MIA KOTILAINEN Dune Stratigraphy As an Indicator of Holocene
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Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae Geologica-Geographica 166 MIA KOTILAINEN Dune Stratigraphy as an Indicator of Holocene Climatic Change and Human Impact in Northern Lapland, Finland Academic dissertation To be presented, with the permission of the Faculty of Science of the University of Helsinki, for public criticism in Auditorium, Arppeanum, Snellmaninkatu 3, University of Helsinki, on November 29th, at 2 pm. SUOMALAINEN TIEDEAKATEMIA HELSINKI 2004 Copyright © 2004 by Academia Scientiarum Fennica ISSN 1239-632X ISBN 951-41-0959-7 Supervised by: Professor Emeritus Joakim Donner Department of Geology University of Helsinki and Professor Veli-Pekka Salonen Department of Geology University of Helsinki Reviewed by: Professor Juha Pekka Lunkka Department of Geology University of Oulu and Docent Peter Johansson Geological Survey of Finland Rovaniemi Opponent: PhD Reader Philip Gibbard Godwin Institute for Quaternary Research Department of Geography University of Cambridge England Vammalan Kirjapaino Oy Vammala 2004 Abstract Kotilainen, Mia Marjut 2004 . Dune stratigraphy as an indicator of Holocene climatic change and human impact in northern Lapland, Finland. Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae, Geologica- Geographica 166, 154 pp. R ECEIVED S EPTEMBER 6 , 2004 . une reactivation history during the last 11 000 years in northern Finnish Lapland was recon- D structed by studying a total of 75 dune sections from two dune fields, which are located 70 km apart from each other. The study areas were the Muddusjävri dune field between the Lakes Mud- dusjävri and Paatari (in the coniferous forest zone) and the Ijjävri dune field, north from Lake Inari (in the mountain birch forest zone). Study methods included stratigraphical interpretation of the dune sections, sedimentological anal- yses for grain size distribution and parameters ( 249 samples) and binocular microscopy for grain roundness and surface texture (225 samples). Study methods also included scanning electron mi- croscopy for quartz grain surface texture ( 175 quartz grains), thin sections ( 52) for grain mineralog- ical composition and microprobe analysis ( 117) for the chemical composition of garnet grains. Con- ventional radiocarbon dating ( 54), AMS dating ( 4 ) and TL/OSL dating ( 15) were used for recon- structing the chronostratigraphy. Three lithostratigraphical units were detected on both dune fields. Palaeoenvironmental model of the Holocene development was based on grain property data and dating results respective for each unit. Unit 1 , the initial dune building period, took place in the early Holocene at circa 10 800 to 8700 yrs before present. Unit 1 is characterised by high wind velocities and transportation rates with ef- fective aeolian processes (sorting and grinding) during the deposition. The morphological frame of the dune fields originates from the deposition of Unit 1 and met only minor modification at the deposition of Units 2 and 3 . Unit 2 represents on both dune fields the longest accumulation series with several stabilization-reactivation cycles and shifting wind directions. Four dune reactivation phases were recognised in connection with the deposition of Unit 2 . The data suggests a dune ad- vance with moderate wind velocities and transportation rates with effective aeolian processes and aeolian maturation of quartz particles during the deposition. Unit 3 accommodates dune reactiva- tion phase R5 (since 500 yrs BP), which is detected at the Ijjävri dune field. The lithostratigraphy is characterised by unstratified, deformed strata. The data suggests moderate to weak wind velocities and transportation rates with effective aeolian processes and aeolian maturation of quartz particles during the deposition of Unit 3 . The data suggests a climate control on the duration of the active phases on both the dune fields during early- and mid-Holocene. However, the climate variability can not explain the reactivation processes during late-Holocene, for the last 4500 yrs before present. Human activity as a promoter for dune reactivation prior 1000 yrs before present is improbable on the studied dune fields. The latest reactivation phenomena at the Ijjävri dune field, from circa 500 yrs BP to the present is pro- moted by both climate and human impact. The LIA event provided the triggering factor for the beginning of the phase and the continuous aeolian activity has been supported by human activity including reindeer husbandry and off road vehicles. New results provided by this study give an improved picture of the Holocene development of the northern dune areas. The results indicate that stratigraphical interpretation with adequate number of dune sections is vital for understanding the reactivation phenomenon in these areas. Key words: (GeoRef Thesaurus, AGI): dunes, re activation, stratigraphy, lithofacies, grain size, sur- face textures, climate change, human activity, absolute age, C- 14, thermoluminescence, Holocene, Inari, Finland. Mia M. Kotilainen, Department of Geology, P.O. Box 64 (Gustaf Hällströmink. 