Development of plateau dunes controlled by iron pan formation and changes in land use and climate.

Abstract Plateau dunes are unique landforms which formed as erosion relicts in blow-out areas in Late Pleistocene sandy deposits. They are negative forms in contrast to normal dunes where sand is accumulated (positive form). Plateau dunes are located in the European Aeolian Sand Belt in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark and they are flat-topped features with a bog in the central part often covered by a thin aeolian sand layer. A conceptual model of formation and further development of plateau dunes in time are presented in detail, using 14C dates of buried peat layers and OSL dates of sandy sediments. Special focus is on the influence of climate factors, pedology, and human activity on the formation of plateau dunes. Highlights • Conceptual model of plateau dune formation • Pedology as a landforming factor • OSL dating of aeolian deposits • Climate impact on blanket peat formation • Human destruction of pre-existing vegetation cover [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]