The Lateglacial-Early Holocene dynamics of the sedimentation environment based on the multi-proxy abiotic study of Lieporiai palaeolake, Northern Lithuania

New data were obtained from the sedimentary sequence study of Lieporiai palaeolake, Northern Lithuania, employing a multi-proxy abiotic approach, for the description of the Lateglacial-Early Holocene palaeoenvironmental dynamics in the basin. The study reveals significant differences in sediments deposited in the Lateglacial, at the end of Lateglacial/Early Holocene and in the Late Holocene time periods. Six main environmental stages are described. After glacial retreat, the formed landscape was re-organized by very fast currents that might have appeared later than previously thought. Rapid water flow stabilized and lacustrine sedimentation began together with the appearance of scarce pioneer vegetation shortly before 14 600 cal yr BP, (GI-1e). The development of the lake with mostly undisturbed sedimentation continued up to the final stages of the Lateglacial Interstadial. The warm period caused maximum precipitation of Ca and Sr carbonates, which strongly affected sediment saturation with other components. Increase in humidity in the later Lateglacial Stadial (GS-1) period is indicated by the abrupt appearance of the coarser-sized mineral matter accompanied by weathering elements, i.e. Ti, Al, Si, Mg, and the early immigration of Picea. About 11 500 cal yr BP, the mineral matter input started decreasing, and stabilization of the climate regime began about 10 200 cal yr BP. (A)biotic proxies highlight slow sedimentation mechanisms that recover shallow- and trophic-lake stages. The Lieporiai palaeolake record clearly shows the sedimentation hiatus between the Early and the Middle Holocene. Further stages are characterized by paludification processes. Finally, peat accumulation was interrupted by humans.