The Bargerveen raised bog, situated in the east of the Netherlands near the German border, has been extensively studied over the past 40 years. It is only since accelerator technology became available for ¹⁴C analysis that very high resolution studies, based on microfossils and plant macrofossil remains became possible.
The peat profile was extensively sampled during autumn of 2010 and analysed in detail for macro-fossils, testate amoebae, Δ¹⁴C and δ¹⁸O. This new research project is focussed on the local vegetation and hydrological changes in response to the well known global climate shifts of 2800 yrs BP and a regional climate shift around 2100 yrs BP. We compare the atmospheric ¹⁴C record (reflecting solar activity) and δ¹⁸O of remains of Sphagnum spp., with the changing local hydrology of the bog reconstructed from plant macrofossils and testate amoebae. Extensive ¹⁴C AMS Wiggle Match Dating allowed a precise chronology for the palaeoclimate and palaeohydrology proxies, and calculation of accumulation rates of peat (soil carbon) at the Bargerveen raised bog. We use this new evidence to test the relationship between Δ¹⁴C (solar activity) and changes in climate, especially rainfall and moisture source trajectories for northwest Europe.