The influence of soil moisture, temperature and oxygen on the oxic decay of organic archaeological deposits

TY - JOUR

T1 - The influence of soil moisture, temperature and oxygen on the oxic decay of organic archaeological deposits

AU - Hollesen, Jørgen

AU - Matthiesen, H.

N1 - CENPERM[2015]

PY - 2015/4/1

Y1 - 2015/4/1

N2 - The sensitivity of organic-rich archaeological layers at Bryggen in Bergen, Norway, to changes in soil temperatures, water contents and oxygen concentrations is investigated. This is done by linking measurements of oxic decay at varying temperatures and water contents with on-site monitoring data using a one-pool decomposition model. The results show that the model can be used to elucidate the current in situ decay and to evaluate where and when the decay takes place. Future investigations need to include long-term incubation experiments and decay studies at zero or very low oxygen contents in order to improve the robustness of predictions.

AB - The sensitivity of organic-rich archaeological layers at Bryggen in Bergen, Norway, to changes in soil temperatures, water contents and oxygen concentrations is investigated. This is done by linking measurements of oxic decay at varying temperatures and water contents with on-site monitoring data using a one-pool decomposition model. The results show that the model can be used to elucidate the current in situ decay and to evaluate where and when the decay takes place. Future investigations need to include long-term incubation experiments and decay studies at zero or very low oxygen contents in order to improve the robustness of predictions.

KW - Bryggen

KW - Decay rate

KW - Decomposition Model

KW - Environmental Monitoring

KW - In situ Preservation

KW - Norway

U2 - 10.1111/arcm.12094

DO - 10.1111/arcm.12094

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0003-813X

VL - 57

SP - 362

EP - 377

JO - Archaeometry

JF - Archaeometry

IS - 2

ER -