Holocene relative mean sea‐level changes in the Wadden Sea area, northern Netherlands

A new reconstruction of Holocene relative mean sea-level changes in the Wadden Sea, northern Netherlands, reveals that early Holocene sea levels were lower and rose more steeply than previously thought for the western Netherlands. This challenges predictions from glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) models, which had suggested greater postglacial subsidence due to rebound effects from Fennoscandia. The study compiled basal peat radiocarbon dates to create this curve, finding that after 6400 calibrated years before present (cal a BP), the Wadden Sea's sea-level rise aligns statistically with western Netherlands data. This discrepancy raises questions about either the GIA model's accuracy or the quality of existing data. Researchers call for additional radiocarbon dating to resolve this inconsistency, emphasizing the need for more precise long-term sea-level data to inform models and understand vertical land motion.

Meijles, E. W., Kiden, P., Streurman, H.-J., van der Plicht, J., Vos, P. C., Gehrels, W. R., & Kopp, R. E. (2018). Holocene relative mean sea‐level changes in the Wadden Sea area, northern Netherlands. Journal of Quaternary Science, 33(8), 905–923. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3068