................................................................................................................................. i Preface ................................................................................................................................... ii Table of contents ................................................................................................................. iii List of figures ........................................................................................................................ v List of tables .......................................................................................................................... v 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 2 STUDY SITE ....................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 General information ....................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Anthropogenic impact .................................................................................................... 5 3 METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................................. 6 3.1 Sampling procedure ....................................................................................................... 6 3.2 Analytical methods ........................................................................................................ 7 3.3 Multivariate data analysis .............................................................................................. 8 4 RESULTS ............................................................................................................................. 9 4.1 Visual observation ......................................................................................................... 9 4.2 Radiometric dating and accumulation rate .................................................................... 9 4.3 Water content and organic matter ................................................................................ 10 4.4 Pigments ....................................................................................................................... 11 4.5 Macro elements ............................................................................................................ 12 4.6 Trace elements ............................................................................................................. 13 4.7 Multivariate relationships ............................................................................................ 14 4.8 Comparison of monitoring data and sediment records ................................................ 17 5 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................... 17 5.1 Long-term development in primary production and sediment transport ..................... 17 5.2 Inorganic pollution ....................................................................................................... 22 6 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................... 24 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 26