Quaternary coastline evolution of Lake Ohrid (Macedonia/Albania)

Abstract

Lake Ohrid (between FYR of Macedonia and Albania), situated in an active tectonic region of the Balkanides, is characterized by N -S trending active faults. To reconstruct the Holocene shoreline evolution we investigated the coastline using sediment cores and geophysical methods to image sedimentary and tectonic structures. We revealed areas of differing sedimentation regimes. The plains north and south of the lake are dominated by clastic input related to climate variations and uplift/erosion, whereas the steep western and eastern margins are controlled by recent tectonics. Furthermore, no evidence for a much higher lake-level during the Holocene was found in the plains north and south of the lake, except rare temporary floodings. This is supported by mappings of the limestone cliffs around Lake Ohrid, which yielded no evidence for abrasional platforms or notches as indicators for past highstands.

Pollen-based paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic change at Lake Ohrid (SE Europe) during the past 500 ka

“…The western shoreline is characterized by Jurassic L. Sadori et al: Pollen-based paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic change, Lake Ohrid ophiolites of the Mirdita zone. Cenozoic sediments including Pliocene and Quaternary deposits are mainly found southwest of the lake (Wagner et al, 2009;Hoffmann et al, 2012).…”

Pollen-based paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic change at Lake Ohrid (south-eastern Europe) during the past 500 ka

“…Climatic conditions are strongly influenced by the proximity to the Adriatic Sea and the water bodies of lakes Ohrid and Prespa, which reduce the temperature extremes due to the presence of high mountain chains (Wagner et al, 2009;Hoffmann et al, 2012). An average precipitation for the Lake Ohrid watershed of ∼ 900 mm has been determined by Popovska and Bonacci (2007).…”

“…The western shoreline is characterized by Jurassic ophiolites of the Mirdita zone. Cenozoic sediments including Pliocene and Quaternary deposits are mainly found southwest of the lake (Wagner et al, 2009;Hoffmann et al, 2012).…”

“…It is located in a deep tectonic graben, with still tectonically active faults running parallel to the N-S orientation of the lake (e.g. Hoffmann et al, 2012).…”

Late Quaternary pedogenesis of lacustrine terraces in Gallocanta Lake, NE Spain

“…Water level fluctuations in lakes are common in the arid and semiarid Mediterranean region where most lakes are shallower (Beklioglu et al, 2007) and more sensitive to climate oscillations than in more humid areas. Lake water level fluctuations during the Late Quaternary have received much attention as proxies for identifying past environmental changes, usually based on sedimentology (Ghinassi et al, 2012;De Cort et al, 2013;McGlue et al, 2013) together with paleoecological evidence (e.g., pollen, ostracods, diatoms) (Shuman et al, 2001;Hoffmann et al, 2012).…”