The fast death of a lake

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christian Stolz
• Subject Area: Physical Geography
• Term: from 2018 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 397204570

The research project deals with the Young Holocene interaction of a shallow channel lake in Schleswig-Holstein (North Germany) and an adjacent probably Late Glacial dune field, which was probably reactivated during Young Holocene. The lake shrank from more than 100 ha before 1800 AD to less than 5 ha today, due to different processes and artificial interference. So far, a detailed regard and a temporal classification of the shrinking process and the changes within the dune field are still missing. In particular, the influence of a probable dune reactivation to the lake and the existing of a presumed natural or artificial dam are still unknown. The investigation area is located in the North of Schleswig-Holstein along Lake Treßsee in the nature preserve area of Upper Treene Landscape. There is a close cooperation with the administration of the protection area. To answer open questions, drillings in the former lake basin and in the dune field are necessary. Dune sands, muds and organic relicts should be dated using OSL, AMS and pollen. Additionally, sediments and relief should be balanced and modelled using GIS and high definition digital landscape models. Furthermore, former pollutant inputs should be investigated, especially in consequence of the greasy wastewater of a sausage factory in the catchment. An important component of the project is the involvement of students in field and during laboratory work. For this purpose, a didactic concept was designed. Additionally, display boards in the field are planned. A Polish scientist should be involved in the project. Accordingly, travel expenses become applied. There were extensive prepares beforehand, dealing with the reconstruction of former lake levels using landscape models and fossil surfaces in the dune field. As a result, we were able to define different process regions in the former lake basin to reconstruct various processes of drying up of the lake. These results serve as a basis for the planned project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants