Commune: Włocławek (pow. włocławski, woj. kujawsko-pomorskie) , Włocławek (pow. Włocławek, woj. kujawsko-pomorskie)
Framework element or context represented:
Late Quaternary lake sediments.
Primary geological/geomorphological interest:
Standard sequence of Late Pleistocene and Holocene laminated sediments on the bottom of the lake.
Comparative assessment justification:
The standard profile of Late Glacial and Holocene stratigraphy.
Protection status and accessibility:
Lake Gościąż is protected since 2000 as the Gościąż Nature Reserve (225,05 ha) situated within the Gostyń-Włocławek Landscape Park (38524 ha).
Character of site: Postglacial lake.
Area: 45 ha
Altitude: 62 m a.s.l.
Lithology: other organic rocks
Discipline: Palaeoenvironment, Stratigraphy of Quaternary
Process Age: Holocene, Pleistocene, *all periods
Bedrock Age: Holocene, Pleistocene, *all periods
Description of primary interest:
Lake Gościąż is situated in Central Poland (150 km westward of Warszawa) on the high terrace of the Wisła (Vistula) river valley, within the Gostynin Lake District, in the marginal zone of the last Pleistocene glaciation. It covers the area of 45 ha and is up to 25,8 m deep. The lake originated from the melting of dead-ice within a depression formed by subglacial waters. Laminated sediments composed of light and dark colored bands of calcareous gyttja, up to 20 m thick have been found at the bottom of the lake using numerous sounding borers. The pair of light-dark laminas reflects the fluctuation of the climate during one year. The whole sequence enclosed about 13 000 years and was investigated by the complex of methods including statistics of time series, radiocarbon and palaeomagnetic dating, stable isotopes, chemical and mineralogical analysis, pollen, diatom and cladocera diagrams as well as numerical analysis of whole results. The absolute time scale for the Late Glacial and Holocene as the standard profile for the 14C no calibrated scale, supplemented by the reconstructions of plant succession, changes of the climate and environment as well as palaeoecological interpretation are the main goals of these investigations. The influence of the human impact during the Holocene was established additionally.
Literature:
GOSLAR T., ARNOLD M., BARD E., KUC T., PAZDUR M.F., RALSKA-JASIEWICZOWA M., RÓŻAŃSKI K., TISNERAT N., WALANUS A., WICIK B. & WIĘCKOWSKI K. 1995–High concentration of atmospheric 14C dring the Younger Dryas cold episode. Nature 377: 414-417. GOSLAR T., RALSKA-JASIEWICZOWA M., van GEEL B., ŁĄCKA B., SZEROCZYŃSKA K., CHRÓST K. & 1999–Anthropogenic changes in the sediment composition of Lake Gościąż (central Poland), during the last 330 years. Journal of Palaeolimnology 22: 171-185. RALSKA-JASIEWICZOWA M., van GEEL B. 1992–Early human disturbances of the natural environment recorded in annually laminated sediments of Lake Gościąż, central Poland. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 1: 33-42. RALSKA-JASIEWICZOWA M., GOSLAR T., STARKEL L., MADEYSKA T. (eds) 1998–Lake Gościąż, central Poland. A Monographic study. Part 1. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Science, Krakow. RALSKA-JASIEWICZOWA M., WICIK B., WIĘCKOWSKI K. 1987–Lake Gościąż - a site of annually laminated sediments covering 12000 years. Bulletin of the Polish Acad. Sci. Earth Sci. 35, 2: 127-137.