Elemental composition of biogenic sediments reveals palaeoclimatic changes during the Late Weichselian in a Central European river valley: A statistical approach

Five sections of sediment from mire infillings located in different part of the catchment small river valley in central Europe were studied by lithological and geochemical analysis in order to examine the response of aquatic ecosystems to the environment changes during Late Weischselian (LW). Differentiation of geochemical composition and grain-size properties in biogenic deposits is being considered as a result of change hydroclimatic conditions and geology structure in individual parts of the catchment. The principal component analysis (PCA) and clustered by hierarchical method (HCA) were chosen to create the lithogeochemical facies and their chronostratigraphy variability. Biogenic sediments of the studied river mires, regardless of the location in a given reach of the valley, are represents mainly by mineral or organic-mineral lithogeochemial facies with increased of lithophilic elements (Na, K and Mg). Similar chemical composition of gyttja and peat sediments in almost all periods of LW, indicate the strongly mechanical denudation processes in the Grabia River valley. The major process, conditioning the development of the mires (in it type and rate sedimentation), was the variable terrigenous material input which are related to its variable dynamic of floods. The higher than expected chemical denudation probably a result of specific groundwater flow direction and dissolving vari-grained sands and silts, which build plains in the central part of the study catchment. The number and thickness of individual lithogeochemical facies are caused by differences in the potential volume of the hydrologically active zone and geological conditions of the emerge or disappear permafrost.

Automated summary

The study analyzed the lithological and geochemical characteristics of sediment fillings in a small river valley in Central Europe during the Late Weischselian period. It found differentiation in composition and grain-size properties due to changes in hydroclimatic conditions and geology. The sediments, mainly mineral or organic-mineral, contained high levels of lithophilic elements such as Na, K, and Mg, indicating mechanical denudation processes in the Grabia River valley during the Late Weischselian period.