Belgium; climate change; dating; fluvial architecture; Holocene; land use change
Abstract :
[en] Accurate dating is necessary to get insight in the temporal variations in sediment deposition in floodplains. The interpretation of such dates is however dependent on the fluvial architecture of the floodplain. In this study we discuss the fluvial architecture of three contrasting Belgian catchments (Dijle, Geul and Amblève catchment) and how this influences the dating possibilities of net floodplain sediment storage. Although vertical aggradation occurred in all three floodplains during the last part of the Holocene, they differ in the importance of lateral accretion and vertical aggradation during the entire Holocene. Holocene floodplain aggradation is the dominant process in the Dijle catchment. Lateral reworking of the floodplain sediments by river meandering was limited to a part of the floodplain, resulting in stacked point bar deposits. The fluvial architecture allows identifying vertical aggradation without erosional hiatuses. Results show that trends in vertical floodplain aggradation in the Dijle catchment are mainly related to land use changes. In the other two catchments, lateral reworking was the dominant process, and channel lag and point bar deposits occur over the entire floodplain width. Here, tracers were used to date the sediment dynamics: lead from metal mining in the Geul and iron slag from ironworks in the Amblève catchment. These methods allow the identification of two or three discrete periods, but their spatial extent and variations is identified in a continuous way. The fluvial architecture and the limitation in dating with tracers hampered the identification of dominant environmental changes for sediment dynamics in both catchments. Dating methods which provide only discrete point information, like radiocarbon or OSL dating, are best suited for fluvial systems which contain continuous aggradation profiles. Spatially more continuous dating methods, e.g. through the use of tracers, allow to reconstruct past surfaces and allow to reconstruct reworked parts of the floodplain. As such they allow a better reconstruction of past sedimentation rates in systems with important lateral reworking.
Disciplines :
Earth sciences & physical geography
Author, co-author :
Notebaert, Bastiaan
Houbrechts, Geoffrey ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géographie > Département de géographie
Verstraeten, G.
Broothaerts, N.
Haeckx, J.
Reynders, M.
Govers, G.
Petit, François ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géographie > Hydrographie et géomorphologie fluviatile
Poesen, J.
Language :
English
Title :
Fluvial architecture of Belgian river systems in contrasting environments:implications for reconstructing the sedimentation history
Publication date :
2011
Journal title :
Netherlands Journal of Geosciences
ISSN :
0016-7746
eISSN :
1573-9708
Publisher :
Netherlands Journal of Geosciences Foundation, Netherlands
scite shows how a scientific paper has been cited by providing the context of the citation, a classification describing whether it supports, mentions, or contrasts the cited claim, and a label indicating in which section the citation was made.
Bibliography
Bravard, J.P. & Peiry, J.L., 1999. The CM pattern as a tool for the classification of alluvial suites and floodplains along the river continuum. Floodplains: interdisciplinary approaches: 259-268.
Bravard, J.-P., Burnouf, J. & Verot A., 1989, Géomorphologie et archeology dans la region lyonnaise: Questions et réponses d'un dialogue interdisciplinaire. Bulletin de la Société Préhistorique Française 10-12: 429-440.
Bronk Ramsey, C., 2001. Development of the radiocarbon calibration program OxCal. Radiocarbon 43: 355-363.
Broothaerts, N., 2008, Geomorfologische opbouw van de Dijle vallei. Bachelor thesis, KU Leuven, 62 pp.
Brown, A.G. & Keough, M., 1992. Holocene floodplain metamorphosis in the Midlands, United Kingdom. Geomorphology 4 (6): 433-445.
Brown, A., Petit F. & James, A., 2003. Archaeology and Human Artefacts. In: Kondolf, M., Piégay, H. (eds): Tools in Fluvial Geomorphology, Wiley, New York: 59-75.
Damblon, F., 1969. Etude palynologique comparée de deux tourbières du plateau des Hautes Fagnes de Belgique: la Fagne Wallonne et la Fagne Clefay. Bulletin du Jardin botanique national de Belgique / Bulletin van de National Plantentuin van België 39: 17-45.
Damblon, F., 1978. Etudes paléo-écologiques de tourbières en haute ardenne. Ministère de l'agriculture, Administration des eaux et forêts. Service de la conservation de la Nature. Traveaux, No. 10.
De Moor, J., 2006. Human impact on Holocene catchment development and fluvial processes - the Geul River catchment, SE Netherlands. PhD thesis, VU Amsterdam: 142 pp.
De Moor, J. & Verstraeten, G., 2008. Alluvial and colluvial sediment storage in the Geul River catchment (the Netherlands) - Combining field and modelling data to construct a Late Holocene sediment budget. Geomorphology 95: 487-503. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.07.012
De Moor, J.J.W., Kasse, C., Van Balen, R., Vandenberghe, J. S Wallinga, J., 2008. Human and climate impact on catchment development during the Holocene -Geul River, the Netherlands. Geomorphology 98 (3-4): 316-339.
