TY - GEN A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Schneider, Marcus A1 - Bauriegel, Albrecht T1 - Quaternary and geoarcheology in Lower Lusatia T2 - DEUQUA Special Publications N2 - Open-cast lignite mines in Lower Lusatia provide unique insights into human-induced environmental changes in the Northern European Lowland and improve our understanding of Quaternary landscape dynamics. The excursion will focus on soils and sediments of Late Pleistocene and Holocene age that have been modified by land use since the Slavic Middle Ages. In the vicinity of the open-cast mine Jänschwalde and in the Tauer forest north of Cottbus characteristic remains of historical charcoal production, a ridge-and-furrow system and late Quaternary rubification in soils are presented. Y1 - 2022 UR - https://deuquasp.copernicus.org/articles/4/59/2022/ U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/deuquasp-4-59-2022 SN - 2625-8137 VL - 4 SP - 59 EP - 71 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Schneider, Marcus A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Bonhage, Alexander ED - Schopper, Franz T1 - Landschaftsgeschichtliche Untersuchungen am Eilenzfließ bei Taubendorf T2 - Ausgrabungen im Niederlausitzer Braunkohlenrevier : 2015/2016 Y1 - 2022 SN - 978-3-910011-87-8 SP - 199 EP - 204 PB - Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Landesmuseum CY - Wünsdorf ER - 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 - 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 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Maaten-Theunissen, Marieke van der A1 - Maaten, Ernst van der A1 - Räbiger, Christin A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Soil properties and tree growth at medieval ridge and furrow sites in Brandenburg, northeastern Germany T2 - Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science N2 - Background Ridge and furrow (RIFU) systems and associated soils are a widespread legacy of medieval agriculture, are archives of historical land use, and might affect recent ecosystems. Open questions about RIFU formation and potential legacy effects still exist, especially related to physical soil properties. Aims Our aims were (1) to characterize the soil properties of RIFU soils and (2) to compare the drought sensitivity and the growth resistance in extremely dry years of trees growing on ridges and furrows, respectively. Methods We studied soil physical (bulk density, saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, and texture) and chemical (soil pH, soil organic matter, and nitrogen content) properties and the climate sensitivity of tree growth on RIFU systems for three study sites in Prignitz, Germany. Results RIFU systems showed a high spatial heterogeneity of soil stratigraphy due to ridge construction and increased accumulation of soil moisture and organic matter in furrows due to post-abandonment pedogenesis. Slight spatial differences in soil physical properties were found, with increased air capacity in ridge soils and higher available water contents in furrow soils. No differences in drought sensitivity were observed for trees growing on ridges and furrows, except for a wet site, where trees in furrows showed a higher sensitivity. Resistance in dry years tended to be similar or increase from furrows to ridges. Conclusions The results reflect a spatial differentiation of stratigraphy and post-abandonment pedogenesis on abandoned RIFU systems and suggest an adaption to different moisture conditions through RIFU construction. Differences in drought sensitivity of tree growth with relative land surface could only be detected for one of the three sites, where trees were found to be less drought sensitive on ridges. KW - anthropogenically modified soils KW - climate sensitivity KW - dendroecology KW - historic agriculture KW - land‐use legacies Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.202200345 SN - 1436-8730 SN - 1522-2624 VL - 186 IS - 4 SP - 417 EP - 427 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Takla, Melanie A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Rösler, Horst T1 - Towards an inventory of historic charcoal production fields in Brandenburg, Germany T2 - European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2015, Vienna, Austria, 13 April - 17 May 2015 KW - historic charcoal production Y1 - 2015 UR - http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2015/EGU2015-3949.pdf N1 - EGU2015-3949 PB - European Geophysical Society CY - Katlenburg-Lindau ER - TY - GEN A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Rösler, Horst A1 - Heußner, Karl-Uwe A1 - Hirsch, Florian T1 - Spatial distribution of relict charcoal hearths in the former royal forest district Tauer (SE Brandenburg, Germany) T2 - Quaternary International N2 - Historical charcoal production has long been an unconsidered type of forest utilization in lowland areas. The archaeological discovery of a large charcoal burning area in the forefield of the active opencast lignite mine J€anschwalde in SE Brandenburg (North German Lowlands) has highlighted the need for multidisciplinary research in the study of the dimensions of historical charcoal burning. The charcoal produced in our study area, the former royal forest district Tauer, provided energy for the nearby Peitz ironworks during its operation from the mid-16th to the mid-19th century. Here, we aimed to record the amount, size and distribution of relict charcoal hearths (RCHs) to examine their context with respect to the ironworks and to better understand the potential impacts on