Migration and diversity in Roman Britain: a multidisciplinary approach to immigrants in Roman York, England

Previous anthropological investigations at Trentholme Drive, in Roman York identified an unusual amount of cranial variation amongst the inhabitants, with some individuals suggested as having originated from the Middle East or North Africa. The current study investigates the validity of this assessment using modern anthropological methods to assess cranial variation in two groups: The Railway and Trentholme Drive. Strontium and oxygen isotope evidence derived from the dentition of 43 of these individuals was combined with the craniometric data to provide information on possible levels of migration and the range of homelands that may be represented. The results of the craniometric analysis indicated that the majority of the York population had European origins, but that 11% of the Trentholme Drive and 12% of The Railway study samples were likely of African decent. Oxygen analysis identified four incomers, three from areas warmer than the UK and one from a cooler or more continental climate. Although based on a relatively small sample of the overall population at York, this multidisciplinary approach made it possible to identify incomers, both men and women, from across the Empire. Evidence for possible second generation migrants was also suggested. The results confirm the presence of a heterogeneous population resident in York and highlight the diversity, rather than the uniformity, of the population in Roman Britain. Am J Phys Anthropol 140:546-561, 2009. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Seasonality of modern pollen and sediment deposition in an estuarine context: the Severn Estuary Levels, southwest England

Recent sedimentological and palynological research on subfossil Holocene banded sediments from the Severn Estuary Levels suggested seasonality of deposition, registered by variations in mineral grain-size and pollen assemblages between different parts of the bands. Here we provide data that strengthen this interpretation from sampling of modern sediments and pollen deposition on an active mudflat and saltmarsh on the margin of the Severn Estuary, and comparison with a vegetation survey and contemporary records of climate, river and tidal regimes. The results of grain-size analysis indicate deposition of comparatively coarse-grained silts during the relatively cool and windy conditions of winter and comparatively fine-grained sediments during relatively warm and calm summer months. Pollen analysis demonstrates the significance of long-term storage of pollen grains and fern spores in the estuarine waterbody, superimposed on which seasonal variations in pollen inputs from local and regional vegetation remain detectable. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Representative Soil Sampling Scheme of England and Wales: the spatial variation of topsoil nutrient status and pH between 1971 and 2001

The Representative Soil Sampling Scheme (RSSS) has monitored the soil of agricultural land in England and Wales since 1969. Here we describe the first spatial analysis of the data from these surveys using geostatistics. Four years of data (1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001) were chosen to examine the nutrient (available K, Mg and P) and pH status of the soil. At each farm, four fields were sampled; however, for the earlier years, coordinates were available for the farm only and not for each field. The averaged data for each farm were used for spatial analysis and the variograms showed spatial structure even with the smaller sample size. These variograms provide a reasonable summary of the larger scale of variation identified from the data of the more intensively sampled National Soil Inventory. Maps of kriged predictions of K generally show larger values in the central and southeastern areas (above 200 mg L-1) and an increase in values in the west over time, whereas Mg is fairly stable over time. The kriged predictions of P show a decline over time, particularly in the east, and those of pH show an increase in the east over time. Disjunctive kriging was used to examine temporal changes in available P using probabilities less than given thresholds of this element. The RSSS was not designed for spatial analysis, but the results show that the data from these surveys are suitable for this purpose. The results of the spatial analysis, together with those of the statistical analyses, provide a comprehensive view of the RSSS database as a basis for monitoring the soil. These data should be taken into account when future national soil monitoring schemes are designed.