De Smedt P., 1973. Paleogeografie en kwartair-geologie van het confluentiegebied Dijle-Demer. Acta Geographica Lovaniensia 11,141 pp.
Dejonghe, L., Ladeuze, F. & Jans, D. et al., 1993. Atlas des gisements plombozincifères du Synclinorium de Verviers (Est de la Belgique). Mém. Explic. Cartes Géol. Min. Belgique 33:1-483.
Dotterweich, M., 2008. The history of soil erosion and fluvial deposits in small catchments of central Europe: Deciphering the long-term interaction between humans and the environment - A review. Geomorphology 101: 192-208. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.05.023
Geurts, M.-A., 1976. Genèse et stratigraphie des travertins de fond de vallée en Belgique. Acta Geographica Lovaniensia 16.
Gullentops, F., Mullenders, W., Schaillee, L., Gilot E. & Bastin-Servais, Y., 1966. Observations géologiques et palynologiques dans la vallée de la Lienne. Acta Geographica Lovaniensia 4:192-204.
Henrottay, 1973. La sédimentation de quelques rivières belges au cours des sept derniers siècles. Bulletin de la Société Géographique de Liège 9: 101-115.
Hoffmann, T., Lang, A. S Dikau, R., 2008. Holocene river activity: analysing 14Cdated fluvial and colluvial sediments from Germany. Quaternary Science Reviews, 27: 2031-2040. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.06.014.
Houben, P., 2007. Geomorphological facies reconstruction of Late Quaternary alluvia by the application of fluvial architecture concepts. Geomorphology 86: 94-114. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.08.008 (Pubitemid 46506094)
Houbrechts G., 2005. Utilisation des macroscories et des microscories en dynamique fluviale: application aux rivières du massif ardennais. PhD thesis. University of Liège, 328 pp.
Houbrechts, G. & Petit F., 2003. Utilisation des scories métallurgiques en dynamique fluviale: détermination de la compétence effective des rivières et estimation des vitesses de progression de leur charge de fond. Géomorphologie: relief, processus, environnement 2003 No. 1: 3-12.
Houbrechts, G. & Petit F., 2004. Etude de la dynamique fluviale des rivières ardennaises grâce aux scories métallurgiques. De la Meuse à l'Ardenne 36: 57-68.
Houbrechts, G. & Weber, J.-P., 2007. La sidérurgie proto-industrielle dans le bassin de la Lienne. De la Meuse à l'Ardenne 39: 35-63.
Lewin, J. & Macklin, M., 2003. Preservation potential for Late Quaternary river alluvium. Journal of Quaternary Science 18:107-120. Doi: 10.1002/jqs.738 (Pubitemid 36380796)
Macklin, M., Jones, A. & Lewin, J., 2010. River response to rapid Holocene environmental change: evidence and explanation in British catchments. Quaternary Science Reviews 29 (13-14): 1555-1576. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2009. 06.010
Miall A.D., 1985. Architectural-element analysis - a new method of facies analysis applied to fluvial deposits. Earth-Science Reviews 22: 261-308. doi:10.1016/ 0012-8252(85)90001-7
Mois, J., 2004. Dynamique fluviale en réponse aux changements d'affectation du sol des bassins versant de l'Euregio Meuse-Rhin. ULg-LHGF, Mémoire de DEA, 54 pp.
Mullenders, W. S Gullentops, F., 1957. Palynologisch en geologisch onderzoek in de alluviale vlakte van de Dijle te Heverlee-Leuven. Agricultura Band V 2e reeks(1): 57-64.
Mullenders, W., Gullentops, F., tarent, J., Coremans, M. & Gilot E., 1966. Le Remblement de la vallée de la Nethen. Acta Geographica Lovaniensia IV: 169-181.
Nanson, G. & Croke, J., 1992. A genetic classification of floodplains. Geomorphology 4: 459-486. doi:10.1016/0169-555X(92)90039-Q
Notebaert, B., Verstraeten, G., Govers, G. & Poesen, J., 2009a. Qualitative and quantitative applications of LiDAR imagery in fluvial geomorphology. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 34 (2): 217-231. Doi: 10.1002/esp.l705
Notebaert B., Verstraeten, G., Rommens, T., Vanmontfort B., Govers, G. & Poesen, J., 2009b. Establishing a Holocene sediment budget for the river Dijle. Catena 77 (2): 150-163. doi:10.1016/j.catena.2008.02.001
Notebaert; B., Verstraeten, G., Govers, G. & Poesen, J., 2010. Quantification of alluvial sediment storage in contrasting environments: methodology and error estimation. Catena 82:169-182.
Notebaert B., Verstraeten, G., Vandenberghe, D., Marinova, E., Poesen, J. & Govers, G., 2011a. Changing hillslope and fluvial Holocene sediment dynamics in a Belgian loess catchment. Journal of Quaternary Science 26 (1): 44-58.
Notebaert B., Verstraeten, G., Ward, P., Renssen, H. & Van Rompaey, A., 2011b. Modeling the sensitivity of sediment and water runoff dynamics to Holocene climate and land use changes at the catchment scale. Geomorphology 126: 18-31.
