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Testing the sensitivity of the palaeoclimatic signal from ombrotrophic peat stratigraphy

Testing the sensitivity of the palaeoclimatic signal from ombrotrophic peat stratigraphy
Testing the sensitivity of the palaeoclimatic signal from ombrotrophic peat stratigraphy

The aim of this thesis is to test the sensitivity of the palaeoclimatic proxy-record from the peat stratigraphy of six paired ombrotrophic raised mires (Bolton Fell Moss and Walton Moss, Raeburn Flow and Bell's Flow; and Coom Rigg Moss and Felecia Moss), and one ombrotrophic blanket mire (Shaft Hall, Moor House), located along a rainfall gradient in Northern England and the Scottish Borders.

Three techniques to reconstruct proxy-climate via mire surface wetness have been used - colorimetric humification, quantitative plant macrofossil, and testate amoebae analyses. Weighted averages ordination (Dupont index) and Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA), were used to transform the raw floral and faunal data into indices of mire surface wetness. The chronology of each peat profile was determined by radiocarbon assay, supported by spheroidal carbonaceous particle (SCP) analyses and pollen / landuse correlations. Palaeoclimatic reconstructions have been made by linking known documentary / historical changes in climate, and other proxy-climate records, to those inferred from the sites investigated in the study region.

The adoption of multiple proxies to reconstruct mire surface wetness has led to improved palaeoclimate reconstructions, whilst the pollen and SCP chronologies have served to highlight deficiencies in the radiocarbon chronology and the existence of a possible hiatus in the stratigraphy of the blanket mire investigated.

The latter stage of the Little Age (LIA), is the only climatic deterioration registered in all of the study sites. The largest inferred changes in mire surface wetness in Bell's Flow and Coom Rigg Moss occur coevally with the LIA, and suggest it was a severe climatic departure. Conflicting dates between the pollen and calibrated radiocarbon chronology for these two sites suggest the LIA may have occurred between 1420-1800 AD.

University of Southampton
Mauquoy, Dmitri
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Mauquoy, Dmitri
ffdf1d32-9f02-45ef-8f49-ce111f39f278

Mauquoy, Dmitri (1997) Testing the sensitivity of the palaeoclimatic signal from ombrotrophic peat stratigraphy. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to test the sensitivity of the palaeoclimatic proxy-record from the peat stratigraphy of six paired ombrotrophic raised mires (Bolton Fell Moss and Walton Moss, Raeburn Flow and Bell's Flow; and Coom Rigg Moss and Felecia Moss), and one ombrotrophic blanket mire (Shaft Hall, Moor House), located along a rainfall gradient in Northern England and the Scottish Borders.

Three techniques to reconstruct proxy-climate via mire surface wetness have been used - colorimetric humification, quantitative plant macrofossil, and testate amoebae analyses. Weighted averages ordination (Dupont index) and Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA), were used to transform the raw floral and faunal data into indices of mire surface wetness. The chronology of each peat profile was determined by radiocarbon assay, supported by spheroidal carbonaceous particle (SCP) analyses and pollen / landuse correlations. Palaeoclimatic reconstructions have been made by linking known documentary / historical changes in climate, and other proxy-climate records, to those inferred from the sites investigated in the study region.

The adoption of multiple proxies to reconstruct mire surface wetness has led to improved palaeoclimate reconstructions, whilst the pollen and SCP chronologies have served to highlight deficiencies in the radiocarbon chronology and the existence of a possible hiatus in the stratigraphy of the blanket mire investigated.

The latter stage of the Little Age (LIA), is the only climatic deterioration registered in all of the study sites. The largest inferred changes in mire surface wetness in Bell's Flow and Coom Rigg Moss occur coevally with the LIA, and suggest it was a severe climatic departure. Conflicting dates between the pollen and calibrated radiocarbon chronology for these two sites suggest the LIA may have occurred between 1420-1800 AD.

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Published date: 1997

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Local EPrints ID: 463092
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/463092
PURE UUID: 4d9973b6-f04e-4dc3-b5b0-757aae39242d

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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 20:44
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 19:01

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Author: Dmitri Mauquoy

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