TY - JOUR
T1 - Degradation of the wetland sediment archive at Star Carr
T2 - An assessment of current palynological preservation
AU - Albert, Bruce
AU - Innes, Jim
AU - Blackford, Jeff
AU - Taylor, Barry
AU - Conneller, Chantal
AU - Milner, Nicky
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded by a NERC urgency grant (NE/I015191/1) and the Vale of Pickering Research Trust, University of Manchester, and University of York. We would like to thank the landowners of Star Carr, English Heritage and Natural England for granting permission to excavate. The figures were prepared in the Design and Imaging Unit, Geography Department, Durham University.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/4
Y1 - 2016/4
N2 - This paper presents the results of an investigation into the preservation status of pollen and other microfossils in the organic sediments at the wetland Mesolithic site of Star Carr. This study assesses the degradation of the pollen record in a profile at the edge of the archaeological site, adjacent to previous pollen work carried out from 1989 to 1991 and using it as a benchmark for comparison. There has been a severe degradation of pollen grains since the earlier work, with the upper peat devoid of pollen and the lower part of the organic profile badly affected. Only the very basal sediments retain well preserved pollen. Comparisons with hydrological and geo-chemical data obtained by other workers during the assessment of the Star Carr site suggest that oxidation caused by drainage and dessication of the organic sediments, perhaps originating in fissures in the drying peat, is a primary cause of the observed severe deterioration of the pollen record. Non-pollen palynomorphs (primarily fungal and algal spores) appear to be better preserved than pollen in the present bio-stratigraphic record, showing little surface degeneration, but are not recorded in the earlier work. The pollen archive in organic sediments at the Star Carr site is now badly damaged. Any further pollen work there should be undertaken urgently but is probably not justifiable.
AB - This paper presents the results of an investigation into the preservation status of pollen and other microfossils in the organic sediments at the wetland Mesolithic site of Star Carr. This study assesses the degradation of the pollen record in a profile at the edge of the archaeological site, adjacent to previous pollen work carried out from 1989 to 1991 and using it as a benchmark for comparison. There has been a severe degradation of pollen grains since the earlier work, with the upper peat devoid of pollen and the lower part of the organic profile badly affected. Only the very basal sediments retain well preserved pollen. Comparisons with hydrological and geo-chemical data obtained by other workers during the assessment of the Star Carr site suggest that oxidation caused by drainage and dessication of the organic sediments, perhaps originating in fissures in the drying peat, is a primary cause of the observed severe deterioration of the pollen record. Non-pollen palynomorphs (primarily fungal and algal spores) appear to be better preserved than pollen in the present bio-stratigraphic record, showing little surface degeneration, but are not recorded in the earlier work. The pollen archive in organic sediments at the Star Carr site is now badly damaged. Any further pollen work there should be undertaken urgently but is probably not justifiable.
KW - Mesolithic
KW - Palynology
KW - Preservation
KW - Site deterioration
KW - Star Carr
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84961653883&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.03.010
DO - 10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.03.010
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84961653883
SN - 2352-409X
VL - 6
SP - 488
EP - 495
JO - Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
JF - Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
ER -