Holocene geomorphodynamics of a rural catchment in the Pergamon micro-region (eastern Mediterranean)

A new study reveals that the Pergamon micro-region in western Türkiye experienced distinct phases of accelerated geomorphodynamics during the Holocene, shaped by both local human activities and regional climate fluctuations. Analysis of five sediment profiles from the Deliktaş catchment's alluvial fan, radiocarbon-dated to cover the entire Holocene period, identified seven sediment dynamic cycles. These cycles show that while Mid-Holocene aridization and rapid climate changes played a significant role, the increased human pressure during the Hellenistic–Roman transformation (ca. 2.5 ka BP) had less impact on geomorphodynamic activity than previously hypothesized. The study underscores the complex interplay between climatic systems and rural-urban cultural history in shaping landscape development, offering insights into regional-scale transformations in the eastern Mediterranean.

Yang, X., Becker, F., Nykamp, M., Ludwig, B., Doğan, M., & Schütt, B. (2023). Holocene geomorphodynamics of a rural catchment in the Pergamon micro-region (eastern Mediterranean). The Holocene, 33(11), 1407–1421. https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836231185837