Multiple dating of varved sediments from Lake Łazduny,northern Poland: Toward an improved chronology for the last 150 years

On two short sediment cores from Lake Łazduny (northeastern Poland) different methods for age estimation were applied including varve counting, ²¹⁰Pb, ¹³⁷Cs and OSL dating. The investigated sediment consists of finely laminated, organic-rich calcareous gyttja interrupted by a sand layer. For ²¹⁰Pb we tested the CFCS, CIC, CRS and SIT models and compared the results with the established varve chronology and the ¹³⁷Cs distribution. The total ²¹⁰Pb activity distribution is consistent between cores and shows a regular decrease with depth. However, the total inventory of unsupported ²¹⁰Pb was significantly different and indicates varying rates of sediment focusing. Our results show that all ²¹⁰Pb dating models used in this study produced different results, while the SIT model performed best in comparison with varve counts and ¹³⁷Cs peaks. The CFCS model produced a realistic age-depth trend but obtained ages were too old compared to the varve time scale. The age estimates provided by the CRS model were too old as well with an increasing offset downcore and the CIC model failed completely by producing an unrealistic chronology with age inversions. This confirms that only systematic testing of different ²¹⁰Pb dating models and routine validation using independent time markers produces reliable ²¹⁰Pb chronologies. OSL dating of two samples from the sand layer provided much too old results which indicate incomplete bleaching during deposition of the analyzed quartz grains. This multiple dating approach demonstrates the considerable potential but also potential pitfalls of dating such young sediments.     

Improving age estimates for late Holocene glacial landforms using dendrochronology – Some examples from Garibaldi Provincial Park,British Columbia

Dating of late Holocene landforms below treeline in high mountains is commonly done using dendrochronology. Four factors can reduce the accuracy of ages obtained by dendrochronology: (1) locating the oldest living tree on a surface; (2) the method of counting the rings; (3) the age-height correction factor; and (4) ecesis, which is the time it takes trees to successfully germinate on a bare surface. A review of published studies from the western Cordillera of the Americas shows that some of these issues have not been fully addressed. Research in Garibaldi Provincial Park in the southern Coast Mountains of British Columbia shows that the accuracy of tree-ring ages can be improved if (1) crossdating and chronology construction, rather than simple ring counts, are done; (2) individual age-height correction factors are applied; and (3) site-specific ecesis estimates are made. While these suggestions are not always necessary to their fullest extent, researchers should at least report their methods in more detail and provide uncertainties in their age estimates that take into account age-height and ecesis corrections.