TY - GEN A1 - Bayuzick, Samuel A1 - Guarin, Daniel A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Diefenbach, Duane A1 - McDill, Marc A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. T1 - Small anthropogenic landforms from past charcoal production control moisture dynamics and chemistry in northcentral Appalachian soils T2 - Geomorphology N2 - Throughout the northeastern United States (U.S.) and Europe, relict charcoal hearths (RCHs) are regularly being discovered in proximity to furnaces once used for the extraction of metal from ore or quick-lime production; charcoal produced in hearths was used as a furnace fuel. Given previous research has shown that topographic and subsurface disturbance can be great when a hearth is constructed, we hypothesize that hearth construction alters surface hydrology and soil chemistry in environments in and near hearths. We used a landscape classification process to identify 6758 hearths near furnaces at Greenwood and Pine Grove Furnace State Park, central and southcentral Pennsylvania, U.S. Two types of digital elevation model wetness indexes were used to quantify surface hydrology effects in and around hearths. Modeled wetness conditions were compared to field soil volumetric water content in RCHs near Greenwood Furnace State Park. Modeled wetness indexes indicate that RCH interiors are significantly wetter than RCH rim areas; RCHs are acting as a landscape moisture sink. Results also indicate that RCHs on slopes result in downslope drier conditions below RCHs. Field measured volumetric water content indicates that as distance from the center of the hearth increases, soil moisture significantly decreases. Geomorphic position was found to not be related to RCH wetness. Soil from RCHs, compared to nearby native soils, has significantly higher total C, a lower Mehlich 3 extractable acidity, higher Ca and P. No trend was evident with RCH soil chemistry and geomorphic position. The high frequency of RCH occurrence, in proximity to the furnace's RCHs supported, suggests that RCHs today could locally be an important niche for understory flora and fauna. Further research could explore how RCHs might be affecting surrounding plant populations and how within RCH patterns, especially on hillslopes, might represent a distinctly different scale of physical and chemical variability. Y1 - 2022 UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169555X22002720 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2022.108379 SN - 1872-695X VL - 415 SP - 1 EP - 11 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Ouimet, William A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. T1 - Effects of Historical Charcoal Burning on Soil Landscapes in West Connecticut, USA T2 - Soil Science Society of America, International Soils Meeting, Soils Across Latitudes, San Diego 2019 Y1 - 2019 UR - https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2019sssa/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/114845 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. A1 - Wilmking, Martin A1 - Kreyling, Jürgen A1 - Malik, Ireneusz A1 - Wistuba, Małgorzata A1 - Maaten, Ernst van der A1 - Maaten-Theunissen, Marieke van der A1 - Urich, Tim T1 - Do small landforms have large effects? A review on the legacies of pre-industrial charcoal burning T2 - Geomorphology N2 - Relict charcoal hearths (RCHs) are small, anthropogenic landforms resulting from past charcoal burning and reaching significant land coverage in pre-industrial mining areas. We review three coupled legacies linked by RCH development: (i) a landscape-scale geomorphic effect, (ii) a unique soil fingerprint, and (iii) an evolving novel ecosystem. The history and technique of charcoal production are described to clarify legacy effects. Applying a recently presented morpho-genetic catalogue is useful for classified mapping of RCH findings. The RCH numbers and calculated RCH densities per study region vary greatly and impose uncertainties due to insufficient methods causing over- or underestimations. Areas with high RCH densities between 50 and 500 RCH/km2 seem reasonable. Machine learning-based remote sensing techniques are promising approaches with which to better assess the full scale of charcoal burning legacies. RCH soil properties feature dark charcoal-rich technogenic substrate layers classified as Auh horizons according to the World Reference Base with significantly increased C contents. These Auh horizons can also exhibit specific physical and chemical properties, such as relatively low bulk density, high porosity, high plant available water content, low thermal conductivity and differences in cation exchange capacity or nutrient status. However, relevant studies are rare, and thus, the effects may differ by study region. Regarding vegetation, there seem to be four main effects: changes in forest structure, species composition, recruitment pattern and productivity. The number of studies on this issue is, however, also very limited. Even fewer studies have examined the soil fauna in RCHs; thus, the reported effects cannot be used to draw general conclusions. Notably, RCH research has made considerable progress in the last five years, especially in the Light Detection and Ranging-based mapping of these small landforms and identification of RCH-specific soil properties, but ecological legacies are not well understood; thus, more interdisciplinary and integrative studies are needed. KW - Soil KW - Ecosystem KW - Forestry KW - Land Use KW - Anthropocene KW - Relict Charcoal Hearth (RCH) KW - Charcoal Kiln Remain (CKR) Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2022.108332 SN - 0169-555X VL - 413 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Bayuzick, Samuel A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - McDill, Marc A1 - Diefenbach, Duane T1 - Relic charcoal hearths geomorphology and hydrology in mid-Appalachian region of Pennsylvania T2 - EGU General Assembly 2021 Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-6243 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - An initiative for a morphologic‐genetic catalog of relict charcoal hearths from Central Europe T2 - Geoarchaeology Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.21799 SN - 1520-6548 SN - 0883-6353 VL - 35 IS - 6 SP - 974 EP - 983 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Bayuzick, Samuel A1 - Guarin, Daniel A1 - Benavides, Jhony A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Diefenbach, Duane A1 - McDill, Marc A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. T1 - Soil and geomorphic patterns within relict charcoal hearths could represent unique ecosystem niches T2 - Geomorphology N2 - Hearths used for 19th and 20th century charcoal manufacturing have been found to have unique plant