Late Holocene climatic fluctuations and soil genesis in southern Patagonia: effects on the archaeological record

Geoarchaeological research conducted at five localities in southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego identified a mollisol within late Holocene aeolian and colluvial deposits associated with archaeological material. The mollisol's origin and development are related to an increase in humidity (c. 1000 BP) following an episode of severe drought during the Medieval Warm Period. Corroborating data is supplied from dendroclimatic and pollen studies. A drastic reduction in frequency of artefact distribution recorded at the sites studied corresponds to this pedologic event, suggesting a greater human presence at these sites during earlier, regional-scale arid conditions. However, the paucity of archaeological remains may also be the result of the low resolution of cultural evidence following the pedologic development due to superimposition over previous archaeological deposits.     

Historic landscape management: a validation of quantitative soil thin-section analyses

The archaeological interpretation of past land management practices can be greatly enhanced through examination of soil thin sections. Features relating to manuring practice are among those key to interpreting agricultural practices. The sources and the processes leading to the distribution of these manure materials may further improve knowledge of the past landscape utilisation. The use of quantitative analyses to examine soil thin sections opens the possibility of considering these relationships between manured areas in greater detail and to extract more subtle spatial and temporal changes in past management. In this study the validation of this methodology has been tested with quantitative image analysis methods used to examine manure inputs to a well-documented historical landscape of Papa Stour, Shetland, where intensive manuring has been practised until the 1960s. By using both historic and ethnographic evidence to validate the image analysis protocol, differences in spatial and temporal distribution are examined for the practices of manuring with both fuel residues and with turf. The validation of the hypotheses expected from ethnographic and historical data that quantitative soils-based evidence allows the definition of variations in manuring strategies and provides a more secure basis from which to interpret manuring management strategies in archaeological landscapes.     

Analysis of Plant Microfossils in Early European Latrine Fills from Russell,Northern New Zealand

Microfossil analysis of latrine fills from the early European (1830s) settlement of Russell, northern New Zealand, provides direct evidence for diet. Microfossils identified include pollen of maize (Zea mays), Brassicaceae (e.g., mustard, broccoli), Allium type (e.g., onion) and mint (Mentha), and starch grains of maize and potato (Solanum tuberosum). Wetland microfossils (pollen and algal spores) provide clues to source and quality of drinking water.     

Lake Nuga Nuga: a Levee‐dammed Lake in Central Queensland,Australia

Lake Nuga Nuga is a levee‐dammed lake in the dry sub‐humid tropics of the Fitzroy Basin in Central Queensland, Australia, that has expanded significantly since it was first mapped in 1866. ²¹⁰Pb dating of a sediment core from the lake indicates that the rate of sedimentation has been constant for the past 67 years at 3 mm yr^?1 despite widespread clearing and land use intensification in the catchment during that time. Pollen analysis confirms this and shows that there was little change in vegetation during the early settlement period (1863–1962), but the intensification of land use that started in the early 1960s brought about a dramatic change in the vegetation communities. This study demonstrates that while sediment production may be significantly impacted by land‐use activities, sediment delivery is primarily controlled by topography.     

河南西平上坡遗址植物遗存试探

本文在对西平上坡遗址浮选所获的植物遗存和两个剖面的孢粉样品鉴定分析的基础上,初步判定了龙山丈化晚期和二里头文化早期遗址所在地理环境与农业经济,并对位于淮河流域北部的驻马店地区中南部与北部的古文化及环境、农业形态进行了探讨。     

pXRF method development for elemental analysis of archaeological soil

Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is now widely used for detecting the elemental composition of a material. Elemental analysis can enhance archaeological interpretations, such as mapping, preservation analysis and identifying anthropogenic activities. However, validated and reproducible protocols for analysing archaeological soil are still required. The elemental concentrations detected with three sets of preparation methods were compared: in-situ (no preparation), in-field (analysing through plastic bags) and ex-situ analysis (laboratory-based preparation). Influential factors were also investigated: calibration parameter, moisture, homogeneity, sieve size and soil type. In-field analysis attempted to improve reliability without offsite processing, but instead substantially reduced elemental concentrations and skewed the proportional distributions. Ex-situ analysis significantly increased elemental concentrations and reduced variation. Proportional distribution was different between the three methods, but unchanged following homogenizing and sieving. These comparisons demonstrated that ex-situ analysis maximizes detection and ensures consistent samples.     

