EGQSJ - recent articles

An MIS 8 terrestrial record retrieved from a glacially overdeepened basin in the northern foreland of the European Alps

2026-03-19T09:48:48+01:00

An MIS 8 terrestrial record retrieved from a glacially overdeepened basin in the northern foreland of the European Alps
Gustav Firla, Christopher Lüthgens, Thomas Burschil, Stephanie Neuhuber, Roberta Pini, Oscar Marchhart, Alexander Wieser, Clemens Schmalfuss, Ernst Kroemer, and Markus Fiebig
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 75, 85–105, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-75-85-2026, 2026
Depositional single-grain feldspar luminescence ages reveal the filling of a glacially overdeepened basin during Marine Isotope Stage 8, representing rare evidence of this time frame in the northern Alpine foreland. Reflection seismic surveys revealed two cross-cutting glacial basins. The dated sediments reveal significantly younger ages than previously assumed. This represents a first step in a re-evaluation of the established Quaternary depositional chronology of the Bavarian Alpine foreland.

Environmental reconstruction of the younger loess sequences of the Petrovaradin Fortress Palaeolithic site (Novi Sad, Serbia)

2026-03-18T09:48:48+01:00

Environmental reconstruction of the younger loess sequences of the Petrovaradin Fortress Palaeolithic site (Novi Sad, Serbia)
Slobodan B. Marković, Dušan Mihailović, Milica G. Bosnić, Petar Krsmanović, Philip D. Hughes, Aleksandar Pilipović, Mirjana Roksandić, Qingzhen Hao, Luo Wang, Jelena Kolundžija, Dušan Puhar, Rastko S. Marković, Tin Lukić, and Zoran M. Perić
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 75, 73–84, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-75-73-2026, 2026
This study explores past environments at a key archaeological site in Serbia to understand how climate and landscape influenced early human life. By analysing soil layers, fossils, and other natural markers, we found that the area offered a mix of habitats and stable conditions during the last ice age. These findings suggest that the region was an important refuge for people and animals, helping us to better understand human survival in changing climates.

Decoding loess geochemical signals of the Schwalbenberg – a key to terrestrial system response to millennial-timescale Upper Pleistocene climate changes in western central Europe

2026-02-26T09:48:48+01:00

Decoding loess geochemical signals of the Schwalbenberg – a key to terrestrial system response to millennial-timescale Upper Pleistocene climate changes in western central Europe
Mathias Vinnepand
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 75, 69–72, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-75-69-2026, 2026
This thesis abstract deals with strategies that have been developed to disentangle interfering geochemical signals in dust-based loess deposits, tested at the Schwalbenberg, Germany. Information on dust particle origin and that which has been obtained during their transport and post-depositional process make up the geochemical element composition. If this information can be decoded, loess deposits can be compared across continents, and the timing and nature of terrestrial system responses can be comprehended.

The fluvial anthroposphere of the Wiesent River catchment, northern Bavaria, Germany: review and first results

2026-02-26T09:48:48+01:00

The fluvial anthroposphere of the Wiesent River catchment, northern Bavaria, Germany: review and first results
Bastian E. W. W. Grimm, Alexander Voigt, Andreas Dix, Rainer Schreg, and Markus Fuchs
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 75, 49–67, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-75-49-2026, 2026
People have shaped rivers and floodplains in central Europe for thousands of years, but these changes are often hard to trace. We studied the Wiesent River in southern Germany to understand how farming, forest clearing, and river management transformed a natural wetland into a human-shaped landscape. By combining historical sources with field measurements and sediment samples, we show that human land use has strongly controlled floodplain development since medieval times.

Historical clay extraction from paleo-channel deposits of the late-glacial Bergstraßenneckar in the Upper Rhine Graben, southwestern Germany

2026-02-16T09:48:48+01:00

Historical clay extraction from paleo-channel deposits of the late-glacial Bergstraßenneckar in the Upper Rhine Graben, southwestern Germany
Felix Henselowsky, Annette Kadereit, Manuel Herzog, Barbara Tuczek, Heinrich Thiemeyer, Olaf Bubenzer, and Max Engel
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 75, 33–47, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-75-33-2026, 2026
The marshy, silted-up channel of the Late Glacial Bergstraßenneckar near Mannheim provided a rare source of clay in the sand- and gravel-dominated environment of the Rhine river. Based on satellite images, sedimentological, geophysical, and historical data, as well as optical dating, we identify a plot of sand-filled trenches where clay was mined around 1865 CE, which was only possible after groundwater lowering resulting from large-scale river regulation starting in the early 19th century.