Floodplain environmental change during the Younger Dryas and Holocene in Northwest Europe: Insights from the lower Kennet Valley, south central England

Many lowland rivers across northwest Europe exhibit broadly similar behavioural responses to glacial-interglacial transitions and landscape development. Difficulties exist in assessing these, largely because the evidence from many rivers remains limited and fragmentary. Here we address this issue in the context of the river Kennet, a tributary of the Thames, since c. 13,000 cal BP. Some similarities with other rivers are present, suggesting that regional climatic shifts are important controls. The Kennet differs from the regional pattern in a number of ways. The rate of response to sudden climatic change, particularly at the start of the Holocene and also mid-Holocene forest clearance, appears very high. This may reflect abrupt shifts between two catchment scale hydrological states arising from contemporary climates, land use change and geology. Stadial hydrology is dominated by nival regimes, with limited winter infiltration and high spring and summer runoff. Under an interglacial climate, infiltration is more significant. The probable absence of permafrost in the catchment means that a lag between the two states due to its gradual decay is unlikely. Palaeoecology, supported by radiocarbon dates, suggests that, at the very start of the Holocene, a dramatic episode of fine sediment deposition across most of the valley floor occurred, lasting 500-1000 years. A phase of peat accumulation followed as mineral sediment supply declined. A further shift led to tufa deposition, initially in small pools, then across the whole floodplain area, with the river flowing through channels cut in tufa and experiencing repeated avulsion. Major floods, leaving large gravel bars that still form positive relief features on the floodplain, followed mid-Holocene floodplain stability. Prehistoric deforestation is likely to be the cause of this flooding, inducing a major environmental shift with significantly increased surface runoff. Since the Bronze Age, predominantly fine sediments were deposited along the valley with apparently stable channels and vertical floodplain accretion associated with soil erosion and less catastrophic flooding. The Kennet demonstrates that, while a general pattern of river behaviour over time, within a region, may be identifiable, individual rivers are likely to diverge from this. Consequently, it is essential to understand catchment controls, particularly the relative significance of surface and subsurface hydrology. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trace fossils and pseudofossils from the Wealden strata (non-marine Lower Cretaceous) of southern England

The trace fossils of the Wealden (non-marine Lower Cretaceous) of southern England are described. Sixteen invertebrate ichnotaxa include Agrichnium fimbriatus, Beaconites antarcticus, B. barretti, Cochlichnus anguineus, Diplichnites triassicus, Diplocraterion parallelum, Lockeia siliquaria, L. serialis, Monocraterion cf. tentaculum, Palaeophycus striatus, P. tubularis, Planolites montanus, Protovirgularia rugosa, Rhizocorallium isp., Scoyenia cf. gracilis, Unisulcus minutus, insect and root traces. Tetrapod tracks and trackways include tridactyl Iguanodontipus burreyi and other ornithopods, theropod, and tetradactyl sauropod (or possibly ankylosaur), together with extensive dinosaur tramplings. Coprolites are referred to two broad types: spiral, with or without included fish scales (attributable to sharks), and elongate and irregular (possibly produced by reptiles). A skinprint and two types of pseudofossil are also included. Five environmental associations are recognised: (1) lacustrine/lagoonal; (2) brackish incursions (flooding events) into the lacustrine/lagoonal environment; (3) a marginal lacustrine association with fluvial input; (4) a fluvial (lacustrine delta) association; (5) floodplain sediments (seasonal wetlands). These associations are assigned to the fluvial-lacustrine Scoyenia Ichnofacies and the incursions to Glossifungites lchnofacies. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Grasshoppers and crickets (Insecta : Orthoptera) from the lower cretaceous of southern England