late Quaternary landscape change. The applied methods combined archaeological research with shaded-relief mapping of RCHs. To evaluate the detection success of RCHs in the shaded-relief maps (SRMs), we compared the results with the results from specific archaeological surveys and conventional forest site mapping. Furthermore, we analyzed our dataset with descriptive, comparable and spatial statistics. Additionally, dendrochronological dating of charcoal fragments from selected RCHs was used to investigate the temporal relationships among the RCHs. Approximately 6000 circular RCHs were manually digitally identified in the SRMs of the 109-km2 evaluable area. However, ground truthing showed that the shaded-relief maps could not completely capture all RCHs in our study area due to local conditions. At the regional scale, two focus areas with high RCH site densities were found. Statistical analysis revealed that the diameters of the RCHs range widely from 4 to 30.5 m. Spatial statistics were applied to the RCH diameters to aggregate areas with larger or smaller RCHs. At the small scale, no systematic arrangement of RCHs was obvious in the SRMs. Dendrochronological dating of selected RCHs lying close together could not detect significant spatiotemporal relationships or patterns. The dating results also showed that some areas have been preferentially used for charcoal production for over 300 years. Due to the homogeneity of the physiogeographical location factors, we assume that these factors are not superficially responsible for site selection. Instead, economic location factors and contemporary regulations are more likely responsible for the distribution of RCHs. Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2017.07.022 SN - 1040-6182 VL - Vol. 511 SP - 153 EP - 165 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Wechler, Klaus-Peter A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Reconstruction of a Paleosurface and Archaeological Site Location in an Anthropogenic Drift Sand Area T2 - Archaeological Prospection N2 - Knowledge of the position of archaeological remains in the surface relief provides important basic information for archaeological survey design and interpretation. Geomorphological processes in (pre)history may have resulted in a modification of the local relief around archaeological sites, especially in areas that are prone to sediment erosion and relocation, such as sheet sand and dune landscapes. In this study, we reconstructed and analysed the palaeorelief of an archaeological excavation site in an inland dune area in southern Brandenburg, Germany. The remains of two Mesolithic sites were documented in the archaeological excavations and found to be associated with a buried soil horizon. To gather information on the relief of the buried soil surface, we used a combination of sedimentological and pedological profile descriptions along archaeological survey trenches and geophysical prospection with ground penetrating radar supplemented with microdrone photography and photogrammetry, global positioning system (GPS) surveys, and analysis of LiDAR-based elevation models. A digital elevation model of the buried surface was generated and analysed using a geographical information system (GIS). A comparison of the palaeosurface model with the recent surface elevation model shows that sand remobilization resulted in a considerable reshaping of the relief. Further, an analysis of the buried surface model shows that the relief position of the two archaeological sites in the study area was considerably more prominent in relation to the corresponding buried soil surface than in relation to the recent surface morphology. The results affirm the significance of Holocene sediment relocation for the local surface morphology and the importance of considering such relief modifications in archaeological surveys. Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.1571 SN - 1099-0763 VL - 24 IS - 4 SP - 297 EP - 310 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Ouimet, William A1 - Johnson, Katharine M. A1 - Dethier, David A1 - Raab, Alexandra T1 - Architecture of relict charcoal hearths in northwestern Connecticut, USA T2 - Geoarchaeology N2 - Relict charcoal hearths are round or elliptical earthen platforms up to 11 m in diameter and a widespread feature of historical industry that supplied charcoal used in the production of iron in furnaces or smelters. The iron industry dominated Litchfield County, Connecticut, and surrounding areas in the northeastUnited States throughout the 19th century, peaking in ∼1850. The large number of charcoal hearths in this region is a relic of >150 years of widespread iron production. In this study, we describe the architecture and soil stratigraphy of 26 charcoal hearths in Litchfield County. This contribution aims to (1) compare soils that comprise the charcoal hearths with “natural” adjacent soils, (2) measure the thickness of topsoil developed upon the hearths, and (3) characterize the stratigraphy associated with these features. Results indicate that the black topsoils overlying the charcoal hearths contain residual charcoal and are on average 2.6 times thicker than adjacentCambisols. Charcoal hearths display two ormore black, charcoal-rich strata separated by layers of reddish-brown soil low in charcoal content indicating multiple episodes of use.We also find that many charcoal hearths have been stabilized with boulders on the downslope side during construction and repeated use.Overall, the results presented here provide significant information regarding the construction, use, and associated impacts of earthen platforms for charcoal production in the northeastUnited States, with further relevance to other areas where historical charcoal production occurred. Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.21614 SN - 1520-6548 VL - 32 IS - 4 SP - 502 EP - 510 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Nicolay, Alexander A1 - Takla, Melanie A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Rösler, Horst A1 - Bauriegel, Albrecht T1 - Opencast mines in South Brandenburg (Germany) - archives of Late Quaternary landscape development and human-induced land use changes T2 - Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences N2 - This study outlines the opportunities for geoarchaeological research in active opencast lignite mines in southern Brandenburg (Germany). Studies on extensive outcrops that address both archaeology and soil geomorphology, combined with a geographical information system (GIS) approach, provide unique insights into human-induced environmental changes in Lower Lusatia and generally improve our understanding of landscape dynamics. We present the most recent results from three case studies and review important findings from the last several years. Studies conducted in opencast mines of Cottbus-Nord and Jänschwalde focus on (i) Late Quaternary geomorphodynamics and soil development and (ii) past land use and the legacy of agriculture and woodland use. Our results are similar to those in other regions in Central Europe, but we also observe regional differences caused by the local setting, e.g. intensification of soil erosion coinciding with the expansion of farming of cultivated lands in the Slavic Middle Ages. Our research reveals the largest archaeologically investigated area of historical charcoal production in the Northern European Lowland (NEL). We are clearly only beginning to understand the massive dimensions of charcoal production in the region. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-015-0227-6 SN - 1866-9565 VL - 8 IS - 3 SP - 453 EP - 466 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Spatial and temporal variability of soil physical properties on legacies of historic charcoal production T2 - European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2018, Vienna, Austria N2 - The spatial variability of soil physical properties on the landscape scale is often increased by anthropogenic land occupation, not only by current land use but also through the legacies of past land use systems. The remains of historic charcoal hearts are an example for such a disturbance of the soil landscape by former forestry. Such relict charcoal hearths (RCH) exhibit a clearly altered soil stratigraphy, most prominently characterized by a technogenic substrate layer on the soil surface, and their soil physical properties can considerably differ from those of surrounding forest soils. The aim of our study is to characterize the soil water and temperature regime on RHC in a pre-industrial charcoal production area in Brandenburg, Germany, as compared with the surrounding sandy forest soils. Soil properties were analyzed in profiles on and around hearth sites and are monitored in a sensor transect equipped with soil moisture sensors and pF-meters. Results of soil sample analyses show differences in density and porosity between the RCH soils and surrounding forest soils, not only in the technogenic layer but also in the buried soil layers on hearth sites. The soil water characteristic curves determined in the laboratory indicate a modified pore size distribution and lower plant available water contents in the RCH soils. Preliminary results of the ongoing soil water monitoring, however, show increased soil wetness in the RCH soils, along with lower soil moisture tensions. Furthermore, the measurements show higher variations of soil temperature in RCH soils. The results affirm that the legacies of historic charcoal production can increase the spatial variability of soil physical properties and therefore also of ecological site conditions in forest areas. The results of soil moisture monitoring suggest that a determination of soil physical parameters in the laboratory is not sufficient to characterize the spatio-temporal variations of the soil water regime. Y1 - 2018 UR - https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2018/EGU2018-10115.pdf N1 - EGU2018-10115 PB - European Geophysical Society CY - Katlenburg-Lindau ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Takla, Melanie A1 - Nicolay, Alexander A1 - Bonhage, Alexander A1 - Müller, Frank A1 - Heußner, Karl-Uwe A1 - Rösler, Horst T1 - Reconstructing anthropogenic landscape transformation in the surroundings of the ironwork Peitz (SE Brandenburg, Germany) - 16th to mid-19th centuries T2 - 4th International Landscape Archaeology Conference, Uppsala, 22nd - 25th August 2016 N2 - Various sources provide information about land use history and landscape transformation. For a variety of reasons, the quality of information differs and is often discontinuous or incomplete. In this interdisciplinary study we take advantage of comprehensive archaeological data gathered by large-scale excavations that were necessary because of opencast lignite mining in Lusatia, Brandenburg, Germany. By using a GIS we integrate these archaeological findings with results from archival and literature studies, from historical maps, from landforms and soils as well as from analyses of shaded-relief maps derived from up-to-date LiDAR data. The long-term aim is to develop a palaeoenvironmental