Beryllium-10-derived denudation rates in the Roda Catchment, Germany

2026-02-12T09:48:48+01:00

Beryllium-10-derived denudation rates in the Roda Catchment, Germany
Lianqing Zhang, Yingkui Li, Oscar Marchhart, Silke Merchel, Alexander Wieser, and Roland Zech
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 75, 19–32, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-75-19-2026, 2026
This study presents cosmogenic 10Be-derived denudation rates from the Roda Catchment, central Germany. Denudation rates in Europe are generally higher than in other regions globally, indicating the influence of periglacial dynamics on denudation. Short-term erosion rates are lower than long-term denudation rates, despite intensive recent human activity. Differences between local and catchment-wide denudation imply a relief change of 0–28 mm kyr‒1 in the Roda Catchment over the past 10 ka.

The geomorphological and sedimentological legacy of the historical Lake Lorsch within the Weschnitz floodplain (northeastern Upper Rhine Graben, Germany)

2026-01-13T09:48:48+01:00

The geomorphological and sedimentological legacy of the historical Lake Lorsch within the Weschnitz floodplain (northeastern Upper Rhine Graben, Germany)
Felix Henselowsky, Peter Fischer, Elena Appel, Barbara Jäger, Nicolai Hillmus, Helen Sandbrink, Thomas Becker, Roland Prien, Gerrit Jasper Schenk, Bertil Mächtle, Udo Recker, Olaf Bubenzer, and Andreas Vött
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 75, 1–18, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-75-1-2026, 2026
The historical Lake Lorsch in the Upper Rhine Graben (Germany) is a good example of how humans have changed the fluvial and hydrological systems in the area for at least 500 years. Interdisciplinary research from geomorphology and historical sciences have reconstructed the history based on old maps, digital elevation models and drillings. The results show a sophisticated system of artificial in- and outflows, which partly still exist today, and represent long-term changes in the Weschnitz floodplain.

Eco-morphological changes and potential salmon habitat suitability since pre-industrial times in the Mulde River system (Germany)

2025-12-05T09:48:48+01:00

Eco-morphological changes and potential salmon habitat suitability since pre-industrial times in the Mulde River system (Germany)
Martin Offermann, Michael Hein, Ronja Hegemann, Kay Gödecke, Lucas Hegner, Yamuna Henke, Nele Schäfer, Hanna Shelukhina, Erik Liebscher, Severin Opel, Johannes Rabiger-Völlmer, Lukas Werther, and Christoph Zielhofer
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 325–354, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-325-2025, 2025
A multi-temporal study investigates river morphology, connectivity, and floodplain land use in the Mulde River system, focusing on the local extinction of Atlantic salmon. The study uses old maps to identify historical barriers and floodplain land use as a proxy for pollution. First results show a negative relationship between increasing barriers counts, intensive floodplain land use, and salmon populations. Sinuous and meandering channel patterns correspond to higher salmon presence.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of river channel patterns during the last 400 years south of Leipzig, Germany

2025-12-03T09:48:48+01:00

Spatiotemporal dynamics of river channel patterns during the last 400 years south of Leipzig, Germany
Johannes Schmidt, Sophie Lindemann, Felicitas Geißler, Michael Hein, Niels Lohse, Julia Schmidt-Funke, and Matthias Hardt
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 355–381, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-355-2025, 2025
This study shows how the Elster–Pleiße floodplain near Leipzig changed from a dynamic, anabranching river system to a mostly fixed river system. Using old maps and modern airborne surface structure mapping, researchers found that human activities like canals, mills, flood control, and sediment accumulation over time caused rivers to straighten and lose mobility. Understanding and quantifying these past changes can help guide future river restoration and flood management.

