Abstract The vegetation in the excursion area varies between occasional wooded-tundra in sheltered low-lying areas and tundra in exposed and upland areas. Clitter, consisting of angular, up to meter-sized loose blocks of the directly underlying lithology, is typical of upland areas, especially where underlain by quartzites/sandstones. The most common tree is the birch ( Betula spp.). This can grow to several tens of meters high, although in windy areas, it is completely stunted, with no height, but a very thin “stem” (<1 cm) that may have a lateral extent of several meters. Pine trees ( Pinus sylvestris ) are rare because they have all been cut down, not because the conditions are too extreme. Willow ( Salix spp.) and less often alder ( Alnus sp.), poplar ( Populus sp.), and rowan ( Sorbus aucuparia ) trees are also present. There are several species of Salix, but these produce a large array of hybrids, so identifying true “species” is extremely difficult. Low juniper bushes ( Juniperus communis ) occur on well-drained ground, frequently growing over deep holes between boulders; it is, therefore, dangerous to stand on. On dry gritty slopes, especially below outcrops of the Nyborg and Mortensnes Formations on the north side of Varangerfjord, the unusual ferns Botrychium lunaria (Fig. 10A ) and rarely Botrychium boreale grow. Nyserot ( Veratrum album ; Fig. 10B ) is an extremely poisonous lily that is found only in the Tana-West Varangerfjord region and in the Alpine-Apennine-Carpathian region of Central Europe. In contrast, common scurvygrass ( Cochlearia officinalis ; Fig. 10C ), which grows in salty

Abstract In situ 10 Be concentrations in granites on Corsica (Mediterranean), exposed to subalpine climate, yield weathering rates of between 9 and 20 mm ka −1 , when averaged over the last 30–100 ka. Weathering rates rise with increasing precipitation and brittle deformation. Thermal history modelling of apatite fission-track (AFT) data confirms that average denudation rates of 5–20 mm ka −1 were typical during the Neogene. Short- and long-term denudation rates are in the same range and indicate that a late Neogene global increase in denudation rates has probably not affected geomorphically stable uplifted palaeosurfaces of hilly to low mountainous local relief. A Southwards decrease in short- and long-term denudation rates indicate a linear relationship with decreasing precipitation. Post-glacial downwearing of moraine matrix, as constrained by soil-derived humic etching of dated glacial boulders, yields 40–140 mm ka −1 , which indicates a poor preservation potential of moraines older than the last glaciation. This weathering rate is of the order of 3 times faster than that found for long-term regolith formation from granites based on of geomorphic evidence.

Abstract Non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) are ‘extra’ microfossils often found in palynology slides. These include remains of organisms within the size range of pollen grains ( c. 10–250 µm), resistant to laboratory treatments used for the preparation of palynological samples. NPPs are a large and taxonomically heterogeneous group of remains of organisms living in diverse environments. Taxonomically, they belong to a wide variety of groups such as cyanobacteria, algae, vascular plants, invertebrates and fungi. The aim of this chapter is to provide a general overview of NPP groups observed in palynology slides. It includes more than 40 of the most common groups starting with acritarcha, cyanobacteria and algae, moving through transitional groups to animals and fungi and finishing with human-made objects such as textile fibres. Although far from complete, it provides an updated overview of taxonomical diversity of NPPs and their indicator values. Further works on NPP identifications are of great importance to improve our current knowledge. Since NPPs occur in all kinds of sediments, their analysis is a powerful tool for reconstructing environmental changes over time. Further detailed studies of specific NPP groups and their indicator values will open the way for new fields of study.