Human activity formed deep, dark topsoils around the Baltic Sea

Acksel, Andre; Kappenberg, Arne; Kühn, Peter; Leinweber, Peter

doi:10.1016/j.geodrs.2017.05.005

Cited by 21 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…The sampled soil profiles are located at the island of Poel in the Wismar bay (54 • 0 N, 11 • 26 E) (P-1: Gollwitz; P-3 and P-5: Niendorf); at the islands of Fehmarn (F-8: Westermarkelsdorf; F-9: Gahlendorf) and Wagrien (F-6: Großenbrode) in the Lübeck bay (54 • in Rogaland County and in the Jaeren region (PE1: Njaerheim; PE4: Årsvol) in South West Norway (Figure 1). Descriptions of soil characteristics, vegetation covers, geography, climate, and landscape history of all study regions have been published previously [1][2][3]. The soils were classified as plaggic, hortic, umbric and mollic Anthrosols according to the World Reference Base for Soil resources 2014 as explained in Acksel et al [2,3].…”

Section: Study Areas and Soil Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Descriptions of soil characteristics, vegetation covers, geography, climate, and landscape history of all study regions have been published previously [1][2][3]. The soils were classified as plaggic, hortic, umbric and mollic Anthrosols according to the World Reference Base for Soil resources 2014 as explained in Acksel et al [2,3]. Examples of profile photographs are shown in the Supplementary Figure S1.…”

Section: Study Areas and Soil Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Examples of profile photographs are shown in the Supplementary Figure S1. The AMS 14 C ages of these soils were measured in the humin fraction of the deeper-lying humus-rich horizons [2,3]. The AMS 14 C-dating and the complementary archaeological literature of the respective region implied that these soils have been formed between the Nordic Bronze Age (3800 to 2800 BP) and the Roman Iron Age (2700 to 2000 BP) for the soils in the Baltic Sea region and between the Roman Iron Age (2500 to 1500 BP) and the Viking Age (about 1200 to 1000 BP) for the Norwegian soils [2,3].…”

Section: Study Areas and Soil Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Regionally restricted, unusually hums-rich topsoils were found in Northern Europe (the Baltic Sea regions of Germany and Denmark, Southwestern Norway) and were classified as Anthrosols because their formation was explained by strong inputs of organic matter from anthropogenic activities [1][2][3]. Most of these Anthrosols had been amended with marine biomass from the nearby shores, as was confirmed by δ 34 S values/patterns [2,3]. The above cited studies provided evidence for burning management and/or the input of combustion residues within the past 2000 years from benzene polycarboxylic acid (BPCA) determinations, synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) K-edges, and pyrolysis-field ionisation-mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS) and assigned these signatures to ancient agriculture by 14 C dating.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Look into the Past: Tracing Ancient Sustainable Manuring Practices by Thorough P Speciation of Northern European

Acksel

Baumann

et al. 2019

Soil Syst.

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Regionally restricted, hums-rich topsoils in Southwest Norway and the Baltic Sea region of Germany and Denmark were formed by inputs of various amendments (combustion residues and marine biomass) and, therefore, were classified as Anthrosols. For a deeper insight into the ancient management practices, we investigated the elemental and P-composition in the upper and underlying horizons from 12 soil profiles in the Jæren region, at the islands of Karmøy and Feøy (Norway), at the island of Fehmarn and the peninsula of Wagrien (Germany), and at the islands of Poel (Germany) and Sjaelland (Denmark). We used aqua regia digestion and the complementary methods of sequential P fractionation, phosphorus K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (P-XANES) spectroscopy, and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR) spectroscopy. Results were compared with the composition of differently amended and/or un-amended soils from other studies. In addition, archaeological literature was used to confirm possible inputs of specific P-containing amendments in ancient agriculture. The P composition from SF of the Anthrosols in Norway (44% NaOH-Pi >1 8% NaOH-Po > 14% NaHCO3-Pi, 12% H2SO4-P > 7% NaHCO3-Po > 3% residual-P = 3% resin-P) and complementary archaeological literature provided strong indication for the use of peat, sheep manure, compost, and human excreta. The Anthrosols in the Jæren region have been formed from peat, which had been used as alternative bedding material and had been mixed with sheep and/or cattle manure. The P-composition in the Anthrosols at the island of Fehmarn and at the peninsula of Wagrien (42% H2SO4-P > 25% residual-P > 10% NaOH-Po, 8% NaOH-Pi: > 6% NaHCO3-Pi and NaHCO3-Po, 4% resin-P) resulted from the application of domestic cattle manure. This was strongly supported by archaeological findings of cattle bones in this region, as well as high proportions of Ca-P, as confirmed by P-XANES. The predominance of Po in the Anthrosols at the island of Poel and Sjaelland (31% NaOH-Po > 23% NaHCO3-Po, 21% H2SO4-P > 11% NaOH-Pi > 8% NaHCO3-Pi > 4% residual-P, 3% resin-P, in agreement with results from 31P-NMR) indicated low ancient inputs of various excrement or manure. This was supported by low livestock history at the island of Poel. In conclusion, these agricultural techniques can be considered as sustainable P recycling and soil amendment since they improved soil fertility for many generations.

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