Morphology, genesis, and distribution of calcareous material in Late Weichselian sediments of the Rhine and Meuse rivers in the eastern part of the Netherlands.

Abstract

In Late Weichselian sediments of the rivers Rhine and Meuse locally and haphazardly calcareous sediments were deposited. Field investigation of a cross section through a calcareous sediment and subsequent micromorphological investigation of biological activity, decalcification and clay illuviation indicate that such local occurrences are slabs of frozen, calcareous sediments, transported and redeposited as floes during periglacial conditions. Sedimentation of the calcareous material is probably of Bolling age and was accompanied by bioturbation. Decalcification, transport and resedimentation as floes occurred during the Old Dryas. Early in the Allerod the material was strongly bioturbated. Clay illuviation should be dated in the Young Dryas and gley and pseudogley formation, finally, in the Holocene. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)