| Abstract: | Implicit in models of palaeohydrological reconstruction is the assumption that a close relationship exists between climate, hydrological regime, and fluvial systems. Unfortunately, there can be a number of complicating factors involved, some of which are becoming increasingly well known. Research into Holocene alluviation in southeast England has demonstrated some associated difficulties which range from the problem of relating anthropogenically modified drainage networks to an understanding of contemporary rates of floodplain development to the impact of prehistoric societies on valley sedimentation. A theoretical model is presented whereby varying geomorphic domains contributing to floodplain and valley fill construction can be recognized. It is suggested that attempts to apply this framework to palaeohydrological studies may assist in the realization of a more accurate reconstruction in which former hydrological responses are integrated within a broader palaeoenvironmental context. |
