Early Holocene aeolian sediments in southwestern Crete\u2212preliminary results

Fabian Kirsten,Birgit Schneider,Jürgen Heinrich,Susann Heinrich,Alexander Fülling

doi:10.1007/s42990-021-00061-w

Abstract

The soilscapes along the southern and western coast of Crete (Greece) are dominated by coarse-grained reddish-brown slope sediments whose natural (pre-anthropogenic) configuration and properties are difficult to reconstruct due to the long history of intense land use. As a consequence, datable terrestrial sediment archives of pre-anthropogenic genesis are scarce. We present preliminary results of a study performed on an accumulation within an alluvial fan south of Stomio Bay in southwestern Crete. The studied profile is located in a small depression and is composed of a sequence of sandy to silty yellowish-brown calcareous sediments overlying coarse-grained slope sediments, including a fossil topsoil horizon. Based on macroscopic, micromorphological, geochemical, geophysical and mineralogical analysis, we interpret the fine-grained sediments to have a local aeolian origin. OSL dating indicates a final deposition phase during the early Holocene. Considering the scarcity of early Holocene terrestrial archives in Crete, the analysed profile provides valuable data for the reconstruction of landscape dynamics and paleoecological conditions as well as soil-sediment configurations during this time period. Additional research is needed to address the specific source area(s) as well as the ages of the deposition of slope sediments and formation of the fossil topsoil.

Highlights

While soils of the Mediterranean area have been extensively investigated (Brunnacker 1979; Durn 2003; Fedoroff and Courty 2013; Yaalon 1997), in the case of Crete (Greece), the parent materials of Holocene soils and their distribution among different landscape units have scarcely been examined
Unit 4 represents the base of the profile and consists of consolidated/cemented alluvial fan sediments composed of well-rounded and poorly sorted boulders in a carbonatic matrix
The lower part of the fine-grained sediments (CR-2, corresponding to sample 2–3) was dated to 10 ± 0.4 ka (CAM), and the upper part of the fine-grained sediments (CR-1, corresponding to sample 2–1) was dated to 8.4 ± 0.3 ka (CAM) in the fine-grained quartz fraction. These results indicate a sediment deposition during the early Holocene (Preboreal to Boreal)

Summary

Introduction

While soils of the Mediterranean area have been extensively investigated (Brunnacker 1979; Durn 2003; Fedoroff and Courty 2013; Yaalon 1997), in the case of Crete (Greece), the parent materials of Holocene soils and their distribution among different landscape units have scarcely been examined. Fragments, while purely fine-grained sediments are rare (Pope et al 2016; Mouslopoulou et al 2017) The development of these alluvial fans is likely due to the steep relief, the long history of intensive land use and regular torrential runoff events. The deposition of very fine-grained brownish-red dust was observed by the authors on several occasions. This important input of North African provenance into most of Cretes soils has been extensively studied and described in recent decades (Christidis et al 2010; Pye 1992; Nihlén and Mattsson 1989; Nihlén and Solyom 1986, 1989; Nihlén et al 1995; Rapp and Nihlén 1986). Existing paleoecological studies (Bottema 1980; Bottema and Sarpaki 2003; Ghilardi et al 2018, 2019; Jouffroy-Bapicot et al 2016; Lespez et al 2003; Theodorakopoulou et al 2012) are mainly focused on the middle to late Holocene records due to the scarcity of well-preserved terrestrial deposits dating to the Pleistocene–Holocene transition

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion