Fine silt and clay mineralogical changes of a soil chronosequence in the Langtang valley (Central Nepal)

Bäumler, Rupert; Madhikermi, Dhruba P.; Zech, Wolfgang

doi:10.1002/jpln.19971600311

Cited by 11 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 10 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Burbank and Kang, 1991;Hö vermann et al, 1993a,b;Hö vermann and Lehmkuhl, 1994;Lehmkuhl, 1995Lehmkuhl, , 1997Lehmkuhl, , 1998Owen et al, 1997;Lehmkuhl et al, 2000) and soil development (e.g. Bäumler et al, 1997;Guggenberger et al, 1998;Zech et al, 2000). These were supplemented by the application of radiocarbon methods.…”

Section: Timing Of Glaciationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quaternary glaciation of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen

Owen

Caffee

Finkel

et al. 2008

J Quaternary Science

211

143

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Glacial geological evidence from throughout the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen is examined to determine the timing and extent of late Quaternary glaciation in this region and its relation to similar changes on a global scale. The evidence summarised here supports the existence of expanded ice caps and extensive valley glacier systems throughout the region during the late Quaternary. However, it cannot yet be determined whether the timing of the extent of maximum glaciation was synchronous throughout the entire region or whether the response was more varied. The lack of organic material needed for radiocarbon dating has hindered past progress in glacial reconstruction; however, application of optically stimulated luminescence and terrestrial cosmogenic radionuclide methods has recently expanded the number of chronologies throughout the region. Limits to the precision and accuracy available with these methods and, more importantly, geological uncertainty imposed by processes of moraine formation and alteration both conspire to limit the time resolution on which correlations can be made to Milankovitch timescales (several ka). In order to put all studies on a common scale, well-dated sites have been re-evaluated and all the published terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide ages for moraine boulders and glacially eroded surfaces in the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen have been recalculated. Locally detailed studies indicate that there are considerable variations in the extent of glaciation from one region to the next during a glaciation. Glaciers throughout monsoon-influenced Tibet, the Himalaya and the Transhimalaya are likely synchronous both with climate change resulting from oscillations in the South Asian monsoon and with Northern Hemisphere cooling cycles. In contrast, glaciers in Pamir in the far western regions of the Himalayan-Tibet orogen advanced asynchronously relative to the other regions that are monsooninfluenced regions and appear to be mainly in phase with the Northern Hemisphere cooling cycles. Broad patterns of local and regional variability based on equilibrium-line altitudes have yet to be fully assessed, but have the potential to help define changes in climatic gradients over time.

show abstract

Section: Timing Of Glaciationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quaternary glaciation of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen

Owen

Caffee

Finkel

et al. 2008

J Quaternary Science

211

143

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Burbank & Kang 1991;Hövermann et al 1993a, b;Hövermann & Lehmkuhl 1994;Lehmkuhl 1995aLehmkuhl , b, 1997Lehmkuhl , 1998bOwen et al 1997;Lehmkuhl et al , 2002 and soil development (e.g. Bäumler et al 1997;Guggenberger et al 1998;Zech et al 2000). Reconstructing palaeoenvironmental change from glacial geologic evidence in Tibet and the bordering mountains has been difficult because of the lack of organic material for radiocarbon dating, and the problems of correctly identifying the origin of highly dissected landforms.…”

Section: Regional Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Quaternary glaciation of Tibet and the bordering mountains: a review

