THE STANSTED AIRPORT PROJECT, ESSEX, PART 3. THE BRITISH RAIL SECTIONS (BRS)

Author(s): P Murphy

During the construction of a culvert, carrying the diverted Stansted Brook beneath the new rail link, sections through river channel deposits were exposed. These were recorded and sampled for pollen, macrofossils and radiocarbon dating. From the characteristics of the sediments and the plant macrofossils which they contained the following plant sequence is suggested: 1. An isolated channel with little active stream flow gradually silted up during seasonal flooding. Vegetation comprised mainly aquatic, reedswamp, marsh and grassland taxa. Charcoal and occasional charred cereal remains were present indicating some agriculture in the vicinity. 2. The topmost channel fills included slightly more organic sediment, and a rise in frequency of Typha implies development of reedswamp. These wetter conditions may perhaps be related to increased deforestation within the catchment. 3. The channelfills are overlain by c.1m of oxidised mineral alluvium probably deposited by overbank flooding from the main river channel.

Report Number:
166/1988
Series:
AML Reports (New Series)
Pages:
14
Keywords:
Environmental Studies

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