feldspar luminescence to a Central German Chernozem that was buried during the Bronze Age and subsequently protected from pedogenic processes. For the first time, we could directly determine timing and rate of Chernozem/Phaeozem formation in Central Europe by dating bioturbation as the dominant soil forming process. Accordingly, Chernozem/Phaeozem formation started at the latest in the Early Holocene prior to Neolithic settlement indicating a natural origin of Central German Chernozems/Phaeozems, and Chernozem/Phaeozem formation ceased around 6–5 ka when the regional climate became more humid. Our effective soil reworking rates show that earthworm bioturbation in Chernozems/Phaeozems is more intense than ant-dominated bioturbation, but significantly less intense than bioturbation by lugworms or ploughing. The latter effect allows to identify prehistoric ploughing in paleosols.
- Subjects
EUROPE; GERMANY; CHERNOZEM soils; THERMOLUMINESCENCE dating; SOIL formation; BIOTURBATION; AGRICULTURAL resources; BRONZE Age; PALEOPEDOLOGY
- Publication
Scientific Reports, 2023, Vol 13, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
2045-2322
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/s41598-023-32005-9