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53 - Loess in the Negev Desert: Sources, Loessial Soils, Palaeosols, and Palaeoclimatic Implications

from Part V: - Quaternary Geomorphology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 May 2017

By
Onn Crouvi ,
Rivka Amit ,
Michal Ben Israel  and
Yehouda Enzel
Edited by
Yehouda Enzel  and
Ofer Bar-Yosef
Yehouda Enzel
Affiliation:
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Ofer Bar-Yosef
Affiliation:
Harvard University, Massachusetts
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Summary

The ubiquitous Quaternary loess in the Northern and Central Negev is one of the best-studied true desert loess in the world. Continuous primary and secondary loess sequences record loess sources, processes of dust transport, accretion and loessial soil formation. These sequences intercalate with buried soils that preserve palaeoclimate records. This chapter presents the history of loess research in Israel, from early studies at the beginning of the 20th century, to recent findings contributing to the understanding of loess formation processes worldwide. It includes a discussion on loess distribution; loess types and relationship with topography; sources of loess; loessial soils and buried soils properties (e.g., grain size, chemical composition and mineralogy), spatial and temporal variability and rates of loess accumulation and of soil formation. Palaeoclimate interpretations are presented and discussed. In addition, the relation of the Negev loess to other desert loess in the world is also presented.
Type
Chapter
Information
Quaternary of the Levant
Environments, Climate Change, and Humans
 , pp. 471 - 482
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2017

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