Early development of late Vistulian (Weichselian) lacustrine sediments in the Żabieniec swamp (central Poland)

Abstract

Abstract:The early sedimentological and ecological developmental stages of a late Vistulian lake in the Żabieniec swamp near Łódź (central Poland) were analysed by radiometric dating, changes in the frequency of specimens and species composition of Cladocera and multivariate statistical analysis (DCA). The longevity of the lake resulted in a fairly complete sedimentary record from approximately 22 ka to 11 ka cal BP. Species composition and the variability in the frequency of Cladocera specimens has made it possible to distinguish eleven zones of their development, which are well correlated with radiocarbon data. The results were compared to those from other sites of north and central Europe. The initial Cladocera development comprises the richest and oldest late Vistulian Cladocera record in Europe. These cladoceran assemblages show that a deep, oligotrophic, moderately coldwater lake was present at the beginning. It appears that the cladoceran development was mainly due to climate change, but also to changes in locally prevailing conditions in the water body. The high frequency of cladocerans, as well as the presence of cladoceran taxa preferring warmer water, was noted before approximately 16 ka BP. The biota suggests that the Oldest Dryas cooling was not severe and fairly variable in terms of humidity and temperature. The changes in Cladocera composition give evidence of what is described as the Intra-Bølling Cold Oscillation. It is also concluded that the Bølling is represented by two phases in the Żabieniec lake sediments.

Fen ecosystem responses to water‐level fluctuations during the early and middle Holocene in central Europe: a case study from Wilczków, Poland

“…). In turn, the species diversity of Cladocera in the Wilczków fen was low, similar to other Polish sites (Pawłowski ,b; Pawłowski et al . ).…”

Younger Dryas Cladocera assemblages from two valley mires in central Poland and their potential significance for climate reconstructions

“…This situation resembles that known from Lake Gościąż, where a warmer phase can be identified within the YD (Szeroczyńska, 1998a). The same phenomenon was described (Pawłowski, 2012;Forysiak et al, 2010) from other sites in this area: in Żabieniec (nearly 20 km east of Kolonia Bechcice) and at Ner Zawada (in the Ner River valley). It thus seems that the Cladocera analysis indicates only a slight drop in temperature in this region during the YD.…”

“…A similar situation exists in the records of macro-and micro-invertebrates. Certain taxa, such as flying insects and even cladocerans, however, will react more rapidly to climate changes than do other proxies, such as tree pollen (Płóciennik et al, 2011;Pawłowski, 2012). This is manifested by the appearance of taxa that prefer better (warmer, wet) conditions.…”

The usefulness of subfossil Cladocera remains in Younger Dryas climatic reconstructions in central Poland

“…The study sites have previously undergone Clado cera analysis (Pawłowski 2012a(Pawłowski , 2012bDzieduszyńska et al 2014;Pawłowski et al 2015aPawłowski et al , b, 2016a. However, the cladoceran-inferred paleotemperature estimates from most study sites -Żabieniec, Rąbień, Korzeń, Ługi, Kolonia Bechcice, and Koź-min -have not yet been presented.…”