model and thus to reconstruct landscape changes caused by human activities. The focus of the study is the Peitz ironwork in SE Brandenburg, which was a large consumer of commodities for about 300 years. During the time it operated, extensive transformations are supposed to have affected the landscape in the vicinity because of wood consumption and especially charcoal production. Digital datasets about forested areas for different timespans reconstructed from historical maps were made available. In combination with dendrochronological dating of charred trees, the spatiotemporal dimension of charcoal kilns was determined. Also, sites of former bog iron ore mining could be identified. Moreover, the different sources contain further information about other forms of land uses such as agriculture, pastoralism and even viticulture. In conclusion we can highlight that the mosaic of past land use systems is different from the modern structure but that major changes in the forests have been retained. Y1 - 2016 UR - http://www.arkeologi.uu.se/digitalAssets/447/c_447246-l_1-k_20160816_lac_booklet.pdf SP - S. 152 PB - Department of archaeology and ancient history, Uppsala university, CY - Uppsala ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Raab, Thomas A1 - Naeth, M. Anne A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Raab, Alexandra T1 - Contributing towards a conceptual model of soil-landscape co-evolution: observations from historic mining sites in Alberta, Canada T2 - European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2016, Vienna, Austria N2 - At the former Diplomat Mine near Forestburg, Alberta, Canada we find a diverse soil landscape which can help to conceptualize factors and processes controlling initial pedogenesis and soil distribution on very young landforms in prairie environments. Due to differing reclamation practices in the 1950s and landslides occurring after spoil dumping, four areas can be distinguished by GoogleMaps/LiDAR evaluation and onsite field survey: (i) not-mined, (ii) stock piled and unreclaimed, (iii) stock piled and reclaimed and (iv) affected by post-mining geomorphodynamics and quasi-natural redeposition. The parent material for areas (ii) to (iv) was initially dumped by spreaders but only (ii) didn’t undergo further change. Landscape (iii) has seen levelling of the piles by heavy machinery. Features of landscape (iv) are formed by reshaping the originally dumped and levelled structures. This last landscape unit marks the rim of the former mine adjacent to the river valley. In practice, mining activities formed new valley slopes. In contrast to the naturally developed slopes the mine slopes were less stable. Vegetation, which could have hindered slope wash erosion, was missing after dumping the spoil slopes. Slopes were very steep (or practically undercut) and therefore, substrates were naturally re-located by mass movements such as sliding and slumping. Characteristic sliding and slumping structures can be identified in the close-ups of the LiDAR images. Both processes, mass movement and slope wash erosion, may have overlapped. Landscape (ii) is the most contrasting one. Dumped stock piles formed elongated, curved and steep ridges. These landforms do not have a natural analogue but clearly show their technological origin. Most interesting are differences in vegetation. South and southwest facing slopes are covered with grassland whereas north and northeast facing slopes are covered with aspen trees. Some of the ditches are filled with water and form small elongated ponds. The characteristic geomorphology of the prairie can be found in landscape (i). Distinct differences are found in properties and types of soils in these four landscapes. Natural soils and pile soils characteristically differ in parent material and soil horizons. No information is gathered yet for the reclaimed soils and the landslides soils due to prohibited access. However, based on what we find at the former Diplomat Mine we can conclude that distribution, development and properties of unreclaimed soils in historical open cast mines in Alberta are primarily controlled by parent material and topography. The geomorphological set-up is dominating the trajectory of vegetation development and post-mining geomorphodynamics. Contrasting slope aspects determine micro climatic conditions and lead to different vegetation types. This has likely had an effect on soil development and soil properties (especially carbon stocks). Further studies will be conducted to quantify these differing soil properties to refine this conceptual model of initial pedogenesis and soil distribution on very young landforms in the prairie landscapes. Y1 - 2016 UR - http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2016/EGU2016-2457.pdf N1 - EGU2016-2457 PB - European Geophysical Society CY - Katlenburg-Lindau ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Hirsch, Florian A1 - Schneider, Anna A1 - Nicolay, Alexander A1 - Błaszkiewicz, Mirosław A1 - Kordowski, Jarosław A1 - Noryskiewicz, Agnieszka M. A1 - Tyszkowski, Sebastian A1 - Raab, Alexandra A1 - Raab, Thomas T1 - Late Quaternary landscape development at the margin of the Pomeranian phase (MIS 2) near Lake Wygonin (Northern Poland) T2 - European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2015, Vienna, Austria, 13 April - 17 May 2015 KW - late quaternary landscape development Y1 - 2015 UR - http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2015/EGU2015-3547-1.pdf N1 - EGU2015-3547-1 PB - European Geophysical Society CY - Katlenburg-Lindau ER -