Refine
Year of publication
Document Type
Way of publication
- Open Access (1)
Keywords
- Anthropocene (1)
- Anthropogenetische Geomorphologie (1)
- Anthropogenetische Geomorphologie; Anthropozän; BTU; Geopedologie Anthropocene; Anthropogenic geomorphology; Geopedology (1)
- Anthropogenic soils (1)
- Anthropozän (1)
- Archäologie (1)
- BTU (1)
- Charcoal Kiln Remain (CKR) (1)
- Ecosystem (1)
- Forestry (1)
- GIS (1)
- Geopedologie (1)
- Holzkohlemeiler (1)
- Land Use (1)
- Lausitz (1)
- Relict Charcoal Hearth (RCH) (1)
- Soil (1)
- Tauerscher Forst (1)
- Umweltwissenschaften (1)
- anthropogenically modified soils (1)
- biochar (1)
- carbon sink (1)
- climate sensitivity (1)
- dendroecology (1)
- historic agriculture (1)
- historic charcoal burning (1)
- historic charcoal production (1)
- land use (1)
- land‐use legacies (1)
- late quaternary landscape development (1)
- pedogenesis (1)
- pyrogenic carbon (1)
- relict charcoal hearths (1)
- soil organic matter (1)
Institute
- FG Geopedologie und Landschaftsentwicklung (130)
- Forschungszentrum Landschaftsentwicklung und Bergbaulandschaften (FZLB) (30)
- FG Bodenschutz und Rekultivierung (3)
- FG Technikgeschichte (ehemals) (1)
- FG Volkswirtschaftslehre, insbesondere Umweltökonomie (1)
- FG Ökologie (1)
- Zentrale Analytik der BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg (ZA-BTU) / Zentrales Analytisches Labor (1)
BTU
Die hier vorgestellte Forschungsarbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Rekonstruktion der Landschafts- und Umweltgeschichte mithilfe Geographischer Informationssysteme (GIS) und historischer Karten. In einem Modell sollen die räumliche Dimension der Köhlerei, der damit verbundene Holzverbrauch, der Zustand der Wälder, die vorhandene Infrastruktur etc. errechnet und dargestellt werden. Zeitlicher Schwerpunkt ist die zweite Hälfte des 18. Jahrhunderts und die Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts.
In the apron of the active lignite opencast pit Jänschwalde (Brandenburg, Germany), three archaeological survey trenches were investigated in an area where aeolian sand deposits are widespread. The investigated sediment sequences contain evidence of aeolian morphodynamics, soil formation and agricultural land use. To study the age and the causes of sand drifting and surface stabilization, standard soil physical and chemical laboratory analyses as well as optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon dating (14C) were carried out. Two main sedimentological units were identified: Unit 1 consists of glacio-fluvial and Late Glacial aeolian sands representing the parent material for the native Podsol-
Braunerde, while Unit 2 represents the Late Holocene aeolian deposits. Four periods of Late Glacial and Holocene aeolian activity and three phases of geomorphological stability have been identified: (i) Aeolian sedimentation during the Late Glacial, (ii) Mesolithic reactivation of aeolian processes, (iii) soil formation until Late Roman Iron Age settlers intensified the agricultural land use, (iv) intensive drift sand formation
during the High Middle Ages due to agricultural expansion, (v) stabilization of the drift sands and weak soil formation, (vi) reactivation of aeolian processes due to the increasing wood consumption and charcoal production from the early 17th until the mid-19th century, (vii) surface stabilization and formation of Regosols since the mid-19th century due to afforestation.
Analysing the spatial distribution of anthropogenic relief structures can contribute to the understanding of past landuse systems. With automated mapping routines, small relief forms can be detected efficiently from high-resolution digital terrain models (DTMs). In this study, we describe an approach for the automated mapping of charcoal kiln sites from an airborne laser-scanning DTM. The study site is located north of Cottbus, Germany, where an exceptionally large historic charcoal production field has been documented in previous archaeological surveys. The goal of this study was to implement, evaluate and improve an automated GIS-based routine for mapping these features based on the template-matching principle. In addition to the DTM, different morphometric variables were evaluated for their suitability to detect kiln sites. The mapping results were validated against a comprehensive database of kiln sites recorded from archaeological excavations and via manual digitization. The effects of irregular kiln-site geometry and DTM noise were evaluated using synthetic DTMs. The results of the synthetic DTM mapping show that the template-matching results differed depending on the morphometric variable used for the mapping process. In accordance with this observation, a validation of the mapping procedure for the field site suggests that feature mapping can be improved. In particular, the number of false detections can be reduced using a combination of morphometric variables. For the validation area, the kiln sites with diameters of at least 10m were mapped using the automated routine, with detection rates that were close to those of manual digitization. Therefore, the described method can considerably facilitate the mapping and distribution analysis of kiln sites or similar small relief forms that are prominent in a specific landscape.
