The surficial sediments of Königshafen-variations over the past 50 years

Abstract

The investigation highlights the untypical nature of the intertidal sediments of the sheltered Königshafen embayment in the north of the island of Sylt. The area is characterized by medium sand, which might be explained by aeolian input from the adjacent dunes. Mudflats and sandy mudflats build up the western part of the bay. Other sandy mudflats, all with a small spatial distribution, are associated with mussel beds. A peculiarity of the sediments in the Königshafen embayment are the gravel and cobbles along the northern shore and parts of the southern shore. These can be interpreted as residual sediments from former stages of the “Ellenbogen” spit. A comparison of the present results with earlier studies by Wohlenberg (1937) and Felix (1981) shows a decline in mudflats and an increasing consolidation of the mud in the period up to 1981. Since 1981 the sediment distribution has not changed, hence this tidal embayment can today be qualified as representing a relatively stable depositional area.