From pedologic indications to archaeological reconstruction: deciphering land use in the Islamic period in the Baida district (north-western Sicily)

The aim of this work was to detect imprints on soil properties from former Islamic land use (9th to 11th century) using a multi-method, soil-chemical approach. Four soil profiles (with buried horizons) found in the vicinities of former Islamic settlements in Sicily were analysed for phosphorus (total, organic and inorganic), nitrogen (total, NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺), carbon compounds (δ¹³C, lipids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and functional groups), physical and chemical C-fractions and the state of soil weathering. Two soil profiles contained ceramic sherds from the Islamic period. Inorganic nitrogen forms, phosphorous and the PAH content indicated strong impacts from traditional agriculture and/or burning. Radiocarbon dating of soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions from buried horizons showed that distinct changes must have occurred during the Islamic epoch. The isotopic composition of SOC indicated that land use was probably different in earlier times. C₄ plant cultivation was expected but surprisingly lipid analyses did not confirm this. A high amount of aliphates and low C/N ratio indicated a good, long-term SOC stabilisation under the native conditions combined with Islamic land use. The irrigation of the soils probably increased the production of weakly-crystalline Fe forms that helped to stabilise SOC.     

Holocene land-use evolution and associated soil erosion in the French Prealps inferred from Lake Paladru sediments and archaeological evidences

A source-to-sink multi-proxy approach has been performed within Lake Paladru (492 m a.s.l., French Prealps) catchment and a 6-m long sediment sequence retrieved from the central lacustrine basin. The combination of minerogenic signal, specific organic markers of autochthonous and allochthonous supply and archaeological data allows the reconstruction of a continuous record of past human disturbances. Over the last 10,000 years, the lacustrine sedimentation was dominated by autochthonous carbonates and the watershed was mostly forest-covered. However, seven phases of higher accumulation rate, soil erosion, algal productivity and landscape disturbances have been identified and dated from 8400 to 7900, 6000 to 4800, 4500 to 3200, 2700 to 2050 cal BP as well as AD 350–850, AD 1250–1850 and after AD 1970. Before 5200 cal BP, soil erosion is interpreted as resulting from climatic deterioration phases towards cooler and wetter conditions. During the Mid-Late Holocene period, erosion fluxes and landscape disturbances are always associated with prehistorical and historical human activities and amplified by climatic oscillations. Such changes in human land-used led to increasing minerogenic supply and nutrients loading that affected lacustrine trophic levels, especially during the last 1600 years. In addition, organic and molecular markers document previously unknown human settlements around Lake Paladru during the Bronze and the Iron Ages.     

QUICK ESTIMATES OF SOFT SEDIMENT THICKNESSES FROM AMBIENT NOISE HORIZONTAL TO VERTICAL SPECTRAL RATIOS: A CASE STUDY IN SOUTHERN ITALY

An approach devoted to quickly assess the thickness of soft sedimentary cover in areas of unknown subsurface morphology is applied in this study. In particular, soil thickness (h) is derived by combining estimates of the resonance frequency (f _r ) relative to soft sediments with the local shear-wave velocity (V_s) profile. For this purpose, (f _r ) values are assessed from horizontal to vertical (H/V) spectral ratios of seismic noise recordings and the (V _s ) profile is obtained by considering information from shallow seismic surveys. Results obtained for a Quaternary sedimentary basin in Southern Italy are discussed. Since in the investigated area only weak independent constraints are available, special emphasis is given to the assessment of uncertainties involved in this estimate of soil thickness.     

Spectral Attenuation Relations at Soft Sites Based on Existing Attenuation Relations for Rock Sites

A simple and general method based on well-known random vibration theory is used to compute spectral attenuation relations at soft sites based on existing spectral attenuation relations at rock sites. The method consists of: (1) computation, for given magnitude and distance, of the expected Fourier amplitude spectrum associated with the median rock response spectrum computed with the attenuation relation; (2) inclusion of site effects characterized by a frequency-dependent, linear, or nonlinear transfer function; and (3) computation of the response spectrum at the soft site.     

Evaluation of the Nonlinear Seismic Response of an Earth Dam: Nonparametric System Identification

A system identification framework is proposed to investigate the nonlinear dynamic response of massive earth dams using the seismic motion recorded by a sparse array of accelerometers. The framework includes a methodical step of nonparametric analyses to characterize the involved loading conditions and response mechanisms. This nonparametric step provides essential information to reduce the indeterminacy of the associated parametric identificatin problem and ensure a proper model selection, calibration, and validation. The proposed framework was applied to the Long Valley earth dam (California) and benchmarked using records of a series of 1980 earthquakes. This article presents the conducted correlation, spectral motion reconstruction, and nonparametric stress-strain analyses. These analyses revealed a complex three-dimensional dynamic response marked by non uniform boundary conditions and a shear stress-strain behavior slightly less nonlinear than what was observed in triaxial tests of soil samples taken from the dam core.     

