Holocene biogenic sediments of the Curonian Spit (south-eastern Baltic Sea coast)

Abstract

This article is devoted to the results of study of organic rich sediments of the Curonian Spit marine coast. Radiocarbon dating of relict tree stumps, as well as buried peat and palaeosols, found in the Russian part of the Curonian Spit (around the villages of Lesnoy and Rybachy) and in the vicinity of Zelenogradsk indicate the formation of these sediments during the large age scale since 7300 by 300 cal. BP and represent different stages of the Curonian Spit formation in Holocene. Organic rich sediments are objects of interest in terms of environmental protection, potential accumulators of oil (or its products) pollution, indicators of intensity of coastal erosion, also they play a suitable role for the understanding and reconstruction of the geological evolution of the whole Curonian Spit and Lagoon during the Late Glacial and Holocene.