Loess in Armenia – stratigraphic findings and palaeoenvironmental indications

Wolf, Daniel; Baumgart, Philipp; Meszner, Sascha; Fülling, Alexander; Haubold, Fritz; Sahakyan, Lilit; Meliksetian, Khachatur; Faust, Dominik

doi:10.1016/j.pgeola.2016.02.002

Cited by 28 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…The studied loess-paleosol sequences (LPSs) are situated in the northeastern part of Armenia, at the northern flanks of the Lesser Caucasus. All sections are located close to the town of Sevkar north of Ijevan the capital of Tavush province (41°N, 45°10'E; see Figure 1) at an altitude of between 680 and 960 m a. s. l. These loess deposits form elongated ridges up to 14 m thick, 150 m wide, and 1-2 km long [7]. The present climate of the loess area is characterized by annual precipitation of between 450 and 550 mm, and a mean annual temperature of about 11 °C.…”

Section: Geographical Settings and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies on continental deposits often refer to long past Quaternary periods, such as the studies conducted on Quaternary paleo-lake sediments situated near the town of Shamb in southern Armenia [3][4][5], or to very recent periods (e.g., Leroy et al [6]). Recently, continuous loess-paleosol sequences (LPSs) were discovered in northeastern Armenia, they are assumed to reflect at least the last three glacial-interglacial cycles [7]. This promising terrestrial archive offers an excellent opportunity to study past Quaternary climate fluctuations and its effects on paleoenvironmental conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This promising terrestrial archive offers an excellent opportunity to study past Quaternary climate fluctuations and its effects on paleoenvironmental conditions. Wolf et al [7] have published first stratigraphic results on northeastern Armenian loess sections. In a next step, we aim to use suitable proxy information in order to gather a more detailed paleoenvironmental characterization of these LPSs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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First Calibration and Application of Leaf Wax n-Alkane Biomarkers in Loess-Paleosol Sequences and Modern Plants and Soils in Armenia

Trigui¹,

Wolf²,

Sahakyan

et al. 2019

Geosciences

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Interpreting paleoenvironmental conditions by means of n-alkane biomarker analyses is challenging because results depend on different influencing factors. Thus, regional calibration of n-alkane patterns is needed because of different plant chemo-taxonomic behavior. We investigated for the first-time leaf wax-derived n-alkane biomarkers from modern plants, litter, top soils, and two recently discovered loess-paleosol sequences (LPSs) in Armenia (Lesser Caucasus). Our results on modern samples show a promising discrimination power based on n-alkane chain length nC33 (probably nC31)) for grasses and herbs versus nC29 for deciduous trees, despite the large interplant variability within vegetation groups. In contrast with other Loess records in Europe, where Late Pleistocene environments are ranging from tundra-like (glacial) to deciduous forest habitats (interglacial), our results from two Armenian LPSs suggest a transition from humid-steppe biome or forest-steppe vegetation dominating during interglacial periods, to semi-desert shrubs species more adapted to the enhanced aridity during glacial periods.

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Section: Geographical Settings and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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First Calibration and Application of Leaf Wax n-Alkane Biomarkers in Loess-Paleosol Sequences and Modern Plants and Soils in Armenia

Trigui¹,

Wolf²,

Sahakyan

et al. 2019

Geosciences

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“…Thus, we further aim to establish a regional end-member model of nalkanes for the central southern Caucasus region as a base for future robust interpretations of leaf wax n-alkane patterns derived from regional sediment archives. Such lacustrine, palustrine, fluvial, loess-paleosol or open-air archaeological sediment archives were increasingly investigated during the last years and could potentially be used for vegetation reconstructions based on n-alkanes (Messager et al, 2013;Joannin et al, 2014;von Suchodoletz et al, 2015;Wolf et al, 2016;Egeland et al, 2016).…”

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confidence: 99%

Leaf wax <i>n</i>-alkanes in modern plants and topsoils from eastern Georgia (Caucasus) – implications for reconstructing regional paleovegetation

