Pál Sümegi - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Pál Sümegi

Investigation of a small peatbog in northern Hungary provides a late Quaternary record of vegetat... more Investigation of a small peatbog in northern Hungary provides a late Quaternary record of vegetation development effected by climatic changes and anthropogenic disturbances. The aim of this study was to separate climatic signals from the development of a continental eutrophic peatland with the use of plant macrofossil analysis. The development of water catchment is reconstructed using pollen and geochemical analyses. The formation of the lakebed can be traced back to the Late Glacial. A higher water level with oligotrophic conditions can be existed from the Late Glacial to middle Holocene, when the reed beds covered a small area only. This was followed by a hiatus spanning ca. 4400 years, caused by peat cutting during the Imperial Age. The water level decreased and the water quality was more eutrophic. A reed bed evolved around the lake. Terrestrialization started with a bulrush floating mat phase at the close of the Árpádian Age, ca. cal yr AD 1400. The initiation of the Sphagnum-b...

Central European Journal of Geosciences, 2010

More than 5 500 specimens of 37 terrestrial snail species were collected from a loess paleosol se... more More than 5 500 specimens of 37 terrestrial snail species were collected from a loess paleosol section at Zmajevac village, Croatia. The presence of Ena montana, Mastus bielzi, Cochlodina laminata, Macrogastra ventricosa, Clausilia pumila, Clausilia dubia, Pseudofusulus varians, Trichia unidentata and Trichia edentula species from the lower paleosol layer suggests that this malacological zone formed during the initial phase of a Middle Pleistocene interglacial cycle.

Radiocarbon

The peat bog at Homoródszentpál Kerek-tó (Round Lake), situated in Homoród Hills of the Eastern C... more The peat bog at Homoródszentpál Kerek-tó (Round Lake), situated in Homoród Hills of the Eastern Carpathians in Romania, provides a continuous record of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes from the Early Holocene. In this study, we present a 7500-year-long high-resolution record of past climatic changes and signs of human impact recorded in a peat bog via integrating sedimentological, paleoecological and geochemical proxies. The basin of Round Lake formed around the Pleistocene–Holocene border when the permafrost thawed. Ponded water accumulated in the catchment basin from the beginning of the Holocene but ca. 7500 cal BP years ago lacustrine sedimentation was exchanged for peat accumulation. The 570-cm-long core was subsampled at 2–4 cm intervals and subjected to grain-size, loss-on-ignition (LOI), pollen, and radiocarbon (14C) analyses. Our findings were correlated with and interpreted in the light of paleobotanical records deriving from archaeological sites and the newest...

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

Open Geosciences, 2016

The peat bog at Ócsa is located at the northern part of the Danube-Tisa Interfluves at the transi... more The peat bog at Ócsa is located at the northern part of the Danube-Tisa Interfluves at the transitional zone of two landscapes with different morphological characters. At the boundary of the Danube-Tisa Interfluves and the Danube-along Plain a marshland sequence can be found from Hajós to Ócsa. We extended our research to the Ócsa peat bog to complete the environmental historical investigations in the examined area, as well.The bog is located in a former pool formed by the Danube River in which aeolian sand and thick lake sediment deposited from the Late Pleistocene. The initial oligotrophic lake became mesotrophic, therefore thick carbonate sediment deposited. Afterwards, as a consequence of the Neolithic human occupations, the natural development of the lake changed drastically and the lake choked up. The pollen and quartermalacological analysis of the area support the mentioned geological processes.

A kora neolitikum során a Kárpát-medence fontos közvetíti szerepet játszott az európai kultúrák k... more A kora neolitikum során a Kárpát-medence fontos közvetíti szerepet játszott az európai kultúrák kialakulásában és terjedésében. A Körös kultúra települései két eltérő környezethez kapcsolódnak. Az. ideiglenes településeket a holocén kon, időnként árvíz/el elöntött ártereken találjuk, mig az állandó településeket a pleisztocén kori maradványfelszíneken A kétféle településen az eltérő környezeti tényezők (hidrológia, talajtan, morfológia, növényzet, állatvilág) miatt eltérő gazdálkodási módot folytattak. Ugyanez a mozaikos környezel játszott szerepet a késő neolitikum során kialakuló lelltelepülések esetében is rcgcszeti geológia, holocén. Körös kultúra, neolit települések Kulcsszavak:

In the area of Püspökfürdő a geological section was elaborated by the Prospect Geo 2000 S.R.L. fr... more In the area of Püspökfürdő a geological section was elaborated by the Prospect Geo 2000 S.R.L. from Oradea, from which 42 pieces of sediment samples from every 20 cm of the section were handed over for malacological examinations. After dual fl otation and sorting, the samples yielded 10,945 specimens of 10 species and the upper 40 samples yielded more than 100 specimens (statistically accepted). Only the lower two contained less than 100 specimens but these samples were remarkably fi t to the malacological changes of the lower part, thus they were usable during the assessment. As a result of the malacological, paleoecological and statistical examinations 3 paleoecological zones can be separated, each of them showing different environmental conditions. The fi rst paleoecological zone (by faunal composition) indicates a shallow, 15-23°C temperature stream-system, formed during the ice age, probably during the Würmian glaciation. Then, during the second half of the Würmian glaciation, it transformed into a 2-3 metre deep, oligomesotrophic lake system. In this temperate, lime-salt-rich, clean, well trans-illuminated water the SE-European Fagotia acicularis, evolved during the Middle Pleistocene, was the sole ruler, its dominance being over 80% in each sample. This species is thermophilous as like as Theodoxus prevostianus: based on the presence of both species the examined 6 area was a refuge of SE-European and Pannonian species at the end of the ice age, due to the relatively mild local environment. Simultaneously, the ice age water environment could be unbalanced, probably because of the shortness of the growth season, i.e. the rate of juvenile specimens in the examined fauna was high (between 50-70%), and therefore the mortality and the selection among the juvenile specimens was signifi cant. A characteristic peak in diversity appeared at the beginning of the Holocene, after which Fagotia acicularis was driven into the background and soon disappeared, and parallel with that Melanopsis parreyssii appeared and became dominant (over 80%) as Fagotia acicularis was during the Pleistocene. The morphological changes among the parts of the genealogical line suggest that Melanopsis parreyssii is an eco-form of Fagotia acicularis, adapted to the 28-32°C warm thermal conditions. As a result of the genetic analyses on recent snail-shells (Smolen & Falniowski, 2009) it is just possible that this eco-form established itself and started a speciation process during the Holocene. As refl ected in the composition of the fauna, the thermal hydro-geological system choked up and the temperature of the thermal water, broken out along tectonic fault lines, slightly increased, to over 30°C. In parallel the area and the water level of the Ice Age origin lake system decreased, and a warm water, eutrophic lake was formed in the examined area. Probably a gully established at the extensive, deeper, Ice Age origin lake system. Thus the lacustrine conditions could only remain at the deepest parts, near the tectonic fault lines of the territory, where the thermal water rush up in a cornet-like shape. This is the model that, in 1863, the Austrian geologist Heinrich Wolf described for the Püspökfürdő lake system, which explains the decrease in the level and mass of the water. Our data prove that the protected, Pannonian endemic mollusc species evolved and survived in this lake, thus the protection of the territory could have been fundamental, but unfortunately, because of the recent hotel constructions, the thermal and the ground water level dangerously decreased, and this is the reason why Theodoxus prevostianus became extinct and Melanopsis parreyssii is on the brink of extinction.

The present study focuses on the investigation of silicified plant remains (phytoliths) deriving ... more The present study focuses on the investigation of silicified plant remains (phytoliths) deriving from the wall of a Sarmatian kiln in order to asses the provenience of the material used for constructing the kiln itself. It also aims to determine the type and origin of the fuel used for firing, which could not have been determined from other plant remains (charcoal, pollen). As shown by our findings, the fuel used for firing was wood probably from the nearby floodplain gallery forests of the river Danube. The vegetation inferred from the phytoliths of the Sarmatian occupation horizon indicates forest-steppe/dry steppe conditions.

Considering climatic, bedrock and soil conditions from the viewpoint of early agriculture these c... more Considering climatic, bedrock and soil conditions from the viewpoint of early agriculture these conditions seem to form a limit within the Carpathian Basin which determined the chances of the northern distribution of Early Neolithic Körös-Starčevo culture of Balkan origin. We called this line, which during the Early Neolithic limited the northern distribution of Balkan type neolithization in the Carpathian Basin, Central European-Balkan Agroecological Barrier (CEB AEB).

Three programs of medieval environmental history research of fourteen sites was undertaken betwee... more Three programs of medieval environmental history research of fourteen sites was undertaken between 1998 and 2008 as part of the "Evolution of the Hungarian mires, peats and marshes", "Environment history of Hungary", and "Geoarcheological investigations of Hungary" projects. This present study was to demonstrate the facilities of paleoecological and paleoclimatological investigations (pollen, macrofossil, sediment works) completed on the core sequence of the Nádas Lake at Nagybárkány (Hungary). The Nádas Lake at Nagybárkány is a small peat-bog in the eastern Cserhát Mountains. The formation of the lake can be traced back to the late Glacial. The sediments deposited in the lakebed provide a record of climatic and hydrologic changes. A higher water level could be demonstrated from the late Glacial to the mid-Holocene, when the reed-beds covered a small area only. This was followed by a hiatus spanning about 5000 years, caused by the deepening of the lakebed during the Imperial Age, around 20-50 AD. The water level decreased and the water quality was more eutrophic. A reed-bed evolved around the lake. Paludification started with a bulrush floating mat phase at the close of the Middle Age, ca. 1300 AD. The initiation of the Sphagnum-bog underwent similar phases as in the other Hungarian peat-bogs. Although some anthropogenic disturbances can be reconstructed in the development of the peatland, some climatic effects and authogenic processes might be separated by paleoecological analyses.