2 ), 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland Contents A BSTRACT 5 2.4. Climatic changes during the Holocene in northern Lapland31 C ONTENTS 7 2.5. Present day climate and recorded meteorological data 33 L IST OF ABBREVIATIONS 8 3. M ETHODS 35 1. I NTRODUCTION 9 3.1. Field work 35 1.1.Holocene aeolian activity 9 3.1.1. Mapping and geomor- 1.1.1. Earlier related studies 9 phological studies 35 1.1.2. Dating of the aeolian 3.1.2. Sedimentological events during the observations 36 Holocene 11 3.1.3. Sampling 38 1.2. Definition concepts 14 3.2. Grain size distribution and 1.3. Approach 14 parameters 39 1.4.Objectives17 3.2.1. Winnowing 41 3.2.2. Computing 41 2. S TUDYAREAS 18 3.3. Grain shape; roundness and 2.1. Muddusjävri dune field 18 surface texture41 2.1.1. Bedrock 18 3.3.1. Binocular microscopy 42 2.1.2. Regional deglaciation 3.3.2. Scanning Electron history 21 Microscopy 43 2.1.3. Land uplift 22 3.3.2.1. Preparation of the 2.1.4. Glacial and associated samples 43 sediments 22 3.3.2.2.Producing the 2.1.5. Human impact on the images 43 area; archaeological 3.3.2.3. Classification and historical evidence 24 of the surface 2.1.6. Present vegetation 24 features 44 2.2. Ijjävri dune field24 3.3.2.4.Quantitative 2.2.1. Bedrock 25 analysis 44 2.2.2. Deglaciation history 27 3.4. Mineralogical composition 45 2.2.3. Land uplift 28 3.5. Dating methods 45 2.2.4. Glacial and associated 3.5.1. Conventional and AMS sediments 28 radiocarbon dating 45 2.2.5. Human impact on the 3.5.2. Thermoluminescense area; archaeological and Optically Stimulated and historical evidence 28 Luminescence dating 46 2.2.6. Present vegetation 28 2.3. Holocene fire-frequency and 4. R ESULTS 47 the shift of forest line 30 4.1. Morphology of the dune fields47 7 4.1.1. Muddusjävri 47 5. D ISCUSSION 94 4.1.2. Ijjävri 47 5.1. Morphological features 94 4.2. Grain size distribution 52 5.2. Grain size distribution 97 4.2.1. Muddusjävri dune field 52 5.3. Grain shape103 4.2.2. Ijjävri dune field 52 5.4. Grain mineralogy109 4.3. Grain shape; roundness and 5.5. Dune lithostratigraphy111 surface texture56 5.6. Dating of the aeolian events 4.3.1. Binocular microscope 56 and chronostratigraphy114 4.3.2. Scanning electron 6. P ALAEOENVIRONMENTAL MODEL microscope (SEM) 56 OF THE DUNE FIELDS BASED ON 4.4. Mineralogical composition THE DATA PRESENTED IN THIS STUDY 122 of the dunes 58 6.1. Muddusjävri dune field 122 4.4.1. Muddusjävri dune field 58 6.2. Ijjävri dune field129 4.4.2. Ijjävri dune field 61 6.3. Climate or human impact135 4.4.3. Mineralogical comparison of the dune fields studied 63 7. C ONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 4.5. Lithostratigraphy of the dunes FOR FUTURE RESEARCH 138 studied 64 4.5.1. Muddusjävri dune field 64 A CKNOWLEDGEMENTS 141 4.5.2. Ijjävri dune field 79 4.6. Dating of the aeolian events 88 R EFERENCES 143 4.6.1. Radiocarbon dates 88 4.6.2. Thermoluminescence (TL) A PPENDIX I 155 and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dates 91 A PPENDIX II156 List of abbreviations: AGIAmerican Geological Institute AMRTApparent Mean Residence Time AMS Accelerator Mass Spectrometry BP Before Present, years before the year 1950 14C yrs BP Radiocarbon years Before Present cal. yrs BP Calibrated radiocarbon date, years Before Present FMI Finnish Meteorological Institute GSF Geological Survey of Finland IRSL Infra Red Stimulated Luminescence LGMLast Glacial Maximum LIA Little Ice Age MWP Medieval Warm Period OSL Optically Stimulated Luminescence SEM Scanning Electron Microscopy TL Thermoluminescence 8 ww windward 1. Introduction he research on Holocene aeolian land- The dune fields of this study locate in the T forms has gone through a develop- tree-line region, where the environment ment typical to many branches in geology response to climate variations has been es- and earth science. The initial descriptive pecially sensitive throughout the Holocene. and qualitative research of the late 19th and In the review of earlier related studies the early 20th century was soon replaced by emphasis is placed on the cold climate ae- more quantitative approach. Until the end olian landforms as defined in Chapter 1 . 2 . of the 19th century, most geologists consid- ered wind transport of sediment to be 1.1.1. Earlier related studies much less important than sediment trans- Some quite comprehensive reviews of the port by water or glaciers (Pye and Tsoar, studies made on cold climate aeolian sands 1990). Early recognition of the significance have been presented (Niessen et al ., 1984 ; of aeolian processes included work by Koster, 1988). They cover the areas of Eu- Ehrenberg ( 1847 ), who described airborne rope (Iceland, England, Belgium, Nether- dust transported fromAfrica to Europe lands, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Swe- and von Richthofen (1882 ), who recog- den, Norway and Finland), United States nized primary aeolian origin of the vast (Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Minneso- loess deposit which blanket much of ta, Maryland, Delaware and Alaska), Can- northern China.