Lehmkuhl¹,

Owen²

2005

Boreas

148

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abundant glacial geologic evidence present throughout Tibet and the bordering mountains shows that glaciers have oscillated many times throughout the late Quaternary. Yet the timing and extent of glacial advances is still highly debated. Recent studies, however, suggest that glaciation was most extensive prior to the last glacial cycle. Furthermore, these studies show that in many regions of Tibet and the Himalaya glaciation was generally more extensive during the earlier part of the last glacial cycle and was limited in extent during the global Last Glacial Maximum (marine oxygen isotope stage 2). Holocene glacial advances were also limited in extent, with glaciers advancing just a few kilometers from their present ice margins. In the monsoon-influenced regions, glaciation appears to be strongly controlled by changes in insolation that govern the geographical extent of the monsoon and consequently precipitation distribution. Monsoonal precipitation distribution strongly influences glacier mass balances, allowing glaciers in high altitude regions to advance during times of increased precipitation, which are associated with insolation maxima during glacial times. Furthermore, there are strong topographic controls on glaciation, particular in regions where there are rainshadow effects. It is likely that glaciers, influenced by the different climatic systems, behaved differently at different times. However, more detailed geomorphic and geochronological studies are needed to fully explore regional variations. Changes in glacial ice volume in Tibet and the bordering mountains were relatively small after the global LGM as compared to the Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. It is therefore unlikely that meltwater draining from Tibet and the bordering mountains during the Lateglacial and early Holocene would have been sufficient to affect oceanic circulation. However, changes in surface albedo may have influenced the dynamics of monsoonal systems and this may have important implications for global climate change. Drainage development, including lake level changes on the Tibetan plateau and adjacent regions has been strongly controlled by climatic oscillations on centennial, decadal and especially millennial timescales. Since the Little Ice Age, and particularly during this century, glaciers have been progressively retreating. This pattern is likely to continue throughout the 21st century, exacerbated by human-induced global warming.

show abstract

“…Receding glaciers progressively expose fresh rock to surface conditions and thus offer an excellent opportunity to study the evolution of ecosystems through time. There is abundant literature on deglaciation chronosequences (Anderson et al, 2000; Baumler et al, 1997; Becker and Dierschke, 2005; Bormann and Sidle, 1990; Doblas‐Miranda et al, 2008; Dolezal et al, 2008; Egli et al, 2010; Fastie, 1995; Schmidt et al, 2008), but soil and ecosystem development in glacier forefields have so far been analyzed and described mainly from a monodisciplinary perspective (e.g., mineralogy, soil chemistry, microbiology, or vegetation succession). These studies have revealed patterns of ecosystem evolution, such as vegetation succession patterns, the evolution of nutrient limitations (Walker et al, 2010), and changes in microbial communities (Nemergut et al, 2007; Jumpponen, 2003; Lazzaro et al, 2009).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical and Biological Gradients along the Damma Glacier Soil Chronosequence, Switzerland

Bernasconi

Bauder

Bourdon

et al. 2011

Vadose Zone Journal

170

175

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Soils are the product of a complex suite of chemical, biological, and physical processes. In spite of the importance of soils for society and for sustaining life on earth, our knowledge of soil formation rates and of the influence of biological activity on mineral weathering and geochemical cycles is still limited. In this paper we provide a description of the Damma Glacier Critical Zone Observatory and present a first synthesis of our multidisciplinary studies of the 150-yr soil chronosequence. The aim of our research was to improve our understanding of ecosystem development on a barren substrate and the early evolution of soils and to evaluate the influence of biological activity on weathering rates. Soil pH, cation exchange capacity, biomass, bacterial and fungal populations, and soil organic matter show clear gradients related to soil age, in spite of the extreme heterogeneity of the ecosystem. The bulk mineralogy and inorganic geochemistry of the soils, in contrast, are independent of soil age and only in older soils (>100 yr) is incipient weathering observed, mainly as a decreasing content in albite and biotite by coincidental formation of secondary chlorites in the clay fraction. Further, we document the rapid evolution of microbial and plant munities along the chronosequence.

show abstract

Fine silt and clay mineralogical changes of a soil chronosequence in the Langtang valley (Central Nepal)

Cited by 11 publications

References 10 publications

Quaternary glaciation of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen

Quaternary glaciation of the Himalayan–Tibetan orogen

Late Quaternary glaciation of Tibet and the bordering mountains: a review

Chemical and Biological Gradients along the Damma Glacier Soil Chronosequence, Switzerland

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About