Palaeoenvironmental record of glacial lake evolution during the early Holocene at Sokli,NE Finland

The development of a glacial lake impounded along the retreating, northeastern ice margin of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet during the last deglaciation and environmental conditions directly following the early Holocene deglaciation have been studied in NE Finland. This so‐called Sokli Ice Lake has been reconstructed previously using topographic and geomorphologic evidence. In this paper a multiproxy approach is employed to study a 3‐m‐thick sediment succession consisting of laminated silts grading into gyttja cored in Lake Loitsana, a remnant of the Sokli Ice Lake. Variations in the sediment and siliceous microfossil records indicate distinct changes in water depth and lake size in the Loitsana basin as the Sokli Ice Lake was drained through various spillways opening up along the retreating ice front. Geochemical data (XRF core‐scanning) show changes in the influence of regional catchment geochemistry (Precambrian crystalline rocks) in the glacial lake drainage area versus local catchment geochemistry (Sokli Carbonatite Massif) within the Lake Loitsana drainage area during the lake evolution. Principal component analysis on the geochemical data further suggests that grain‐size is an additional factor responsible for the variability of the sediment geochemistry record. The trophic state of the lake changed drastically as a result of morphometric eutrophication once the glacial lake developed into Lake Loitsana. The AMS radiocarbon dating on tree birch seeds found in the glaciolacustrine sediment indicates that Lake Loitsana was deglaciated sometime prior to 10 700 cal. a BP showing that tree Betula was present on the deglaciated land surrounding the glacial lake. Although glacial lakes covered large areas of northern Finland during the last deglaciation, only few glaciolacustrine sediment successions have been studied in any detail. Our study shows the potential of these sediments for multiproxy analysis and contributes to the reconstruction of environmental conditions in NE Finland directly following deglaciation in the early Holocene.     

Cosmogenic nuclide exposure ages for moraines in the Lago San Martin Valley, Argentina

At several times during the Quaternary, a major eastward-flowing outlet glacier of the former Patagonian Ice Sheet occupied the Lago San Martin Valley in Argentina (49°S, 72°W). We present a glacial chronology for the valley based on geomorphological mapping and cosmogenic nuclide (¹⁰Be) exposure ages (n = 10) of boulders on moraines and lake shorelines. There are five prominent moraine belts in the Lago San Martin Valley, associated with extensive sandar (glaciofluvial outwash plains) and former lake shorelines. Cosmogenic nuclide exposure ages for boulders on these moraines indicate that they formed at 14.3 ± 1.7 ka, 22.4 ± 2.3 ka, 34.4 ± 3.4 ka to 37.6 ± 3.4 ka (and possibly 60 ± 3.5 ka), and 99 ± 11 ka (1σ). These dated glacier advances differ from published chronologies from the Lago San Martin Valley based on ¹⁴C age determinations from organic sediments and molluscs in meltwater channels directly in front of moraines or in kettleholes within end moraine ridges. The moraine boulder ages also point to possible pre-LGM glacial advances during the last glacial cycle and a key observation from our data is that the LGM glaciers were probably less extensive in the Lago San Martin Valley than previously thought.     

Effects of climate change and extreme events on forest communities in the European North

The European north is increasingly affected by changes in climate and climate variability. These changes and their causes are global in scope but specific impacts vary considerably between different regions. Recent incidents and events show that forest-resource based regions have difficulties in alleviating adverse effects of these changes. Also, the future socio-economic impact is to date unexplored. Norrbotten in Sweden, Lappi in Finland and Arkhangelsk oblast in Russia are regions that differ significantly in terms of their socio-economic characteristics and capacities. A modified employment multiplier model is used to predict future changes. Scenarios of changing forest resources provide quantitative estimations of the sensitivity of regional employment. These estimates are used to assess and discuss the adaptive capacities of the regions. Results show that Arkhangelsk oblast is more vulnerable to climate variability than Norrbotten and Lappi. This is due to the continued dependency on natural resources in combination with different capacities to counteract negative effects or to take advantage of the opportunities offered by climate change in this region.     

