Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Säynäjälampi and the difficulties inherent in the dating of sediments in a hard-water lake

  • Part One: Method and Their Application
  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Previous measurements of the 14C activity of lake sediments and Potamogeton plants from Säynäjälampi, collected in 1970, indicated a severe hard-water effect (Donner et al. 1971). Samples from new cores, collected in 1977, were sliced into thin sections down to 18 cm. The 14C concentration in samples down to 7 cm was similar to that obtained by the Helsinki Laboratory. The corresponding apparent 14C age is almost 2 000 years. Light-coloured layers, apparently due to catchment drainage, were used together with density diagrams to correlate the cores. The drainage history gives a time-scale showing that the lowest samples dated to correlate the cores. The drainage history gives a time-scale showing that the lowest samples dated were just old enough to be pre-bomb sediments. Three samples of submerged plants were also examined, indicating some exchange with the air and an appreciable reservoir age. The activity of the plants was significantly lower in 1978 than in 1970. One sample, well below the lowest drainage stratum, indicates a reservoir age of ca. 1 100 years. This sample yielded an apparent age of the INS fraction which was significantly different from that of the SOL fraction. The difference was determined to ca. 600 years.

Total 210Pb was determined via 210Po using isotope dilution while 226Ra was measured with the help of radon emanation. The 226Ra was used to estimate the supported 210Pb. The unsupported 210Pb showed a higher sediment accumulation rate for the top nine cm of one core (the length investigated was 16.5 cm). The varying accumulation rate was explained by human activities, as could be seen from the heterogenous sediment composition of the cores.

Recent vegetational change is described from direct observations since 1957. Pollen analysis does not give any reliable indication of agriculture.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aller, R. C., Benninger, L. K. & Cochran, J. K., 1980. Tracking particle-associated processes in nearshore environments by use of 234Th/238U disequilibrium. Earth and Planet. Sci. Lett. 47: 161–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartlett, H. H., 1951. Radiocarbon datability of peat, marl, caliche, and archaeological materials. Science 114: 55–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Behre, K.-E., 1981. The interpretation of anthropogenic indicators in pollen diagrams. Pollen et Spores 23: 225–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benninger, L. K., Aller, R. C., Cochran, J. K. & Turekian, K. K., 1979. Effects of biological sediment mixing on the 210Pb chronology and trace metal distribution in a Long Island Sound sediment core. Earth and Planet. Sci. Lett. 43: 241–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donner, J. J., 1972. Pollen frequencies in the Flandrian sediments of Lake Vakojärvi, south Finland. Commentationes Biol. 53: 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donner, J. J., Jungner, H. & Vasari, Y., 1971. The hard-water effect on radiocarbon measurements of samples from Säynäjälampi, north-east Finland. Commentationes Biol. 41: 307–310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eakins, J. D. & Morrison, R. T., 1976. A new procedure for the determination of lead-210 in lake and marine sediments. United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Harwell, AERE-R8475.

  • El-Daoushy, M. F. A. F., 1978. Low-level alpha and beta activity measurements and dating applications (Thesis), Uppsala University, Institute of Physics.

  • El-Daoushy, M. F. A. F., 1981a. Stability of two silicon detectors in low-level alpha counting. In: Methods of Low-level Counting and Spectrometry, 151–160. IAEA, Vienna.

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Daoushy, M. F. A. F., 1981b. An ionization chamber and a Si-detector for lead-210 chronology. Nucl. Instr. Methods 188: 647–656.

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Daoushy, F., 1982a. Dating techniques suitable for deposits younger than 500y. Eleventh Inter. Cong. on Sedimentology-symp. 35: Geochronology of Recent Deposits.

  • El-Daoushy, M. F. A. F., 1982b. Lead-210 and its environmental and sedimentological applications. Geol. Fören. Stockholm Förh. 104: 270–271.

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Daoushy, F., Tolonen, K. & Rosenberg, R., 1982. The lead-210 and the moss-increment dating of two Finnish Sphagnum-hummocks. Nature 296: 429–431.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, J. B., Lick, W. J., McCall, P. L. & Robbins, J. A., 1980. Vertical mixing of lake sediments by tubificid oligochaetes. J. Geophys. Res. 85: 3997–4006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, E. D., 1963. Geochronology with lead-210. In: Radioactive Dating, 121–131. IAEA, Vienna.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hackman, V. & Wilkman W. W., 1925. Suomen geologinen yleiskartta. (The general geological map of Finland). Sheet D6, Kuolajärvi.