Quaternary Science Reviews

ABSTRACT Records of past climate variability and associated vegetation response exist in various ... more ABSTRACT Records of past climate variability and associated vegetation response exist in various regions throughout Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). To date, there has been no coherent synthesis of the existing palaeorecords. During an INTIMATE meeting (Cluj Napoca, Romania) focused on identifying CEE paleo-records, it was decided to address this gap by presenting the palaeo-community with a compilation of high-quality climatic and vegetation records for the past 60e8 ka. The compilation should also serve as a reference point for the use in the modelling community working towards the INTIMATE project goals, and in data-model inter-comparison studies. This paper is therefore a compilation of up to date, best available quantitative and semi-quantitative records of past climate and biotic response from CEE covering this period. It first presents the proxy and archive used. Speleothems and loess mainly provide the evidences available for the 60e20 ka interval, whereas pollen records provide the main source of information for the Lateglacial and Holocene. It then examines the temporal and spatial patterns of climate variability inferred from different proxies, the temporal and spatial magnitude of the vegetation responses inferred from pollen records and highlights differences and similarities between proxies and sub-regions and the possible mechanisms behind this variability. Finally, it identifies weakness in the proxies and archives and their geographical distribution. This exercise also provides an opportunity to reflect on the status of research in the area and to identify future critical areas and subjects of research.

Quaternary …, 2011

The present study discusses the findings of detailed stratigraphical, sedimentological, geochemic... more The present study discusses the findings of detailed stratigraphical, sedimentological, geochemical and paleoecological investigations implemented as part of a 1990 campaign to Pécsi's studied profile at Hungary's important Danubian loess profile at ...

Quaternary International

ABSTRACT a b s t r a c t A Quaternary site at Drmno (comprising of Middle and Late Pleistocene lo... more ABSTRACT a b s t r a c t A Quaternary site at Drmno (comprising of Middle and Late Pleistocene loessepalaeosol sequences) near Kostolac, northeast Serbia, attracted attention from the general public and scientists, when several steppe mammoth and other mammal skeletons from Middle Pleistocene fluvial deposits were discovered in 2009 and 2012. This paper presents the combination of malacological and enviromagnetic analyses, preliminary luminescence dating, litho-pedostratigraphic and palaeo-relief investigations that were applied to the Nosak loessepalaeosol sequence for the 2012 findings. The results confirm and emphasize the antiquity of the sediments preserved in the Nosak section and demonstrate the significance of the detailed and relatively complete palaeoenvironmental record they contain. These discoveries can significantly contribute to setting the background towards an improved understanding of the evolution of mammoths on the European continent. Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.

This is a contribution to the reconstruction of the eolian transport processes and wind direction... more This is a contribution to the reconstruction of the eolian transport processes and wind directions in southeastern Europe during the Weichselian Pleniglacial. The study is based on eight loess sections: three west and five east of the Carpathian Mountains. The loess dispersal patterns in the area is interpreted by the loess grain-size distribution and mass accumulation rates (MARs) in relation to the topography. The grainsize dataset is subdivided in four endmembers (EMs) by means of the endmember modelling algorithm EMMA. The temporal evolution of the individual EMs is based on a number of absolute datings (25 IRSL and one 14 C). The MARs and proportions are calculated per unit of the Pleniglacial (Early, Middle and Late). Both the MAR-results and the EM proportions suggest a prevailing western wind during the Early and Middle Pleniglacial and a dominant northwestern wind during the Late Pleniglacial.

Quaternary

The loess-paleosol profile near the settlement of Pécel has a notable size among the loess-paleos... more The loess-paleosol profile near the settlement of Pécel has a notable size among the loess-paleosol sequences of the Northern Carpathian territories. Therefore, comprehensive sedimentological examinations were performed to understand the profile and the information preserved in it. The past periodicity and intensity of winds were showed by particle composition studies (GSI, U-ratio). At least two source areas can be presumed based on geochemical indices (CIA, CIW, Rb/Sr, Zr/Rb). Based on the characteristics of the chemical composition of sulphide minerals (P, S, Pb, Ni, As sulphides), the lower 10 m of the profile was supposed to be transported from the NW direction (Buda Thermal Karst, Börzsöny, Cserhát). Sufficient information is not yet available in order to determine the source area of the upper 10 m. By using the mentioned indexes, major developing and weathering horizons also could be identified.

Journal of Quaternary Science