Seasonal rainfall partitioning under runon and runoff conditions on sandy soil in Niger. On-farm measurements and water balance modelling

In sparsely cropped farming systems in semi-arid tropics, rainfall partitioning can be complex due to various interactions between vertical and horizontal water flows, both in the atmosphere and in the soil. Despite this, quantifying the seasonal rainfall partitioning is essential, in order to identify options for increased yields. Results are presented on water flow components, based on field measurements and water balance modelling, for three years (1994–96) in a farmer's field cultivated with pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) Br.] in the Sahel (Niger). Water balance modelling was carried out for three common infiltration categories: runoff producing surfaces, surfaces receiving inflow of runon water from upstream zones, and a reference surface with zero runoff and runon. Runoff was calculated to 25%–30% of annual rainfall (which ranged from 488 to 596 mm), from crust observations, rainfall, soil wetness data, and infiltration estimates. Inflow of runon was estimated from field observations to 8%–18% of annual rainfall. The parameters in the functions for soil surface and canopy resistances were calibrated with field measurements of soil evaporation, stomatal conductance and leaf area. The model estimates of soil water contents, which were validated against neutron probe measurements, showed a reasonable agreement with observed data, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of approximately 0.02 m³ m⁻³ for 0–160 cm soil depth. Estimated productive water flow as plant transpiration was low, amounting to 4%–9% of the available water for the non-fertilised crop and 7%–24% for the fertilised crop. Soil evaporation accounted for 31%–50% of the available water, and showed a low variation for the observed range of leaf area (LAI <1 m² m⁻²). Deep percolation was high, amounting to 200–330 mm for the non-crusted surfaces, which exceeded soil evaporation losses, for 1994–95 with relatively high annual rainfall (517–596 mm). Even a year with lower rainfall (488 mm) and a distinct dry spell during flowering (1996), resulted in an estimated deep percolation of 160 mm for the non-fertilised crop. The crop did not benefit from the additional inflow of runon water, which was partitioned between soil water storage and deep percolation. The only exception to this was the fertilised crop in 1996, where runon somewhat compensated for the limited rainfall and the higher water demand as a result of a larger leaf area than the non-fertilised crop. The effects of rainfall erraticness, resulting in episodic droughts, explain why a crop that uses such a small proportion of the available water, in an environment with substantial deep percolation, still suffers from water scarcity. Application of small levels of phosphorus and nitrogen roughly doubled yields, from 380 to 620 kg ha⁻¹, and plant transpiration, from 33 to 78 mm. Evapotranspirational water use efficiency (WUE_ET) was low, 6500–8300 m³ ton⁻¹ grain for non-fertilised crop, which is an effect of the low on-farm yields and high non-productive water losses. The estimated seasonal rainfall partitioning indicates the possibility of quantifying vertical water flows in on-farm environments in the Sahel, despite the presence of surface overland flow.     

Causes of acidity in the River Lillån in the coastal zone of central northern Sweden

Factors controlling acidity were studied in the acidic River Lillån in the coastal zone of central northern Sweden. The stream drains the hilly wave-washed terrain and the sediment-covered coastal plain which are the dominating types of landscape in the region. A synoptic study of 38 small streams, representing both types of landscape was also made. Acidity in all streams is caused by organic acids in combination with catchment sources of sulfate. The most acidic streams occur in the hilly terrain because of a high terrestrial export of organic acids and low buffering capacity. Acidic episodes during snowmelt were associated with strongly decreased base cation concentrations, decreased SO²⁻₄ and slightly increased organic acids concentrations. Frequently occurring acid episodes caused by rainstorms and associated outwash of organic acids from forest soils are typical for events in late summer and autumn. It is suggested that, in all essential aspects, the acidity in surface waters in this part of Sweden is of natural origin.     

Early MIS 3 glacial lake evolution, ice-marginal retreat pattern and climate at Sokli (northeastern Fennoscandia)

Lake development at Sokli, northern Finland, is traced through the analysis of diatoms and other siliceous micro-fossils in a 2-meter thick minerogenic, laminated clay-silt deposit dated to the early part of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. Fluctuating water levels and changes in lake extent depicted by the siliceous micro-fossil record, together with lithology, suggest that an important part of the sediment sequence was deposited in a glacial lake. The proxy-based glacial lake evolution is tested using a Digital Elevation Model and geomorphologic evidence including eskers dated to the early MIS 3 Tulppio Interstadial at Sokli. Despite the apparent ice-dammed nature of the lake, the sediment is relatively rich in fossils and there are limited signs of re-deposition of older fossil material. The siliceous micro-fossil record together with data from other proxies previously analysed in the same sediment samples provides a coherent picture of past environmental changes around the Sokli site. This is most probably due to the sheltered position of the coring-site in a lake embayment. Quantitative climate reconstructions based on the diatom record show mean July air temperatures as high as present-day values at Sokli, and the temperature ranges indicated by the diatom record are in agreement with temperature reconstructions based on chironomids. The position of Sokli in the northeastern portion of the central area of the Scandinavian glaciations and the northern retreat pattern implies that an important part of eastern Fennoscandia was deglaciated during the early MIS 3 warming event.