Holocene palaeoenvironments at the timberline in the French Alps—a multidisciplinary approach

An attempt is made to reconstruct the palaeoenvironmental Holocene history at the timberline on the basis of the analysis of various palaeoecological proxy indicators available on a marshy area and its surroundings in the Taillefer Massif (Isère. France). The multidisciplinary approach involves analyses of pollen assemblages. plant macrofossils, coleoptera remains. subfossil trunks extracted from lakes or peat-bogs. and charcoals derived from the surrounding soils. This enables definition of the respective roles of five forest taxa ( Pinus uncinata Mill., Pinus cembra L., Larix decidua Mill., Abies alba Mill, and Picea abies L. Karsten) in the evolution of high altitude forests during the Holocene. Pinus uncinata was present on the plateau throughout the Holocene. Larix and Pinus cembra were present only during two periods: 7500-5000 BP and 3500-2000 BP. All trees disappeared from the plateau at about 2000 BP, while, at lower altitude. Abies was replaced by Picea. The action of both climate and early human impact can explain these changes.     

From non‐tidal shelf to tide‐dominated strait: The Miocene Bonifacio Basin,Southern Corsica

This study documents a change from a non‐tidal to tide‐dominated shelf system that occurred between Corsica and Sardinia (the Bonifacio Basin, Western Mediterranean) during the early to middle Miocene. The non‐tidal deposits formed on a low‐energy siliciclastic shelf surrounded by progradational coralline algal ramps at full highstand. The tidal deposits consist of an up to 200 m thick succession of siliciclastic to coralline‐rich cross‐beds formed by large sub‐tidal dunes. Based on outcrop and sub‐surface data, it is possible to conclude that the tidal currents were amplified as a consequence of the rapid subsidence of the basin centre due to tectonic activity. It is suggested that this tectonic event initiated the strait between Corsica and Sardinia. The strait was deep enough to allow the tidal flux to be significantly increased, generating a localized strong tidal current at the junction between the Western Mediterranean and the East Corsica Basin.     

A vertical record of different tidal cyclicities: an example from the Miocene Marine Molasse of Digne (Haute Provence, France)

The Miocene marine molasse of Digne is thought to have been deposited in a structural embayment with a gulf-like morphology. This gulf was closed toward the alpine front and opened on to the Rhodano-Provençal gulf, part of the Tethys. The outcrop of Auribeau, located on the northern margin of the gulf of Digne, displays a conspicuous vertical record of different tidal cyclicities indicating the importance of tidal dynamics on the Miocene marine molasse deposits. For the first time these tidal cyclicities are analysed from a vertical section (deposited by vertical accretion) and these are similar to the cyclicities described from megaripples or sand waves (deposited by lateral accretion). By means of thickness measurements and time series analysis, four main tidal cyclicities have been recognized: (1) the diurnal cyclicity (as it exists in the Atlantic Ocean); (2) the semi-lunar month cyclicity of neap to spring; (3) the lunar month cyclicity of neap, high spring, neap to low spring and (4) the semi-annual cyclicity of solstice to equinox.     

RESEARCH STRATEGIES IN DENDROECOLOGY AND DENDROCLIMATOLOGY IN MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS

Tree-ring series from living trees near the timberline or timbers buried in the surroundings are exceptionally valuable both for climate reconstruction and investigations of the consequences of climate change to ecosystems. This paper is a critical assessment of the past and potential contributions of dendroecology and dendroclimatology in mountain environments. Problems addressed are the spatial variability of both climate and tree sites, the temporal variability of ecological growth conditions and the reconstruction of signals other than high frequency ones. A synoptic approach appears to be the only way to take into account both the spatial and temporal variability of tree-growth, allowing for a better comparison of spatial climatological patterns with spatial growth patterns.     

Trace Metal Speciation of USGS Reference Sample MAG-I

The USGS reference sample marine mud MAG-1 has been subjected to a sequential extraction procedure designed to partition the constituent trace metals into five fractions: I-exchangeable; II- bound to carbonates; III-bound to Fe-Mn oxides; IV- bound to organic matter; V- residual. The analytical approach involved successive chemical extractions and the subsequent determination of trace metal concentrations (Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn; Fe, Mn) in the leachates by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The chemical speciation results obtained on four replicate sub-samples demonstrate that the coefficients of variation for metal concentrations in the individual fractions are generally better than + 10%. Comparison with published values for total trace metal concentrations in the MAG-1 sample suggests that the overall accuracy of the chemical extraction procedure is satisfactory.