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The Quaternary Evolution of the Gordano Valley, North Somerset

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The Quaternary Evolution of the Gordano Valley, North Somerset The Quaternary Evolution of the Gordano Valley, North Somerset, UK. Thomas Charles Bernard Hill A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of the West of England, Bristol for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Faculty of the Built Environment, University of the West of England, Bristol January 2006 Abstract The Gordano Valley is a low-lying valley positioned in close proximity to the Severn Estuary, in southwest England. Although its late Quaternary and Holocene sedimentary archive is extensive, the spatial and temporal evolution of the Gordano Valley has received only limited attention from previous researchers. In this study, stratigraphic analysis of the valley archive, combined with pollen, diatom and particle size analysis are utilised in a detailed reconstruction of the evolution of the Gordano Valley. Two contrasting depositional environments are present, separated by a sedimentary ridge traversing the width of the valley. A tentative mechanism is presented for the development of the ridge in response to periglacial hillslope erosion and deposition during the Devensian glacial period (c. 115,000-11,500 Cal. yrs BP). In contrast, the chronology and development of the two depositional environments is clearer. Detailed multiproxy analysis of the two sedimentary archives reveals the development of an enclosed lake basin headward of the ridge during the late glacial period (c. 18,000-15,000 Cal. yrs BP). Subsequent climatic amelioration in response to the transition from glacial to interglacial conditions resulted in the terrestrialisation of the lake at the onset of the BØlling/AllerØd interstadial, c. 15,000 Cal. yrs BP. A complete hydroseral succession sequence is present in the headward region of the valley, where the terrestrialised lake sequence developed into the fen peatland that is present today. Seaward of the ridge, interbedded peat and marine sediments have developed since c. 7,200 Cal. yrs BP and reflect the typical deposits that characterise the Severn Estuary lowlands. Whilst an overall tend of sea-level rise occurred during the Holocene, periods of episodic marine inundation occurred in the Gordano Valley in response to variations in the rate of sea-level rise. This thesis also attempts for the first time in southwest England, to construct and apply a diatom-based sea-level transfer function to an interbedded coastal sequence in order to quantitatively infer changes in sea level since sedimentation began. Although the transfer function proved successful, autocompaction of the sedimentary archive restricted the reconstruction of sea level as age-altitude plots. The high-resolution lithostratigraphic analysis combined with the multiproxy analysis of the sedimentary archive has enhanced the understanding of the evolution of the Gordano Valley since the late glacial period. The terrestrialised lake sequence may also be the oldest of its kind in southwest England. Although autocompaction restricted a true reconstruction of sea level since sedimentation began, the initial success of the transfer function has indicated its applicability to a macrotidal environment such as the Severn Estuary. List of Contents Page No. List of Contents i List of Figures viii List of Tables xv Acknowledgments xviii Part 1: Introduction Chapter 1: Introduction. 1.1 Justification of study. 6 1.2 Research aims and objectives. 8 Chapter 2: Previous Research into Quaternary Coastal Lowland Environments. 2.1 Introduction. 12 2.2 Quaternary climate change. 12 2.2.1 Evidence from the GRIP, GISP and Vostok ice-cores. 14 2.3 The importance of sea-level change on coastal lowlands. 18 2.3.1 Techniques of sea-level reconstruction. 20 2.3.2 Factors influencing sea-level reconstruction from stratigraphic archives. 23 2.3.3 Sea-level reconstructions in southwest England. 29 2.3.4 Stratigraphic models of coastal evolution during the Holocene. 35 2.4 Quaternary coastal lowlands surrounding the Severn Estuary. 39 2.4.1 Quaternary coastal lowlands of the Somerset Levels. 49 2.4.2 Quaternary coastal lowlands of south Wales. 53 2.4.3 Quaternary coastal lowlands of the Avon Levels. 55 2.4.4 Summary of the coastal lowlands proximal to the Gordano Valley 56 Chapter 3: The Study Site – The Gordano Valley. 3.1 Introduction. 58 3.2 Geological setting of the Gordano Valley. 58 3.2.1 The geological foundation to the Gordano Valley. 58 3.2.2 Quaternary development of the Gordano Valley. 62 3.3 Previous palaeoenvironmental research in the Gordano Valley. 66 i Part 2: A diatom-based sea-level transfer function for the Severn Estuary Chapter 4: The development of a diatom-based transfer function. 4.1 Introduction to diatom analysis. 77 4.1.1 The application of diatom analysis in palaeoenvironmental studies. 78 4.2 The development of a diatom-based sea-level transfer function. 