Marc Oliva, Ldo.
Marc Oliva, Ldo.
Departament of Physical and Regional Geography
University of Barcelona
C/Montalegre, 6-8
E-08001 Barcelona
Catalonia
Phone: +34 934037561
Fax: +34 934034529
E-mail: oliva_marc@yahoo.com
3rd floor, room 3012
Marc Oliva, Ldo. - Curriculum vitae
| 2006-2008 | Pre-doc Fellowship at the University of Barcelona funded by the Spanish Government |
| 2005 | Pre-doc Fellowship at the University of Barcelona funded by the Catalan Government |
| 2004-2005 | Collaboration fellowship with de Departament of Physical and Regional Geography (UB) |
Research Interests
Holocene alpine enviroments, solifluction lobes, lake sediments, fluvial archives, geomorphology.
Research areas
Sierra Nevada, Swiss Alps
PhD Project/ Diploma thesis (1 page) (for PhD students)
PhD thesis :Holocene alpine environments in Sierra Nevada (SE Spain)
Sierra Nevada is the highest massif in the Iberian Peninsula (Mulhacén, 3478 m), located at latitude 37ºN in between the subtropical high-pressure belt and the mid-latitude westerlies. The main characteristic of this high semiarid massif is the low vegetal cover, less than 3% over 2.500 meters.
Our present research is focused on the two types of sedimentary records that can provide further information about the Holocene environmental evolution: solifluction lobes and mountain lakes. The main purpose is to provide a chronology of the palaeoenvironmental changes ocurred in the massif during the Holocene and to understand the sensitivity of natural systems of Sierra Nevada to regional/global climate variability.
Solifluction lobes in Sierra Nevada are periglacial features related to a deep seasonal frozen layer. Current climatic conditions do not promote active solifluction. We detect very weak displacements in few specific places. Dynamic monitoring and thermal ground control at different depths are carried out in several lobes in the San Juan and Rio Seco valley.
Sedimentological profiles of different lobes in both valleys have been analized in order to reconstruct solifluction phases during the Late-Mid Holocene. Soil description, geochemical laboratory standard analysis and radiocarbon datings allow us to precise the solifluidal activity during the last milleniums in this massif.
Our research is also focused on the high mountain lakes of Sierra Nevada. We cored five south exposed glacial lakes at altitudes ranging from 2.500 to 3.100 meters. Parameters such as magnetic susceptibility, grain size, C/N, XRF and pollen analysis are useful to reconstruct the environmental evolution of the massif in the last milleniums.
The first 14C datings provide an initial chronology for solifluction in Sierra Nevada, showing that colder and/or wetter periods promote solifluction (e.g. LIA) while warm phases induce soil formation (e.g. MWP). New datings will permit us to match solifluction activity with the environmental changes deduced from lake sediments.
Publications
Schulte, L., Julià, R., Oliva, M., Burjachs, F., Veit, H., & Carvalho, F. 2008. Sensitivity of Alpine fluvial environments in the Swiss Alps to climate forcing during the Late Holocene. Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments (Proceedings of a symposium held in Christchurch, New Zealand, December 2008). IAHS Publ. 325. pp. 367-374.
Schulte, L., Julià, R., Oliva, M., Burjachs, F., Veit, H., & Carvalho, F. 2008.
Sensitivity of Alpine fluvial environments in the Swiss Alps to climate forcing during the Late Holocene.
