Radiocarbon dating of wetland sediment from the Konsen Plateau, eastern Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

Wetland soils are among the largest carbon reservoirs in terrestrial ecosystems and are vulnerable to climate change. Here we elucidate the developmental history of a wetland soil located on the Konsen Plateau in Hokkaido, Japan, during the Holocene. Through radiocarbon dating of sediment samples, we revealed that continuous sedimentation persisted over the past 4000 years. This onset of peat sedimentation was simultaneous with those reported in other wetlands in eastern Hokkaido. We hypothesized that cooling associated with the end of climatic optimal may have contributed to peat preservation. Elemental analyses also confirmed the formation of a stable wetland condition during the late Holocene. The C/N ratios were approximately 15–25 throughout the core, indicating that the organic materials in the sediments were steadily derived from terrestrial plants. The C/S ratios of the core varied between 43 and 97, suggesting that the sediments are free from marine influences. Our results provided continuous and stable record of wetland sedimentary environment in eastern Hokkaido over the past 4000 years.