Radiocarbon Age-Depth Modeling Prevents Misinterpretation of Past Vegetation Dynamics: Case Study Wierchomla Mire (Polish Outer Carpathians)

Adam Michczyński, Piotr Kołaczek, Włodzimierz Margielewski, Danuta J Michczyńska, Andrzej Obidowicz

Abstract


An age-depth model based on radiocarbon dates was produced from a Holocene profile collected from a rich fen situated in the Beskid Sądecki Mountains (the Outer Western Carpathians, southern Poland). The model is compared against the results of palynological and loss on ignition (LOI) analyses supplemented by the identification of organic deposits. Five distinct palynological episodes are detected. These potential palynological age markers are critically compared with the results of age-depth modeling and other dated profiles. The results presented distinctly show that using palynological episodes as age markers for age-depth construction may be highly misleading.

DOI: 10.2458/azu_js_rc.55.16308


Keywords


age-depth models; palaeoenvironmental changes; landslide peat bogs

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