Holocene climatic events in Northern Arabia - Environmental changes and human response

• Applicants: Dr. Max Engel; Professor Dr. Peter Frenzel; Dr. Birgit Plessen
• Subject Area: Physical Geography
• Term: from 2014 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 266772869

The Arabian Peninsula experienced tremendous climatic and landscape changes during the late Quaternary. Climate archives, such as palaeo-lakes and speleothems, indicate an early Holocene humid period and gradual aridisation since then, leading to today's hyperarid conditions in major parts of Arabia. Whereas plenty of local records are available for the southern peninsula, evidence from its northern part is scarce and not many details regarding the onset of wet conditions and their impact on the physical landscape and cultural developments are known. This proposal aims at exploring the unique geoarchive of the palaeo-lake or sabkha, respectively, at Tayma (NW Saudi Arabia) in detail, which has already proven its excellent suitability. A high-resolution multi-proxy record of climate-, landscape-, and settlement-related parameters will be generated, including microfacies distribution, carbonate (Ca, Mg, Sr), carbon (total C [TC], total inorganic C [TIC], total organic C [TOC]), stable isotopes (d13C, d15N, d18O), indicative element content (micro-XRF), magnetic susceptibility, mineralogy (XRD), macrofauna (gastropod shells, barnacles), ostracods (diversity/abundance, valve-based isotopic composition, trace metal/Ca ratios, valve/carapace ratio, juvenile/adult ratio, dissolution features, sieve-pore analysis, noding, valve size distribution), foraminifers (diversity/abundance, test malformation), diatoms (diversity/abundance, diatom concentration, isotopic composition, planktic/benthic ratio), gyrogonites, lipid biomarkers, pollen and anthracological remains. This record, together with a robust AMS-14C- and OSL-based chronology, mapped geomorphic features of former lake level stands and the extensive archaeological record generated by a long-term excavation project at Tayma, will provide answers to a wide spectrum of burning research questions regarding landscape changes on a local and (supra-)regional scale, the source of additional early Holocene moisture, regional environmental response to rapid climate changes, and the influence on climatic and environmental changes on settlement patterns, socio-technological evolution, and economic practices.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Achim Brauer; Professor Dr. Helmut Brückner; Professor Dr. Gerd Gleixner; Dr. Philipp Hoelzmann; Dr. Reinder Neef; Dr. Anja Schwarz
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Ricardo Eichmann; Dr. Arnulf Hausleiter