Pedological properties related to formation and functions of ancient ridge and furrow cultivation in Central and Northern Germany

• Published in: Catena (Giessen) 2021-03, Vol.198, p.105049, Article 105049
• Main Authors: Langewitz, Theresa, Wiedner, Katja, Polifka, Steven, Eckmeier, Eileen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ancient agriculture; Environmental investigations; Geoarchaeology; Pedological investigations; Ridge and furrow cultivation
• ISSN: 0341-8162; 1872-6887
• DOI: 10.1016/j.catena.2020.105049

•Ridge and furrows were studied by morphological and physicochemical analyses.•Study sites revealed a diversity in morphology, environmental setting and use.•Ridge and furrow cultivation was and is influencing the environment.•Elevated amounts of P and δ15N indicate the application of manure in the past. Ridge and furrow cultivation is an example for a historic agriculture technique that has been very common in Germany, especially during medieval times. It seemed to be well-known how the ridge and furrows (RIFUs) were used and formed but previous studies came to contradictory conclusions which raised additional questions concerning their formation. Furthermore, the RIFUs’ morphological and physicochemical soil properties and their influence on current soils that developed after the RIFUs had been abandoned are not fully understood. In order to answer these questions, morphological and physicochemical analyses (pH, EC, TOC, TN, δ15N, C:N ratios, “Olsen P”, soil texture) were conducted on 11 preserved RIFUs in forested areas of Northern and Central Germany. The results showed that the studied RIFUs occur on sites with different properties (e.g. soil texture, inclination, vegetation) and presented various morphological shapes. They are also characterised by differences in the formation of soil horizons and general low TN (