Sediment storage quantification in the Black Forest highlights tectonic influence on typically wide and shallow valleys

2025-11-24T09:48:48+01:00

Sediment storage quantification in the Black Forest highlights tectonic influence on typically wide and shallow valleys
Annette Sophie Bösmeier and Jan Henrik Blöthe
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 301–324, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-301-2025, 2025
We estimated the thickness, spatial distribution, and volumes of alluvial valley fills in the southwestern Black Forest utilizing an extensive borehole database to compile local valley cross sections and model sediment depth above bedrock. Our results reveal considerable spatial heterogeneity and underscore the importance of tectonic boundary conditions on the valley infill in addition to further geologic, hydrologic, and climatologic conditions and processes interacting with fluvial dynamics.

Transport of heavy minerals and heavy anthropogenic particles in the Rio Sella catchment and along the adjacent coast, northern Spain

2025-11-19T09:48:48+01:00

Transport of heavy minerals and heavy anthropogenic particles in the Rio Sella catchment and along the adjacent coast, northern Spain
Andreas Gärtner and Anja Sagawe
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 281–299, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-281-2025, 2025
Data from a geologically diverse river catchment in Spain show that certain types of rock provide minerals that are commonly used in the field of geoscience. Other lithologies present in the area do not contribute to the signal. This bias must be accounted for in all studies attempting to provide hinterland information by sampling river sediments. Then, a surprisingly high number of heavy particles of anthropogenic origin were found. These are not yet well represented in environmental studies.

From the 8.2 ka event to the Little Ice Age: Holocene cold periods and human impact recorded in alpine glaciofluvial peatlands (Silvretta Mountains, Switzerland)

2025-11-14T09:48:48+01:00

From the 8.2 ka event to the Little Ice Age: Holocene cold periods and human impact recorded in alpine glaciofluvial peatlands (Silvretta Mountains, Switzerland)
Clemens von Scheffer, François De Vleeschouwer, Gaël Le Roux, and Ingmar Unkel
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 263–279, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-263-2025, 2025
Alpine peatlands aged 10 000 years old were cored in the Swiss Fimba Valley to investigate their development and past environmental conditions. Sediment layers embedded in the peat show periods of glacier growth, which suppressed peat growth. Human impacts like pastoralism and deforestation began shaping the landscape from the Bronze Age onwards into what it is today. The impacts and potential effects on carbon accumulation and flood mitigation in the valley should be considered in land management practice.

Silts with a human touch: the shift from natural to anthropogenically controlled fluvial dynamics in the Kinzig River floodplains, southwestern Germany

2025-11-12T09:48:48+01:00

Silts with a human touch: the shift from natural to anthropogenically controlled fluvial dynamics in the Kinzig River floodplains, southwestern Germany
Charlotte E. Engelmann, Frank Preusser, Alexander Fülling, Jakob Wilk, Elisabeth Eiche, Dennis Quandt, Stefan Hergarten, and Jan H. Blöthe
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 235–262, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-235-2025, 2025
It is unclear since when and how meso-scale central European river systems have been dominated by human instead of natural influences. Here, the floodplain sediments of the Kinzig River, southwestern Germany, were studied as they recorded natural and human landscape changes. Sediment deposition phases were found, the modern phase of which coincides with increased deposition and heavy metal contaminations that correlate with mining records, indicating that the river system has shifted intensely over 1000 years.

Quaternary glaciations in Southern Africa? A “moraine” in the Lesotho highland revisited

2025-11-10T09:48:48+01:00

Quaternary glaciations in Southern Africa? A “moraine” in the Lesotho highland revisited
Venise S. Bayer, Margot Böse, Kai Hartmann, Joalane Marunye, and Frank Riedel
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 219–233, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-219-2025, 2025
The Drakensberg and Lesotho highlands serve as essential water sources. Uncertainty remains regarding the impact of rising global temperatures, prompting paleoclimatic reconstructions. However, the Last Glacial Maximum's paleoclimate conditions remain debated. Re-examination of a landscape feature challenges prior glacier associations. Our findings suggest no glacial link. Reassessing similar landforms in Lesotho's high-altitude areas is necessary for the LGM's paleoclimate implications.

