Late-Holocene environment and climatic changes in Ameralik Fjord, southwest Greenland: evidence from the sedimentary record

Sedimentological and geochemical (XRF) data together with information from diatom and benthic foraminifera records of a 3.5 m long gravity core from Ameralik fjord, southern West Greenland, is used for reconstructing late Holocene environmental changes in this area. The changes are linked to large-s...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Møller, Henrik S., Jensen, Karin G., Kuijpers, Antoon, Aagaard-Sørensen, Steffen, Seidenkrantz, Marit Solveig Louise Schramm, Endler, R., Prins, M., Mikkelsen, Naja
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2006
Subjects:
XRF
Online Access:https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/11d6cd50-b1f7-11db-bee9-02004c4f4f50
Description
Summary:Sedimentological and geochemical (XRF) data together with information from diatom and benthic foraminifera records of a 3.5 m long gravity core from Ameralik fjord, southern West Greenland, is used for reconstructing late Holocene environmental changes in this area. The changes are linked to large-scale North Atlantic ocean and climate variability. AMS 14 C-dating of benthic foraminifera indicates that the sediment core covers the last 4400 years and may include the termination of the Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM). The late HTM (4.4-3.2 ka BP) is characterized by high accumulation rates of fine (silty) sediments related to strong melt-water discharge from the Inland Ice. The benthic foraminiferal fauna demonstrates the presence of well-ventilated, saline bottom water originating from inflow of subsurface West Greenland Current water of Atlantic (Irminger Sea) origin. The hydrographic conditions were further characterised by limited sea ice probably related to a mild and relatively windy winter climate. After 3.2 ka BP lower fine-grained sedimentation rates, but a larger input from sea-ice rafted or aeolian coarse material prevailed. This can be related to colder atmospheric conditions with a decreased meltwater discharge and more widespread sea-ice cover in the fjord.