Holocene development of the Vistula Spit (Baltic Sea coast) based on multidisciplinary investigations

Abstract

Coastal barriers are the first line of defense for the mainlands against the impacts of severe storms, therefore the need for better understanding how barriers evolve is arising. Spits (barriers) are the dominant landform type of the southern and south-eastern Baltic Sea coast. The aim of this paper is to gain present a better insight into problems of the Vistula Spit origin in general, and especially on the age of formation of the dune ridges. The Vistula Spit is one of the largest barriers on the southern Baltic coast. The analysis comprised: OSL dating of dune sands, radiocarbon dating of peat and palynological studies of peat and fossil soil profiles. Results shows that the onset of the oldest dunes formation begun ca. 7000–6000 years ago and the highest ridge were formed ca. 4000–2000 years ago. The youngest dunes, located closest to the modern shore, formed in the past 2000 years. Aeolian processes were also activated locally and periodically as a result of forest wildfires and human activities. Vistula Spit emergence and development is connected to two global events; beginning of the oldest dunes formation is related to slowing down in the sea level rise around 7000–6000 years ago, whereas the onset of the highest dunes building can be clearly connected with the climate cooling and aridification around 4200 years ago.

Holocene relative sea-level changes in the eastern part of Pomeranian Bay and the Szczecin Lagoon, Southern Baltic Sea

“…The highest rate of sea-level rise in the study area (up to 9.0 mm/yr in the eastern part of Pomeranian Bay and up to 5.0 mm/yr in the Szczecin Lagoon) occurred in the late Greenlandian and early Northgrippian, that is, in the period 8500–6000 yr b2k (Table 2). A rapid sea-level rise in the period 8500–6000 yr b2k at comparable average rates was also reported in the other parts of the southern Baltic Sea (Bennike and Jensen, 1998, 2011; Hoffmann et al, 2009; Jegliński, 2013; Lampe and Lampe, 2021; Uścinowicz, 2003; Uścinowicz et al, 2021; Uścinowicz and Uścinowicz, 2006) (Table 2), where it is known as the Littorina Trangression. The fast rate of sea-level rise in the early Holocene was recorded not only in the southern Baltic Sea, but also in other parts of the world (Engelhart et al, 2015; Hijma et al, 2015; Lambeck et al, 2014; Loveson and Nigam, 2019; Meijles et al, 2018; Peltier and Fairbanks, 2006; Roeleveld and Loon, 1979; Sloss et al, 2007; Zong, 2004) (Table 2).…”

“…6000 yr b2k), a slowdown of sea-level rise has been recorded in different parts of the world (Engelhart et al, 2015;Hijma et al, 2015;Loveson and Nigam, 2019;Meijles et al, 2018;Peltier and Fairbanks, 2006;Roeleveld and Loon, 1979;Sloss et al, 2007;Zong, 2004) (Table 2). The slowdown also occurred in the Baltic Sea (end of the Littorina Transgression) Jensen, 1998, 2011;Hoffmann et al, 2009;Jegliński, 2013;Lampe and Lampe, 2021;Uścinowicz, 2003Uścinowicz, , 2006Uścinowicz et al, 2007Uścinowicz et al, , 2020Uścinowicz et al, , 2021 (Table 2). In the study area, the Littorina Transgression ceased 6000 yr b2k, while in the eastern part of Pomeranian Bay and the Szczecin Lagoon, the water level reached ca.…”

“…Data from contemporary vertical movements of the Earth's crust in the study area (Kontny and Bogusz, 2012;Kowalczyk, 2006;Liszkowski, 1982;Wyrzykowski, 1975Wyrzykowski, , 1985 is inconclusive. Taking into account the above information and the correlation with data from other parts of the southern Baltic Sea Jensen, 1998, 2011;Hoffmann et al, 2009;Jegliński, 2013;Lampe and Lampe, 2021;Uścinowicz, 2003Uścinowicz, , 2006Uścinowicz et al, 2007Uścinowicz et al, , 2020Uścinowicz et al, , 2021 and elsewhere in the world (Engelhart et al, 2015;Hijma et al, 2015;Loveson and Nigam, 2019;Meijles et al, 2018;Peltier and Fairbanks, 2006;Roeleveld and Loon, 1979;Sloss et al, 2007;Zong, 2004), it can be assumed that sea-level changes in the study area in the last 8500 years have been eustatic in nature.…”

“…For the southern part of the Baltic, sea-level curves have been developed, i.a., for Wismar Bay (Lampe et al, 2005), Mecklemburg Bay and the Arkona Basin (Bennike and Jensen, 1998), northeast German coast (Lampe and Lampe, 2021), the islands of Usedom and Rügen (Hoffmann et al, 2009), Rega river mouth (Cedro, 2016), Gardno-Łeba Coastal Plain (Rotnicki, 2009), Puck Lagoon (Uścinowicz et al, 2007(Uścinowicz et al, , 2020, Dead Vistula mouth (Jegliński, 2013) and Vistula Spit (Uścinowicz et al, 2021). Most of the abovementioned studies were based on data from coastal barriers and/or peatlands.…”

Holocene insect pioneer colonization of post-glacial dune sands exemplified by tiger beetle burrows

“…Modern seashore habitats in their present locations would be expected to date back to when sea level stabilized after post-glacial changes. Uścinowicz et al (2021) considered that the formation of the oldest dunes at the Vistula spit begun ca. 7000-6000 years ago, with the highest dunes formed about 4000-2000 years ago, and the youngest dunes in the past 2000 years.…”