Modern lignite mining in southern Brandenburg (East Germany) causes the destruction of entire landscapes. To date, research concentrated on the reclamation of areas affected by mining-related activities, but the significance of prehistoric and historic cultures on land use changes is disregarded. Recently, a joint research project was launched for interdisciplinary long-term palaeoenvironmental research and to study anthropogenic landscape change in southern Brandenburg. The project partners are geoscientists from the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus and archaeologists from the Brandenburgisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologisches Museum (BLDAM), within the scope of this project pedological and geomorphological investigations are carried out to reconstruct Holocene landscape and land use change in the apron of the opencast pit Jänschwalde (Lower Lusatia), c. 100 southeast of Berlin and c. 15 km northeast of Cottbus. By law large-scale surveys and excavations have to be carried out in the forefield to document all archaeological findings. In combination with the excellent outcrop situation the archaeological investigation offers ideal conditions to study the soil geomorphology on a landscape scale.
Fieldwork includes topographical surveying by differential GPS. Soils and sediments are described along cross-sections (up to 140 m long, up to 2 m deep). Field-portable XRF analyzes (FPXRF) is used for a quick characterization of total element concentrations of the substrates. Standard analytical methods (e.g., soil texture, contents of pedogenic oxides) are carried out in the laboratory. To obtain chronological information, radiocarbon and OSL (optically stimulated luminescence) dating are applied on suitable material.
Evidence of different land use and land use change in the study area is abundant. For example, at several cross-sections agricultural soil horizons are covered with up to 150 cm thick eolian sands, proving that deforestation and agricultural use induced eolian soil erosion. In addition, remnants of charcoal piles buried under up to 150 cm thick eolian sands indicate remobilization of Quaternary sands as a consequence of clearing for charcoal production.
The ongoing investigations will concentrate on fieldwork. Preliminary results are presented.
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.
This study outlines the opportunities to reconstruct Holocene landscape dynamics in active opencast lignite mines in southern Brandenburg (Germany). Studies on extensive outcrops that address geomorphology, pedology and archaeology provide unique insights into human-induced environmental changes. Our approach uses a variety of traditional and cutting-edge techniques to characterize small-scale landforms (high-resolution DEMs by micro-drone and LiDAR), to analyze soils and substrate properties in the field (GPR, ERT, geomagnetics, Field Portable XRF and XRD) and to provide chronological information (OSL, 14C, tree-ring dating). This approach is combined with a GIS for data integration. We present the most recent results and review important findings from the last several years. Studies conducted in the opencast mines focus on soil development and Late
Quaternary geomorphodynamics and as well as past land use and the legacy of agriculture and woodland use.
Our results regarding the human-induced geomorphodynamics 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. By analyzing LiDAR data the largest area of historical charcoal production in the Northern European Lowland (NEL) has been revealed. We are clearly only beginning to understand the massive dimensions of charcoal production in the region and the impact on late Holocene geomorphodynamics. The usage of new high-resolution imagery is essential to identify small-scale anthropogenic landforms hidden in the landscape. Future work will consist of developing and improving our integrative approach. However, comprehensive ground truth data provided by the archaeological prospections in the open-cast mines are an excellent basis for GIS-based analyses of high-resolution ALS data and geomorphological research.
