DBGPrints Repository
Publications of the German Soil Science Society

The source and the age of the soil organic matter of Anthrosols in SW Norway

Acksel, A. and Stasch, C. and Giani, L. and Kühn, P. and Leinweber, P. (2017) The source and the age of the soil organic matter of Anthrosols in SW Norway. In: Jahrestagung der DBG 2017: Horizonte des Bodens, 02.-07.09.2017, Göttingen.

[img]
Preview
PDF
Download (12kB) | Preview

Abstract

Recent investigations showed that humus‑rich topsoil’s around the Baltic Sea have been formed by the application of pyrogenic organic matter (Acksel et al., 2016, Geoderma Reg. 7, 187–200) and organic materials (e.g. animal manure, organic waste) linked with human activity and, consequently, these soils were classified as Anthrosols (Acksel et al., 2017 (submitted)). Such humus‑rich topsoil’s, which were strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities and classified as plaggic Anthrosols, were described in SW Norway (Schnepel et al., 2014, J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 177 (4), 638–645.). However, the source and the formation time of the Anthrosols in Norway have not been investigated in detail. Therefore, we characterized the soil organic matter composition by pyrolysis-field ionisation-mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS), benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCA) determination, examined the source of the SOM by isotopic signatures (d34S) and estimated the age of the SOM by 14C AMS dating in order to find out the beginning of Anthrosol formation. Py-FIMS revealed high portions of sterols and fatty acids, indicating inputs of manure, similar to plaggic Anthrosols in NW Germany. The BC portions (≈ 19 % BC of Corg) were similar to various Anthrosols (≈ 25 % BC of Corg) and Chernozems (≈ 13 % BC of Corg) worldwide and indicated an input of combustion residues to soils by early fire events. The d34S isotope signature of the SOM ranged from 10 to 13.4 ‰ at the islands and 10.6 to 15.2 in the Jaeren region of SW Norway, corresponded to the Anthrosols in the Baltic Sea region (Median: d34S = 11.5 ‰) and indicated an input of marine biomass (d34S of seaweed = 20 ‰). All these results complemented the study of Schnepel et al. (2014) and provided strong evidence that these soils were formed by human activities. Ongoing analyses of 14C ages from these soils enable to estimate the timing of the soil formation and link it to settlement history.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Contribution to "Reports of the DBG")
Uncontrolled Keywords: Freie Themen inkl. Beiträge zur historischen Landnutzung
Divisions: Arbeitsgruppen > AG "Boden und Archäologie"
Depositing User: Unnamed user with email dbg@dbges.de
Date Deposited: 19 Mar 2018 21:23
Last Modified: 19 Mar 2018 21:23
URI: https://eprints.dbges.de/id/eprint/1463

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item