Effect of Shaft Diameter of Pile on Lateral Winkler Springs' Stiffness

Soil was modelled with linearly elastic three-dimensional finite elements. Lateral spring stiffness was calculated from FE results. Spring stiffness is shown varying linearly with shaft diameter. It is also found that spring stiffness is inversely proportional to powers (less than unity) of pile flexural rigidity. Scaling factors for shaft diameter and pile flexural rigidity are introduced. Basic stiffness of lateral spring is studied considering both full vertical slippage and zero slippage between the soil and the pile. Relevant relationships for stiffness are proposed. Some applications are suggested.     

An assessment of blanket mire degradation and Peatland Gully development in the Cheviot Hills,Northumberland

This paper provides the first systematic assessment of blanket mire degradation in the east Cheviot Hills, Northumberland. The extent of erosion is mapped over a 32 km² area of peat. Erosion affects 37% of the blanket peat. Erosion forms consist of anastomosing (7%), linear (21%) and dendritic (9%) gully systems together with peat slides (<1%). Topography is the primary influence on gully system pattern. Spatial variations in gully form can be partly explained by position in the stream network (stream order) and local variations in the depth of peat. A sequential scheme of gully development is described. Gullies evolve initially through a phase of rapid downcutting to the peat base, followed by lateral erosion and gully widening becoming dominant through a process of roughly parallel wall retreat. As gully width increases re‐deposition of peat occurs and re‐vegetation occurs on the gully floor. Comparative photography reveals that gully patterns have been stable over the past 32 years and in some areas for over 70 years. It is possible that gully systems in places are in excess of 500 years old.     

Lake Dwellings in Baden-Württemberg. Conservation Projects In Situ at Lake Constance and the Federsee Moor

The Baden-Württemberg shoreline of Lake Constance and the lakes and moors of Upper Swabia contain important prehistoric wetland sites. From 1979, new research has brought up not only important finds and scientific results but also increasing information about bank erosion in the lakes and desiccation in the moorlands. At Lake Constance, early attempts were made in the 1980s to protect sites threatened by erosion by covering them with geo-textile and gravel. With further protective projects the know-how improved, but crucial questions still remained: What are the best practical solutions? How about ecological compatibility? Do we have other options? The INTERREG IV 2008–2011 international project ‘Erosion and Archaeological Heritage Protection in Lake Constance and Lake Zurich’ brought deeper insights and opened the field for new experiments with protective measures. At the Federsee Moor a long-term project started in 1980 with close collaboration between nature conservation and archaeological heritage management. With archaeological stocktaking, acquisition of land, establishment of new nature reserves, exchange of landholding and hydrographic engineering, the project was completed with the help of European Union funding by LIFE+in 2013.     

Laboratory Experiments as Support for Development of In Situ Conservation Methods

Abstract

Within the EU-Project BACPOLES (EVK4-CT-2001-00043) bacterial wood degradation could be simulated in laboratory experiments to investigate the living conditions of the up to now unknown bacteria consortia, named erosion bacteria (EB), which cause considerable decay on waterlogged archaeological wood. In these Microcosm (MC) experiments the role of oxygen and chemical composition of the sediment were investigated. Therefore, the microcosms were subjected to different gassing treatments and the free dissolved oxygen was measured in different depths of the microcosms by special oxygen sensors (optodes). In further experiments the chemical composition of the sediment was verified to investigate the influence of different nutrient concentrations to the degradation process by EB.

From the findings it can be concluded that bacterial wood decay can proceed without free oxygen present but that it is more intense if oxygen is available. A water flow like streams in the sea, simulated by vertical water circulation, seems to stimulate the degradation activity and the degradation of wood by EB seems to be a result of low nutrient levels in the surrounding area.     

The ethnic versus the economic frontiers of Poland

The soil which has developed at any given location is considered to be the result of five interacting factors: parent material, time, climate, topography and biotic factors. This paper discusses the role of these factors in the development of Scottish soils, which fall into three broad categories: leached soils, gley soils and organic soils. The intention is to provide a context for the case studies that follow in later papers.