For Work Package 5, we successfully conducted fieldwork during two extensive sampling campaigns. During these campaigns, we retrieved two lake sediment cores and 22 riverine sediment samples. In addition, aerial imagery from archives were obtained.

For the sediment cores, we are in the process of performing several analyses to capture landscape changes in terms of climate, vegetation, animals, and land use. To achieve this, we subsampled a range of proxies such as sedimentary ancient DNA, pollen, and phytolith, which will all inform past vegetation, animals and land use on different spatial scales. Furthermore, XRF scans were conducted of the sediment cores, to observe changes in the past influx of different elements, which informs us on past rainfall intensity. These analyses are combined with radiocarbon dating to establish the ages of both sediment cores. Luminescence dating of the sediment cores will soon be completed to add to the certainty of the ages we obtained from the radiocarbon dating.

Figure 1: Sediment sorting of the riverine samples

The riverine sediment samples are currently being prepared for luminescence dating. The aim is to understand the past depositional environment in and around Bardia National Park, and to identify when transitions in the river landscape occurred. Grainsizes of the 22 riverine samples are also being analyzed. The results will feed into the knowledge of constructing the past river system.

Additionally, field observations such as small-scale topography, sub-surface augering and aerial imagery measurements of the lakes were combined with electrical conductivity measurements of various water sources in and around the lake. Based on these data, a conceptual lake evolution model was developed by Master student Roan Hick.

These efforts are resulting in some promising preliminary results. Soon, we hope to be able to share the first findings about the landscape changes in and around Bardia National Park over the last few millennia. Based on the outcomes of pending analyses, we are also planning a final fieldwork campaign to retrieve the last samples that will complete the picture of Bardia’s recent development.

Figures 2-4: Sediment sorting, Luminescence sampling and electrical conductivity measuring