Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction from Sediments at West Quay Road, Southampton
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12710441 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Mary Nicholls (corresponding author), Rob Scaife (0000-0002-3495-6743) |
| Year | 2008 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 91-119 |
| Publication date | 2008-09-15 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Wetland Archaeology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1473-2971 • E-ISSN: 2051-6231 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1179/jwa.2008.8.1.91 |
| OpenAlex | W2089692707 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 34 |
This detailed study of a 13m deep borehole from West Quay Road, Southampton documents estuary evolution over the Holocene in a locality which has received little attention in the literature. The work was undertaken by the Museum of London Archaeology Service Geoarchaeology department. The sediment sequence along with evidence from pollen, plant macrofossils, diatoms, ostracods, snails and radiocarbon dating shows the gradual drowning of the valley from the Lateglacial to the historic period. The evidence shows shifts in floral and faunal communities as coastal and estuarine habitats encroach inland with sea-level rise. Thick fen carr peat developed from the early Mesolithic over river terrace gravels and freshwater channels, while Boreal forest thrived in the surroundings. As tidal environments became more influential, a mosaic of reed beds and salt marsh pools developed by the late Mesolithic. A period of estuary contraction is indicated by the growth of freshwater sedge fen around the early to mid Neolithic, followed by clear marine transgression and persistence of estuarine mudflat environments into the historic period. The work supports the three phase model of Holocene estuary development of Long et al. (2000) which concluded that regional processes control estuary evolution. Although small-scale, this project contributes to the wider palaeogeographic and palaeoenvironmental picture within the Solent, and initiatives such as this form the backdrop for archaeological studies in the region. The length of the sedimentary archive and the amount of information gained show the value of geoarchaeological boreholes undertaken as part of developer-funded projects
Archaeology · Estuary · Fluvial · Geoarchaeology · Geography · Holocene · Marine transgression · Marsh · Peat · Period (music · Radiocarbon dating · Salt marsh · Sedimentary rock · Wetland · Coastal and Marine Dynamics · Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Ecology · Geology · Oceanography · Paleontology
Diatoms as a tool for reconstructing sedimentary environments in coastal wetlands; methodological aspects
Holocene Isochrone Maps and Patterns of Tree-Spreading in the British Isles
Holocene land‐ and sea‐level changes in Great Britain
Global glacial ice volume and Last Glacial Maximum duration from an extended Barbados sea level record
Adaptation to a changing environment
Drowned and deserted
Interpretation of radiocarbon dates from the upper surface of late-Holocene peat layers in coastal lowlands
Paludification and pollen representation
Bridging the gap
An Early Mesolithic Seasonal Hunting Site in the Kennet Valley, Southern England
Intcal04 Terrestrial Radiocarbon Age Calibration, 0–26 Cal Kyr BP
Development of the Radiocarbon Calibration Program
Radiocarbon Calibration and Analysis of Stratigraphy
| Highly cited | No |
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