Radiocarbon dating of palaeosol components in moraines in Lapland, northern Sweden

Accurate geochronologies are the key for comparison of palaeoclimate records. In order to clarify problems concerning the geochronology of glacier fluctuations we dated palacosols in moraines in the Kebnekaise mountain region of Swedish Lapland. These palaeosols already have been dated several years ago using bulk samples of the palaeosols and yielded ages of 6180-5790 and 2750-2100 cal yr BP. In an attempt to evaluate the sources of contamination associated with bulk samples these soils were re-dated by using Coleoptera fragments, Cenococcum geophilum spores, humic acids and woody plant tissues. The new dates reveal that the two palaeosols found within the moraines represent much longer periods of time than was previously assumed. Soil formation periods can be distinguished for periods 7800-7580, 6300-4080, 2450-2000 and 1170-740 cal yr BP. These age groups point to differentiated soil formation processes, resedimentation, bioturbation and/or cryoturbation. The results show that dated terrestrial macrofossils from glacial moraines indicate climate changes that are in accordance with other proxy records in northern and central Scandinavia and in certain times off-phase with glacier fluctuations in southern maritime Norway. This throws light on possible changing interaction of forcing factors during the Holocene. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.