The Alps with little ice: evidence for eight Holocene phases of reduced glacier extent in the Central Swiss Alps

Author:

Hormes Anne1,Müller Benjamin U.,Schlüchter Christian2

Affiliation:

1. Quartärgeologie, Geologisches Institut, Baltzerstrasse 1, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland; Via V. Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, italy

2. Quartärgeologie, Geologisches Institut, Baltzerstrasse 1, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland

Abstract

Glacially deformed pieces of wood, organic lake sediments and clasts of reworked peat have been collected in front of Alpine glaciers since AD 1990. The palaeoglaciological interpretation of these organic materials is related to earlier phases of glacier recession surpassing that of today's shrunken glaciers and to tree growth and peat accumulation in the valleys now occupied by the glaciers. Glacial transport of the material is indicated by wood anatomy, incorporated silt, sand and gravel particles, missing bark and deformed treerings. A total of 65 samples have been radiocarbon dated so far, and clusters of dates provide evidence of eight phases of glacier recession: 9910-9550, 9010-7980, 7250-6500, 6170-5950, 5290-3870, 3640-3360, 2740-2620 and 1530-1170 calibrated years BP. Allowing for the timelag between climatic fluctuations, glacier response and vegetation colonization, these recession phases may lag behind climatic changes by 100-200 years.

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Subject

Paleontology,Earth-Surface Processes,Ecology,Archaeology,Global and Planetary Change

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