et al. 2018

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Abstract. Long-chain n-alkanes originate from leaf waxes of higher terrestrial plants, they are relatively resistant against physical and chemical degradation and are preserved in sediment archives for at least millennial timescales. Since their homologue patterns discriminate between vegetation forms, they were increasingly used for paleovegetation reconstructions during the last years. However, before any robust interpretation of the long-chain n-alkane patterns in sediment archives, reference samples from modern vegetation and topsoil material should be investigated at a regional scale. Apart from some temperate and tropical regions, such systematic regional studies on modern plant and topsoil material are still largely lacking.To test the potential of leaf wax-derived n-alkane patterns for paleoenvironmental studies in the semi-humid to semiarid central southern Caucasus region, we investigated the influence of different vegetation forms on the leaf wax n-alkane signal in modern plants and topsoil material (0-5 cm) from eastern Georgia. We sampled (i) sites with grassland/herbs that included steppe, cultivated grassland and meadows, and (ii) sites that are dominated by deciduous hornbeam forests.The results show that long-chain n-alkanes originate from leaf waxes of higher terrestrial plants and that their homologue pattern allow to discriminate between different vegetation forms: n-Alkanes derived from sites with grassland/herbs are mainly dominated by C 31 , while n-alkanes derived from sites with deciduous trees/shrubs show high abundances of C 29 . Thus, long-chain n-alkanes have a great potential when used for regional paleovegetation reconstructions. Moreover, the n-alkane distributions of the topsoils do not show correlations with mean annual temperatures and precipitation along the investigated transect. As degradation of organic matter can affect the leaf wax n-alkane distribution, we further present an updated end-member model that includes our results, accounts for degradation effects and enables semi-quantitative reconstructions of past vegetation changes in the central southern Caucasus region.

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“…n-alkane patterns derived from regional sediment archives. Such lacustrine, loess-paleosol, open-air archaeological or fluvial archives were increasingly investigated during the last years and could potentially be used for n-alkane derived vegetation reconstructions (Messager et al, 2013;Joannin et al, 2014;Suchodoletz et al, 2015;Wolf et al, 2016;Egeland et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leaf wax <i>n</i>-alkanes in modern plants and topsoils from eastern Georgia (Caucasus) – implications for reconstructing regional paleovegetation

Bliedtner¹,

Schäfer²,

Zech³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Abstract. 10Long-chain n-alkanes became increasingly used for paleoenvironmental studies during the last years as they have the great potential to reconstruct past changes in vegetation and climate. They mostly originate from leaf waxes of higher terrestrial plants, are relatively resistant against physical and chemical degradation and can thus serve as valuable biomarkers that are preserved in various sedimentary archives for at least millennial timescales. However, before any robust interpretation of the long-chain n-alkane patterns in sedimentary archives, reference samples from modern vegetation and topsoil material should 15 be investigated at a regional scale. Apart from Central and South-Eastern Europe, such systematic regional studies on modern plant and topsoil material are still largely lacking.To test the potential of leaf wax derived n-alkane patterns for paleoenvironmental studies in the semi-humid to semi-arid southern Caucasus region, we investigated the influence of different vegetation types on the leaf wax n-alkane signal in modern plants and topsoil material (0-5 cm) from eastern Georgia. We sampled (i) sites with grassland that included steppe, 20 cultivated grassland and meadows, and (ii) sites that are dominated by deciduous hornbeam forests.The n-alkane results show distinct and systematic differences between samples from sites with the different vegetation types:n-alkanes derived from sites with grassland are mainly dominated by C31, while n-alkanes derived from sites with deciduous trees show high abundances of C29. Thus, chain-length ratios allow to discriminate between these two different vegetation types and have a great potential when used for regional paleoenvironmental reconstructions. As degradation of organic mat-25 ter can affect the leaf wax n-alkane distribution, we further present an updated end-member model that includes our results, accounts for degradation effects and enables semi-quantitative reconstructions of past vegetation changes in the southern Caucasus region.Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi

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Loess in Armenia – stratigraphic findings and palaeoenvironmental indications

Cited by 28 publications

References 46 publications

First Calibration and Application of Leaf Wax n-Alkane Biomarkers in Loess-Paleosol Sequences and Modern Plants and Soils in Armenia

First Calibration and Application of Leaf Wax n-Alkane Biomarkers in Loess-Paleosol Sequences and Modern Plants and Soils in Armenia

Leaf wax <i>n</i>-alkanes in modern plants and topsoils from eastern Georgia (Caucasus) – implications for reconstructing regional paleovegetation

Leaf wax <i>n</i>-alkanes in modern plants and topsoils from eastern Georgia (Caucasus) – implications for reconstructing regional paleovegetation

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Loess in Armenia – stratigraphic findings and palaeoenvironmental indications

Cited by 28 publications

References 46 publications

First Calibration and Application of Leaf Wax n-Alkane Biomarkers in Loess-Paleosol Sequences and Modern Plants and Soils in Armenia

First Calibration and Application of Leaf Wax n-Alkane Biomarkers in Loess-Paleosol Sequences and Modern Plants and Soils in Armenia

Leaf wax &lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt;-alkanes in modern plants and topsoils from eastern Georgia (Caucasus) – implications for reconstructing regional paleovegetation

Leaf wax &lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt;-alkanes in modern plants and topsoils from eastern Georgia (Caucasus) – implications for reconstructing regional paleovegetation

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Leaf wax <i>n</i>-alkanes in modern plants and topsoils from eastern Georgia (Caucasus) – implications for reconstructing regional paleovegetation

Leaf wax <i>n</i>-alkanes in modern plants and topsoils from eastern Georgia (Caucasus) – implications for reconstructing regional paleovegetation