In the forefield of the open-cast mine Jänschwalde (north of Cottbus, Germany), archaeological excavations have revealed one of the largest charcoal production fields described so far. As remains of the historic charcoal kilns, small mounds of sediment rich in charcoal fragments and ash cover the soil surface. We applied a combination of methods for mapping such kiln relicts across a range of scales, in order to analyze the spatial distribution of kiln sites and to improve the understanding of historic forest use systems. In archaeological excavations in the mine forefield, the geometry of kiln relicts could be studied in high detail. We used a microdrone to record high-resolution photographs of excavation sites for the
documentation of kiln site ground plans and other traces of historic land use. Based on airborne laser
scanning elevation models, kiln site mapping was extended to areas beyond the mine forefield. Manual
digitization from shaded relief maps was used for mapping kiln sites in further woodland areas surrounding an historic ironwork north of Cottbus. An automated mapping approach based on template matching was developed to detect charcoal production fields on a larger scale, and was applied for an area of about 1000 km2up to now.
In archaeological excavations, about 900 kiln sites have been documented on an approximately 17 km2 large area. Excavation documentations and aerial photographs show variations in the kiln site ground plans. By manual digitization from Shaded Relief Maps, more than 5000 kiln sites with diameters up to 29 m were detected in the 32 km2 area of the royal forest Jänschwalder Heide north of Cottbus. First results of mapping for larger areas indicate similar densities, but smaller diameters of kiln sites in other charcoal production fields; and show that charcoal production is a so far underestimated component of the land use history in many areas in the Northern European Lowlands.
The historic production of charcoal is an important component of the late Holocene fire history for many landscapes. Charcoal production can have numerous effects on ecosystems, e.g., through changes in forest area and structure, or through the effects of pyrolysis, charcoal and ash addition to soils. To assess such effects, it is necessary to understand the spatial extent and patterns of historic charcoal production, which has so far hardly been approached for the Northern European Lowlands. In the forefield of the open-cast mine Jänschwalde (north of Cottbus, Germany), archaeological excavations have revealed one of the largest charcoal production fields described so far. For this area, we applied and evaluated different methods for mapping the spatial distribution of charcoal kiln remains. We present methods and results of our work in this exceptionally well-described charcoal production field and of additional studies on kiln site distribution in regions of the Northern European Lowlands. The large-scale excavations in the mine forefield provide exact information on kiln site geometry. Using airborne laser scanning elevation models, the mapping of kiln sites could be extended to areas beyond the mine forefield. To detect kiln sites for larger areas, an automated GIS based mapping routine, based on a combination of morphometric parameters, was developed and evaluated. By manual digitization from Shaded Relief Maps, more than 5000 kiln sites in an area of 32 km2 were detected in the Jänschwalde mine forefield, with 1355 kiln sites that are wider than 12 m. These relatively large kiln sites could be mapped with detection rates that are close to those of manual digitization using the automated routine. First results for different study areas indicate that charcoal production is a so far underestimated component of the land use history in many parts of the Northern European Lowlands.
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.
Charcoal produced in kilns or hearths was an important source of energy in many regions of Europe and Northern America until the 19th century, and charcoal production in hearths is still common in many other regions of the world. The remains of charcoal hearths are therefore a widespread legacy of historic land use in forest areas. Soils on charcoal hearth sites are characterized by a technogenic layer rich in charcoal and ash on top of the soil profile, and by a pyrogenic modification of substrates below the former hearth.
The aims of our study are to examine how these alterations to the natural soil profiles affect the soil water regime
and other soil physical properties, and to assess the relevance of these effects on the landscape scale. We present
first results of a mapping of hearth site occurrence in forest areas in the state of Brandenburg, Germany, and of a
characterization of the infiltration behaviour on hearth sites as compared with undisturbed forest soils. Results of mapping small-scale relief features from LIDAR-based digital elevation models show that charcoal hearths occur in a high density in many large forest areas throughout Brandenburg. In the areas studied so far, up to almost 3% of the soil surface were found to be affected by the remains of historic hearths. First analyses of soil physical properties indicate differences in the infiltration characteristics of hearth site soils and undisturbed forest soils: Hood infiltrometer measurements show a very high spatial variability of hydraulic conductivity for hearth site soils, and water-drop-penetration-time tests reflect extremely high hydrophobicity of the technogenic layer on the sites. Results of dye tracer experiment show considerably strong preferential flow and therefore a higher spatial variability of soil wetness below the hearth remains. Overall, our first results therefore indicate that the legacy effects of historic charcoal production might significantly affect overall site conditions in forest areas with a high density of charcoal hearth remains.