The depositional age of glacio-lacustrine sediments (Salzburger Seeton) from the lower Salzach Valley, Austria

2025-11-03T09:48:48+01:00

The depositional age of glacio-lacustrine sediments (Salzburger Seeton) from the lower Salzach Valley, Austria
Gustav Firla, Markus Fiebig, Titus Rauter, and Christopher Lüthgens
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 213–218, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-213-2025, 2025
Glacio-lacustrine sediments from the overdeepened lower Salzach Valley were investigated. A 30 m long core retrieved sediments that could be identified as the “Salzburger Seeton”. Single-grain luminescence dating methods were applied on six samples spread over the whole depth of the core. The depositional age of these sediments was calculated to be 18.6 ± 0.9 ka. This time frame suggests that at least some shallow parts were filled by post-LGM (Last Glacial Maximum) lacustrine fine sediments.

Late Quaternary geomorphological processes and landscape evolution in the Khur Basin, central Iran

2025-10-23T09:48:48+02:00

Late Quaternary geomorphological processes and landscape evolution in the Khur Basin, central Iran
Zakieh Rashidi Koochi, Christian Büdel, Janek Walk, Markus Fuchs, Mehdi Torabi, Alireza Karimi, Roland Baumhauer, and Georg Stauch
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 193–212, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-193-2025, 2025
This study investigates the Khur Basin in central Iran, a crucial area for understanding landscape history, past environmental changes, and potential human migration. By analysing the sedimentary archives and mapping landforms, six stages of landscape development were identified, linked to the climate shifts over the late Quaternary period. The findings provide a detailed understanding of how a desert environment, including alluvial fans, dunes, and playas, developed in response to changing climates.

Luminescence dating of alluvial sediments from the Quaternary fan–terrace sequence of the lower Bruche valley, Upper Rhine Graben, France

2025-10-17T09:48:48+02:00

Luminescence dating of alluvial sediments from the Quaternary fan–terrace sequence of the lower Bruche valley, Upper Rhine Graben, France
Madhurima Marik, Elena Serra, Gilles Rixhon, and Frank Preusser
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 169–192, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-169-2025, 2025
This study examines the evolution of the lower Bruche River valley in north-eastern France through its fluvial terraces, reflecting past river dynamics and environmental changes. Terrace formations are dated using luminescence to ~ 12–14 ka, ~ 27–35 ka, and at least 200 ka. Methodological improvements over conventional luminescence dating techniques are also discussed and refined in this study.

The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) glacier network of the Valsugana area (south-eastern European Alps and Prealps, NE Italy)

2025-10-02T09:48:48+02:00

The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) glacier network of the Valsugana area (south-eastern European Alps and Prealps, NE Italy)
Lukas Rettig, Sandro Rossato, Sarah Kamleitner, Paolo Mozzi, Susan Ivy-Ochs, Enrico Marcato, Marcus Christl, Silvana Martin, and Giovanni Monegato
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 151–168, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-151-2025, 2025
The work shows detailed reconstructions of the glaciers in the Valsugana area (south-eastern Alps) during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and is supported by robust evidence and new exposure datings. These are the first ages for the internal sector of the south-eastern Alps. Local glaciers not connected with the major ice network were used for the calculation of their equilibrium line altitude. This let us estimate LGM palaeoprecipitation and compare it to Alpine palaeoclimatological models.

Preface to the special issue “Quaternary research in times of change – inspired by INQUA Roma 2023”

2025-08-25T09:48:48+02:00

Preface to the special issue “Quaternary research in times of change – inspired by INQUA Roma 2023”
Gilles Rixhon, Julia Meister, and Ingmar Unkel
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 147–149, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-147-2025, 2025
This article is the preface of the special issue "Quaternary research in times of change – inspired by INQUA Roma 2023". It is a result of the XXI INQUA Congress held in Rome in July 2023. It briefly presents the nine contributions published in this volume.

A millennium of ore mining and smelting in the eastern Harz: a geospatial database spanning from the medieval period to the 20th century

2025-08-21T09:48:48+02:00

A millennium of ore mining and smelting in the eastern Harz: a geospatial database spanning from the medieval period to the 20th century
Johannes Keßels, Anna Swieder, Philipp Schulte, Götz Alper, Christopher Tober, Susanne Friederich, and Frank Lehmkuhl
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 74, 129–145, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-74-129-2025, 2025
This paper presents the current state of research on mining history in the Selke River catchment as part of the eastern Harz vein district. We used different archives to compile and localise information about former mines/mining fields and smelting sites. The extraction and operation periods of these sites provide further information on possible signals in the overbank deposits due to mining activity, providing a basis for further analysis and interpretation of alluvial deposits.