79 4.3 Sea-level reconstruction in the Gordano Valley using diatom analysis. 83 Chapter 5: Field and laboratory methods for the development of the diatom-based sea-level transfer function. 5.1 Introduction. 84 5.2 Site selection for the sea-level diatom data set. 84 5.3 Diatom sampling for the sea-level diatom data set. 89 5.4 Laboratory preparation and analysis of the diatom assemblages. 90 5.5 Environmental controls on diatom distribution from the contemporary coastal transect. 91 5.5.1 Calculation of duration of flooding. 93 5.5.2 Grain size methodology. 94 5.5.3. Organic content methodology. 96 Chapter 6: Analysis of the contemporary diatom data set. 6.1 Introduction. 97 6.2 Ecological classification of the contemporary diatom data set. 97 6.2.1 Classification scheme of Vos & deWolf (1993). 97 6.2.2 Autochthonous vs allochthonous classification of diatom species. 99 6.2.3 Analysis of contemporary diatom assemblages in preparation for the transfer function. 101 6.2.4 Graphical representation of diatom results. 102 6.3 Diatom results from the contemporary diatom data set. 102 6.3.1 Ecological classification of the contemporary data set following Vos & deWolf (1993). 104 6.3.2 Autochthonous vs allochthonous species of the contemporary data set. 112 ii 6.4 Analysis of the environmental variables from the coastal transect. 117 Chapter 7: Construction of the diatom-based sea-level transfer function. 7.1 Introduction. 122 7.2 Ordination analysis. 122 7.3 Regression analysis. 132 Part 3: The palaeoenvironmental archive of the Gordano Valley, North Somerset Chapter 8: Methodology. 8.1 Introduction. 143 8.2 To log the Quaternary stratigraphy of the Gordano Valley and reconstruct the sedimentary environments. 145 8.2.1 Lithostratigraphy. 145 8.2.2 Field stratigraphy. 147 8.2.3 Diagrammatic representation of lithostratigraphy. 152 8.2.4 Three-dimensional representations of lithostratigraphy. 153 8.2.5 Particle size analysis. 154 8.2.5.1 Accusizer 780 analysis. 154 8.2.5.2 Sieve particle size analysis. 157 8.3 To determine the influence of sea-level change on the Gordano Valley’s Quaternary sedimentary sequence. 158 8.3.1 Diatom analysis. 158 8.3.2 Selection of diatom samples from Gordano Valley archive. 159 8.3.3 Graphical representation of diatom results. 159 8.3.4 Interpretation of diatom assemblages. 159 8.4 To determine ecological and vegetation change in the Gordano Valley’s Quaternary sedimentary sequence 162 8.4.1 Pollen analysis. 162 8.4.1.1 Limitations of pollen analysis. 164 8.4.2 Pollen sample selection. 165 8.4.3 Laboratory preparation and analysis of pollen assemblages. 165 8.4.4 Graphical representation of pollen results. 167 8.4.5 Interpretation of pollen results. 167 iii 8.5 To integrate the sea-level, ecological and sedimentary data to reconstruct the Quaternary environmental history of the Gordano Valley. 168 8.5.1 Radiocarbon dating. 168 8.6 To place the Gordano Valley archive and its interpretation within the contexts of established work in the Severn Estuary region and of frameworks for climate change. 169 Chapter 9: Reconstruction of the Quaternary stratigraphic archive of the Gordano Valley. 9.1 Lithostratigraphy of the valley sediments. 171 9.1.1 Weston Moor sequence. 172 9.1.2 Clapton Moor sequence. 173 9.1.3 Core transects. 174 9.1.3.1 Weston Moor stratigraphy. 175 9.1.3.2 Clapton Moor stratigraphy. 186 9.1.4 Three-dimensional views of the stratigraphy of the Gordano Valley. 191 Chapter 10: Palaeoenvironmental analysis of the Quaternary stratigraphic archive of the Gordano Valley. 10.1 Introduction. 195 10.2 Typecore GVH17. 197 10.2.1 Particle size analysis. 201 10.2.2 Pollen analysis. 204 10.2.3 Radiocarbon dating. 209 10.3 Typecore GVJ43. 214 10.3.1 Particle size analysis. 217 10.3.2 Pollen analysis. 221 10.3.3 Diatom analysis. 227 10.3.3.1 The classification of diatom species in typecore GVJ43. 228 10.3.4 Radiocarbon dating. 243 10.4 Typecore GVF23. 248 iv Part 4: Interpretation of the sedimentary archive of the Gordano Valley Chapter 11: The Quaternary environmental history of the Gordano Valley. 11.1 Introduction. 251 11.2 The Quaternary sedimentary history of the Gordano Valley. 251 11.2.1 Evolution of the basal sediments and ridge. 251 11.2.2 Palaeoenvironmental interpretation 255 (a) Ipswichian raised beach and ridge. 256 (b) A glacial origin for the basal sediment and ridge. 259 (c) Hillslope processes responsible for the deposition of the basal sediment and ridge. 262 11.2.3 Typecore interpretation: GVH17. 265 (a) Lithostratigraphic summary. 265 (b) Palaeoenvironmental interpretation. 265 (c) Summary of the evolution of the upper valley region. 278 11.2.4 Typecore interpretation: GVJ43. 285 (a) Lithostratigraphic summary. 285 (b) Palaeoenvironmental interpretation. 285 (c) Summary of the evolution of the lower valley region. 294 11.3 The Quaternary sedimentary evolution of the Gordano Valley. 299 Chapter 12: Reconstruction of Holocene sea-level change in the Gordano Valley.
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