  • Hackman, V. & Wilkman, W. W., 1929. Suomen geologinen yleiskartta. Lehti D6, Kuolajärvi. Kivilajikartan selitys. Suomen geol. toimikunta — Geol. Kommissionen i Finland. Helsinki. 142 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hakala, I., 1971. A new model of the Kajak bottom sampler, and other improvements in the zoobenthos sampling technique. Ann. Zool. Fennici 8: 331–335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ilvessalo, Y., 1960. Suomem metsät kartakkeiden valossa. (Summary: The forests of Finland in the light of maps.) Comm. Inst. Forestalis Fenniae 52(2): 1–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koide, M., Bruland, K. W. & Goldberg, E. D., 1973. Th-228/Th-232 and Pb-210 geochronologies in marine and lake sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 37: 1171–1187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maristo, L., 1941. Die Seetypen Finnlands auf floristischer und vegetationsphysiognomischer Grundlage. Ann. Bot. Soc. ‘Vanamo’ 15(5): 1–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Megumi, K., 1978. A problem in 210Pb geochronologies of sediments. Nature 274: 885–887.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nydal, R., Lövseth, K. & Skogseth, F. H., 1980. Transfer of bomb 14C to the ocean surface. Radiocarbon 22: 626–635.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oldfield, F., Appleby, P. G. & Battarbee, R. W., 1978. Alternative 210Pb dating: results from the New Guinea Highlands and Lough Erne. Nature 271: 339–342.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsson, I. U., 1972a. The pretreatment of samples and the interpretation of the results of C14 determinations. In: Vasari, Y., Hyvärinen, H. & Hicks, S. (Eds.), Proc. Symposium on Climatic Changes in Arctic Areas during the last 10 000 years. pp. 9–34. Acta Univ. Ouluensis. A. 3. 1972. Geol. 1.

  • Olsson, I. U., 1972b. The C14 dating of samples for botanical studies of prehistoric agriculture in northern Ångermanland. Early Norrland 1: 35–41. Stockholm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsson, I. U., 1973. A critical analysis of 14C datings of deposits containing little carbon. In: Proc. 8th Int. Conf. Radiocarbon Dating; Lower Hutt, Oct. 18–25, 1972. pp. 547–564. Royal Society of New Zealand, Wellington.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsson, I. U., 1979. The radiocarbon contents of various reservoirs. In: Berger, R. & Suess, H. E. (Eds.), Radiocarbon dating, 9th Internat. Radiocarbon Conf., Proc. pp. 613–618. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley Los Angeles.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsson, I. U., 1982. Dating non-terrestrial materials. In: Proc. 1st International Symp. on C-14 and Archaeology, in print.

  • Olsson, I. U. & Florin, M.-B., 1980. Radiocarbon dating of dy and peat in the Getsjö area, Kolmården, Sweden, to determine the rational limit of Picea. Boreas 9: 289–305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennington, W., Cambray, R. S., Eakins, J. D. & Harkness, D. D., 1976. Radionuclide dating of the recent sediments of Blelham Tarn. Freshwater Biol. 6: 317–331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prentice, I. C., 1978. Modern pollen spectra from lake sediments in Finland and Finnmark, North Norway. Boreas 7: 131–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robbins, J. A., 1978. Geochemical and geophysical applications of radioactive lead. In: Nriagu, J. O. (Ed.), The Biogeochemistry of Lead in the Environment. pp. 285–393. Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press.

  • Robbins, J. A. & Edgington, D. N., 1975. Determination of sedimentation rates in Lake Michigan using Pb-210 and Cs-137. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 39: 285–304.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saarnisto, M., 1979. Applications of annually laminated lake sediments; a review. In: Vasari, Y., Saarnisto, M. & Seppälä, M. (Eds.), Proc. Working Session of Comm. on Holocene-INQUA. pp. 97–108. Acta Univ. Ouluensis. A. 82. 1979. Geol. 3.

  • Saarnisto, M., Huttunen, P. & Tolonen, K., 1977. Annual lamination in Lake Lovojärvi, southern Finland, during the past 600 years. Ann. Bot. Fennici 14: 35–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, I. N. & Walton, A., 1980. Sediment accumulation rates and geochronologies measured in the Saguenay Fjord using the Pb-210 dating method. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 44: 225–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, R., Bloemendal, J., Dearing, J. A., Oldfield, F., Rummery, T. A., Stober, I.C. & Turner, G. M., 1980. Environmental applications of magnetic measurements. Science 207: 481–486.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vasari, Y., 1962. A study of the vegetational history of the Kuusamo district (North East Finland) during the Late-quaternary period. Ann. Bot. Soc. ‘Vanamo’ 33 (1): 1–140 + Appendix.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vasari, Y., 1963. Studies on the vegetational history of the Kuusamo district (North East Finland) during the Late-quaternary period. II. Radiocarbon datings. Preliminary report. Arch. Soc. ‘Vanamo’ 18(2): 121–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vuorinen, J., 1978. The influence of past land use on the sediments of a small lake. Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol. 25: 443–451.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physics, University of Uppsala, Sweden

    Ingrid U. Olsson & Farid El-Daoushy

  2. Department of Botany, University of Helsinki, Finland

    Yrjö Vasari

Authors
  1. Ingrid U. Olsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Farid El-Daoushy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yrjö Vasari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Olsson, I.U., El-Daoushy, F. & Vasari, Y. Säynäjälampi and the difficulties inherent in the dating of sediments in a hard-water lake. Hydrobiologia 103, 5–14 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00028421

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00028421

Keywords

Search

Navigation