THE AGRICULTURAL EROSION IN A SMALL CATCHMENT IN LORRAINE SINCE 2,000 YEARS: GEOARCHAEOLOGY ALONG THE TGV-EST LINE

摘要

Along the TGV-Est 'High-speed train' line in Lorraine, during the preventive archaeological operations conducted by INRAP (diagnosis and excavations), a large archaeological and geoarchaeological dataset was acquired in a small catchment. A spatial approach was initiated to include field data, Lidar topographical data and changes in agricultural and forested areas between 18th and 20th centuries. Such a multidisciplinary approach applied to the study of the Outremont catchment (11 km(2)), highlights the anthropogenic impact on soil erosion and landscape dynamics over the past millennia. Among the four recognized morpho-sedimentary phases, the influence of land consolidation and mechanization of agriculture in the 20th century led to an erosion rate higher (7-15 mm. yr(-1)) than those documented for Late Antiquity mainly caused by deforestation and agricultural development (0.5-5 mm. yr(-1)). The Medieval Period corresponds to a relative stability of geomorphic processes.