This is a synoptic monograph of fossil Orthoptera from the English Lower Cretaceous (Purbeck and Wealden groups). The previously described taxa of these insects are revised on the basis of type specimens and examination of extensive new material. Eight new genera and 30 new species are proposed: Probaisselcana cretacea sp. nov., Minelcana membranacea gen. et sp. nov., Panorpidium proximum sp. nov., P. bimacillatum sp. nov., ?P. parvum sp. nov. (Elcanidae); ?Cyrtophyllites cretaceus sp. nov. (Haglidae); Aenigmodus minutus gen. et sp. nov., Pseudaboilus wealdensis gen. et sp. nov., P. purbeckensis sp. nov., Tettigoilus sonorus gen. et sp. nov., ?Agrionidium obscurum sp. nov. (Prophalangopsidae); Notocearagryllus britannicus sp. nov., N. grandispeculum sp. nov., N. cordispeculum sp. nov., Anglogryllus lyristes gen. et sp. nov., A. rotundispeculum sp. nov.. Speculogryllus acutispeculum gen. et sp. nov., Sharategia davisi sp. nov., S. batchelorae sp. nov., S. baldocki sp. nov. (Baissogryllidae); ?Araripegryllus orientalis sp. nov. (Gryllidae); Deinovitimia occidentalis sp. nov. (Ensifera: infraorder incertae sedis); Cretoxya rasnitsyni gen. et sp. nov. (Tridactylidae); Locustopsis posterior sp. nov., Zeunerella prior sp. nov., Zessinia borealis sp. nov., Mesolocustopsis anglica sp. nov., M. angusta sp. nov., M. problematica sp. nov., and Britannacrida distincta gen. et sp. nov (Locustopsidae). The subfamily Baisselcaninae is synonymized with Elcaninae, and a new subfamily (Archelcaninae subfam. nov.) is proposed for a segregate of Elcaninae. A preliminary comparison of the Purbeck/Wealden with other Early Cretaceous orthopteran faunas is given. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Land use for England and Wales: evaluation of management options to support 'good ecological status' in surface freshwaters

This paper analyses historic records of agricultural land use and management for England and Wales from 1931 and 1991 and uses export coefficient modelling to hindcast the impact of these practices on the rates of diffuse nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) export to water bodies for each of the major geo-climatic regions of England and Wales. Key trends indicate the importance of animal agriculture as a contributor to the total diffuse agricultural nutrient loading on waters, and the need to bring these sources under control if conditions suitable for sustaining 'Good Ecological Status' under the Water Framework Directive are to be generated. The analysis highlights the importance of measuring changes in nutrient loading in relation to the catchment-specific baseline state for different water bodies. The approach is also used to forecast the likely impact of broad regional scale scenarios on nutrient export to waters and highlights the need to take sensitive land out of production, introduce ceilings on fertilizer use and stocking densities, and controls on agricultural practice in higher risk areas where intensive agriculture is combined with a low intrinsic nutrient retention capacity, although the uncertainties associated with the modelling applied at this scale should be taken into account in the interpretation of model output. The paper advocates the need for a two-tiered approach to nutrient management, combining broad regional policies with targeted management in high risk areas at the catchment and farm scale.

Analysis of water-level response to rainfall and implications for recharge pathways in the Chalk aquifer, SE England

Water table response to rainfall was investigated at six sites in the Upper, Middle and Lower Chalk of southern England. Daily time series of rainfall and borehole water level were cross-corretated to investigate seasonal variations in groundwater-level response times, based on periods of 3-month duration. The time tags (in days) yielding significant correlations were compared with the average unsaturated zone thickness during each 3-month period. In general, for cases when the unsaturated zone was greater than 18 m thick, the time tag for a significant water-level response increased rapidly once the depth to the water table exceeded a critical value, which varied from site to site. For shallower water tables, a linear relationship between the depth to the water table and the water-level response time was evident. The observed variations in response time can only be partially accounted for using a diffusive model for propagation through the unsaturated matrix, suggesting that some fissure flow was occurring. The majority of rapid responses were observed during the winter/spring recharge period, when the unsaturated zone is thinnest and the unsaturated zone moisture content is highest, and were more likely to occur when the rainfall intensity exceeded 5 mm/day. At some sites, a very rapid response within 24 h of rainfall was observed in addition to the longer term responses even when the unsaturated zone was up to 64 m thick. This response was generally associated with the autumn period. The results of the cross-correlation analysis provide statistical support for the presence of fissure flow and for the contribution of multiple pathways through the unsaturated zone to groundwater recharge. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.