微生物诱导矿化修复阿尔寨石窟红砂岩壁面酥碱病害试验研究

阿尔寨石窟寺是内蒙古地区规模最大且保存最为完整的石窟寺建筑群,其蕴含了珍贵的关于历史、宗教、科学、文化的艺术价值,被誉为“草原上的敦煌”。由于当地典型的沙旱寒区气候特征,酥碱成为石窟壁面最为严重的病害之一,目前阿尔寨石窟正处于保护阶段,因此通过室内对病害进行模拟和研究尤为重要。本研究通过微生物诱导碳酸钙沉淀(MICP)技术,对以红砂岩风化土为基质的壁面的酥碱病害进行修复,通过激光粒度分析了病害前后土颗粒粒径的变化,提出酥碱高度、酥粉体积、盐壳厚度的量化指标用以评价病害的发展程度。基于微生物矿化技术生成矿化覆膜对病害进行抑制,推荐使用微生物菌液浓度OD₆₀₀大于1.5的具有耐盐碱性能的矿化菌株,修复后酥碱高度下降幅度大于20%,酥粉体积下降幅度大于30%,盐壳厚度下降幅度大于25%。研究成果对生物矿化技术应用于红砂岩石窟壁面的酥碱病害的修复进行试验验证和可行性评估,为绿色生态环保的岩壁病害修复与加固技术的推广应用进行科学预研。     

Soil chemical identification of ten thousand years of prehistoric human activity areas at the Munsungun Lake Thoroughfare,Maine

Soils on a Palaeo-Indian to historic sequence in one Maine locale are analysed for chemical enrichment. To guide excavation of four discrete sites up to 4000 m², samples are collected in grid patterns and analysed for pH, Mg, P and Ca. Concentrations of Mg point to probable hearths to define some centres of human activity on each site. These correlate well with anomalies determined independently by magnetometric survey. Excavation of anomalies provides evidence of hearths, culturally diagnostic artifacts, but also features resulting from tree-throw and drainage variation. The P and Ca results develop definition and delimitation of activity areas thus refining directions for further excavation. Since P and Ca concentrations result from substantial or sustained human occupation, they show promise for preexcavation differentiation of habitation sites from limited and specialized activity sites such as lithic chipping stations. Soil chemical analysis provides both a synchronic and diachronic preview of site perimeters, size and activity areas. The consistent site definition at the Munsungun Lake thoroughfare is useful for explaining patterns as well as locating them.     

江阴黄山小石湾炮台遗址修复用灰土最佳配方筛选研究

针对江阴黄山小石湾炮台遗址目前的保存现状,急需抢救性修复保护。为了提高夯土墙基的整体抗风化性能,对该三合土配方进行了优化。通过抗压强度、冻融循环等表征手段,筛选出最佳性能的"三合土"配方为:糯米浆浓度在1%～2%范围内,土灰质量比不高于3:1,明矾浓度不超过0.1%,从而为古炮台遗址维修加固保护提供借鉴和依据。     

The Design and Development of a Closed Chamber for the in‐situ Quantification of Dryland Soil Carbon Dioxide Fluxes

This paper describes the design features and capabilities of a portable automated in‐situ closed chamber (ISCC) for the quantification of CO₂ fluxes in dryland soils where both photosynthetic and respiratory components may be associated with a cyanobacterial crust. The processes of CO₂ flux in dryland soils are briefly described in order to clarify the conditions that make quantification of these fluxes problematic. The instrumentation currently available for in‐situ soil CO₂ flux measurements is then reviewed demonstrating their inadequacies for the dryland environment. The ISCC described here is a member of the closed or enrichment class of soil respiration chambers. The ISCC, however, features an optical window possessing high (>90%) transmission in the photosynthetic active region (PAR) of the solar irradiance spectrum, permitting observations of photosynthesis. The ISCC possesses automatic venting and purging so that gaseous concentrations inside the chamber do not change from ambient sufficiently to significantly affect diffusion. The ISCC features both active and passive cooling employing internal solid‐state Peltier coolers and external aluminised Mylar respectively. This avoids severe disturbance of the microclimate within the chamber due to admission of high fluxes of PAR and permits in‐situ operation under a wide range of ambient field temperatures (~ ?5 to 40°C). Sensors internal to the chamber monitor temperature, relative humidity, irradiance and pressure. In this implementation the ISCC is coupled to a portable gas chromatograph (Agilent GC‐3000) to sample the chamber atmosphere. Indicative data for Kalahari Sand soils of Botswana are presented as an illustration of the general performance characteristics.