communities or to produce unique growth characteristics for some species but not others. Given known differences in hearth morphology, within hearth physical and chemical differences may exist and result in unique ecologic niches. We examined soil stratigraphy across 8 relict charcoal hearths (RCH) and control soils on different landforms near a 19th century furnace complex (Greenwood Furnace, northcentral Appalachians USA). Soils were analyzed for particle size, total and trace elements, and fertility. Platform creation resulted in soils from upslope RCH positions mixed with subsurface materials on the downslope side to create a stabilized platform. The thin, uniform thickness of charcoal surface horizons (Ac) indicate that RCHs were not used more than once for charcoal manufacturing or that charcoal was always removed very efficiently. While rubification of soil or rock from high heat was seen in 6 of 8 sites sampled, it was not extensive across sampled areas of any one hearth, which indicate hearth use may not be frequent, hot enough, or spatially disparate. Soil fertility characteristics change within RCHs but also by landscape position. Downslope RCH positions are enriched in some parameters compared to control soils (total C, Mehlich 3 Mg, Ca, and Aquia Regia digestion Mn) and that enrichment often is from the surface downward. Downslope enrichment within RCH soils may have occurred from charcoal and released ions, slope erosion and accumulation, or transportation of constructed materials during RCH creation. Landscape position may accentuate or mute soil chemistry differences. Greenwood Furnace RCHs have unique patterns of chemistry, which could result in unique niches for flora and maybe fauna within RCH. Future research could more closely investigate whether hearths support unique species assemblages and how they may play a role in enhancing today’s forest biodiversity. Y1 - 2023 UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169555X22004184 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2022.108525 SN - 1872-695X VL - 422 SP - 1 EP - 16 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. A1 - Wistuba, Małgorzata A1 - Malik, Ireneusz A1 - Verschoof-van der Vaart, Wouter T1 - Small anthropogenic landforms from past land use – what have we (already) learned and what do we (still) want to know T2 - DGGM Meeting 2023 Conference proceedings 04.–06.10.2023, RWTH Aachen Y1 - 2023 UR - https://www.pgg.rwth-aachen.de/global/show_document.asp?id=aaaaaaaaccmrbmr SP - S. 61 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. A1 - Bayuzick, Samuel A1 - Guarin, Daniel A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Diefenbach, Duane A1 - McDill, Marc T1 - USA Appalachian relict charcoal hearths have complex landscape and pedologic patterns that are unique from surrounding forest ecosystems T2 - EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022 N2 - Understanding how present-day abrupt change may alter forest ecosystem services is becoming more important due to ever-growing anthropogenic stresses. Forest managers trying the adapt to anthropogenic stress can benefit from the study and quantification of past abrupt changes in forests, especially when the legacy of past disturbance is still evident. Across the United Kingdom, Europe, and recently the northeastern United States, the examination of historic forest change due to charcoal manufacturing for the firing of iron or lime furnaces is yielding new insights relative to landscape stability, anthropogenic vs natural soil genesis, and forest evolution. A landscape classification process was used in the Central Appalachians (Pennsylvania) to identify 6,758 RCHs near Greenwood Furnace (Greenwood Furnace State Park) and Pine Grove Furnace (Pine Grove Furnace State Park). Topographic wetness index (TWI), and SAGA wetness index (SWI) were created using ~1m LiDAR data for two study areas to quantify surface hydrology effects and were compared to field soil volumetric water content (VWC) measurements. Modeled TWI and SWI values were different for RCH areas when compared to surrounding non-hearth areas indicating that RCHs were acting as a moisture sink. We also found that RCH platforms have different TWI and SWI values than rim areas. Using field measured volumetric water content, we found that as distance from the center of the RCH increases, the drier the soil becomes. Geomorphic position did not affect wetness. Surface soil samples were collected at 51 RCHs in the Greenwood Furnace study area. Laboratory analyses revealed that RCH soils have higher C content than surrounding native soils. Furthermore, while the pH of RCH soils is like native soils, the acidity is greater in RCHs. RCH soils at Greenwood Furnace were found to have lower Mehlich 3 P concentrations and lower K potentially effecting plant growth. RCH soils were found to have higher Ca concentration when compared to native soils. To examine within RCH differences in soil chemistry and morphology more closely, 8 of the 51 RCHs were sampled intensely along a topographic gradient. Control pits were excavated directly upslope from the RCHs. The RCHs were sampled in 5 positions across the hearth from the upslope to down slope position (A upslope rim of the RCH; B halfway point between A and C; C RCH center; D halfway C and E; E downslope rim of the RCH). Soil profiles were described and sampled at each position. The soil samples were analyzed for trace and rare earth element content (Aqua Regia digestion), soil pH (water) and fertility (Mehlich 3 extraction). Results indicated that RCHs are potentially a unique location of refugia for forest flora and perhaps fauna due to the unique geochemistry with higher bases and C and some concentrated metals and a higher soil water content hypothesized to be due to an observed restrictive morphology. Future research should more closely investigate whether RCHs support unique species assemblages and how they may play a role in enhancing today’s forest biodiversity. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-10315 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Bayuzick, Samuel A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Relict charcoal hearth landscape and soil profile characteristics surrounding a mid-19th century Appalachian iron furnace T2 - EGU General Assembly 2021 Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-5691 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Drohan, Patrick J. A1 - Bayuzick, Samuel A1 - Diefenbach, Duane A1 - McDill, Marc A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Bonhage, Alexander T1 - Northern Appalachian, USA relic charcoal hearths and their unique Ecological Fingerprint T2 - EGU General Assembly 2021 Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-13618 ER -