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Are fossil assemblages in a single sediment core from a small lake representative of total deposition of mite, chironomid, and plant macrofossil remains?

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Abstract

How representative of the whole-lake fossil assemblage are analyses from a single sediment core taken in the centre of a small lake? This question was addressed in five shallow Norwegian lakes that ranged in location from low-altitude, boreal-deciduous forest to mid-alpine environments. Surface-sediment samples were taken from the deepest part of each lake and in two transects running from the lake centre to shore, and analysed for mites, chironomids, and plant remains. Ordination techniques summarised patterns of variation between and within lakes. Correlations between whole-lake assemblages and water depth and sediment organic content (loss-on-ignition) were investigated. Representativeness of each sample of the whole-lake assemblage was determined by comparing Principal Components Analysis scores of the original data with those of Monte Carlo-simulated data sets, using the actual data as constraints in the simulations. The majority of samples are representative of the whole-lake assemblages. Littoral samples, however, are most frequently unrepresentative or poorly representative samples. Water depth is an important controlling variable. A sediment core from the lake centre has the highest probability of representing the whole-lake assemblage. It may, however, also yield the lowest concentrations of terrestrial remains. A sediment core from the slope is slightly more likely to be unrepresentative of the total plant macrofossil assemblage, but generally has higher concentrations of terrestrial remains. These site differences should be considered when choosing a core location. Overall, the three fossil types are deposited in similar patterns. Therefore they can be satisfactorily analysed using a single core.

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Acknowledgments

Jan Berge, Aina Dahlø, Lapager Duorje, Jorunn Larsen, Endre Willassen, and Gaute Velle assisted with fieldwork. Mareile Andersson and Wenche Eide extracted the mites and plant macrofossils from the sediments, and assisted in the identification of the plant macrofossils. Arguitxu de la Riva Caballero, Torstein Solhøy, Ingelinn Aarnes, and Knut Helge Jensen provided valuable input regarding the analyses and interpretations. Oliver Heiri was financed by a Swiss National Science Foundation fellowship for prospective researchers (Fellowship 81BE-66224) and Marianne Presthus Heggen was financed by NORPEC, a NFR-funded Strategic University Program at the University of Bergen, co-ordinated by HJB Birks. NORPEC also financed the fieldwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Post Box 7803, 5020, Bergen, Norway

    Marianne Presthus Heggen, Hilary H. Birks, John-Arvid Grytnes & H. John B. Birks

  2. Faculty of Education, Bergen University College, Post Box 7030, 5020, Bergen, Norway

    Marianne Presthus Heggen

  3. Laboratory of Palaeobotany and Palynology, Palaeoecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Budapestlaan 4, 3584, CD Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Oliver Heiri

  4. Institute of Plant Sciences and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland

    Oliver Heiri

  5. Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    H. John B. Birks

  6. School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK

    H. John B. Birks

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  1. Marianne Presthus Heggen
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  2. Hilary H. Birks
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Correspondence to Marianne Presthus Heggen.

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Heggen, M.P., Birks, H.H., Heiri, O. et al. Are fossil assemblages in a single sediment core from a small lake representative of total deposition of mite, chironomid, and plant macrofossil remains?. J Paleolimnol 48, 669–691 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-012-9637-y

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