Passega, R., 1957. Texture as Characteristic of Clastic Deposition. AAPG Bulletin 41.
Passega, R., 1964. Grain size representation by CM patterns as a geologic tool. Journal of Sedimentary Research 34 (4): 830-847.
Reimer, P.J., Baillie, M.G.L., Bard, E., Bayliss, A., Beck, J.W., Bertrand, C.J.H., Blackwell P.G., Buck, C.E., Burr, G.S., Cutler, K.B., Damon, P.E., Edwards, R.L., Fairbanks, R.G., Friedrich, M., Guilderson, T.P., Hogg, A.G., Hughen, K.A., Kromer, B., McCormac, G., Manning, S., Ramsey, C.B., Reimer, R.W., Remmele, S., Southon, J.R., Stuiver, M., Talamo, S., Taylor, F.W., Van der Plicht J. & Weyhenmeyer, C.E., 2004. IntCal04 terrestrial radiocarbon age calibration, 0-26 ka BP. Radiocarbon 46: 1029-1058.
Rommens, T., 2006. Holocene Sediment Dynamics in a Small River Catchment in Central Belgium, Phd-thesis. K.U. Leuven, Department Geography-Geology, Leuven, Belgium.
Rommens, T., Verstraeten, G., Bogman, P., Peeters, I., Poesen, J., Govers, G., Van Rompaey, A. & Lang, A., 2006. Holocene alluvial sediment storage in a small river catchment in the loess area of central Belgium. Geomorphology 77 (1-2): 187-201. doi: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.01.028 (Pubitemid 43863027)
Stam, M.H., 1999. The dating of fluvial deposits with heavy metals, 210Pb and 137Cs in the Geul catchment (the Netherlands). Physics and Chemistry of the Earth. Part B: Hydrology, Oceans and Atmosphere 24: 155-160. doi:10.1016/ S1464-1909(98)00028-8
Stam, M.H., 2002. Effects of land-use and precipitation changes on floodplain sedimentation in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries (Geul River, the Netherlands). Special Publications of the International Association of Sedimentologists 32: 251-267. (Pubitemid 38492808)
Trimble, S.W., 1999. Decreased rates of alluvial sediment storage in the Coon Creek Basin, Wisconsin, 1975-93. Science 285 (5431): 1244-1246. Doi: 10.1126/ science.285.5431.1244
Trimble, S.W., 2009. Fluvial processes, morphology and sediment budgets in the Coon Creek Basin, WI, USA, 1975-1993. Geomorphology 108 (1-2): 8-23. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph. 2006.11.015
Trimble, S.W., 2010. Streams, valleys and floodplains in the sediment cascade. In: Burt, T. & Allison, R. (eds): Sediment cascades. An integrated approach. Wiley-Blackwell Chichester.
Van Balen, R., Houtgast R., Van der Wateren, F., Vandenberghe, J. & Bogaart P., 2000. Sediment budget and tectonic evolution of the Meuse catchment in the Ardennes and the Roer Valley Rift System. Glob. Planet. Change 27:113-129. doi:10.1016/S0921-8181(01)00062-5 (Pubitemid 32333365)
Vandenberghe, J., 1995. Timescales, climate and river development. Quaternary Science Reviews 14 (6): pp. 631-638. (Pubitemid 26445230)
Vanwalleghem, T., Bork, H. R., Poesen, J., Dotterweich, M., Schmidtchen, G., Deckers, J., Scheers, S. & Martens, M., 2006. Prehistoric and Roman gullying in the European loess belt: a case study from central Belgium. Holocene 16(3): 393-401. doi:10.1191/0959683606hl935rp (Pubitemid 43670309)
Verstraeten, G., Rommens, T., Peeters, I., Poesen, J., Govers, G. & Lang, A., 2009. A temporarily changing Holocene sediment budget for a loess-covered catchment (central Belgium). Geomorphology 108: 24-34. doi:10.1016/ j.geomorph.2007.03.022
Similar publications
Sorry the service is unavailable at the moment. Please try again later.
This website uses cookies to improve user experience. Read more
Save & Close
Accept all
Decline all
Show detailsHide details
Cookie declaration
About cookies
Strictly necessary
Performance
Strictly necessary cookies allow core website functionality such as user login and account management. The website cannot be used properly without strictly necessary cookies.
This cookie is used by Cookie-Script.com service to remember visitor cookie consent preferences. It is necessary for Cookie-Script.com cookie banner to work properly.
Performance cookies are used to see how visitors use the website, eg. analytics cookies. Those cookies cannot be used to directly identify a certain visitor.
Used to store the attribution information, the referrer initially used to visit the website
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. Websites use cookies to help users navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. Cookies that are required for the website to operate properly are allowed to be set without your permission. All other cookies need to be approved before they can be set in the browser.
You can change your consent to cookie usage at any time on our Privacy Policy page.