Paleoenvironmental studies on Lake Bergsee, Black Forest, Germany

Bergsee is a small lake in the southern foothills of the Black Forest, Germany. The lake basin sedimentary infill consists of late Pleistocene silts and clayey silts and late Pleistocene and Holocene organic lake deposits. Radiocarbon measurements address the oldest recovered sediments an age of more than 29'000 uncal. C-14 years BP. Thus, the data presented here cover the whole Late Wurm and Holocene. The study of the sediments, their pollen content and late Pleistocene chironomid fauna in addition to geomagnetic and geochemical investigations facilitated the reconstruction of past changes in climate and environment as well as the deciphering of natural hazards such as distant volcanic activities as in case of the Laachersee tephra (LST).