Differential human impact and vegetation history in two adjacent Pyrenean valleys in the Ari�ge basin, southern France, from 3000 B.P. to the present

Climate and vegetation history of Upper Dnieper region (Western Russia) is investigated poorly while archaeological studies provide evidences of human activities during last 3 millennia. Our study presents vegetation reconstruction based on pollen analysis of sediments extracted from two sites in Smolensk region. The first site is located in Katynka river bassin and pollen analysis of extracted buried soil, alluvium and peat sediments demonstrates vegetation dynamics in archaeologically rich area over 5 millennia. The second site is located in 50 km from to the west from Smolensk and in 15 km to east from the Russian-Belarus state border. The analysis of extracted peat sediments presents regional history of vegetation. The aim of our study is to compare data obtained from both sites and to estimate climate and human influence on vegetation during last two millennia when activities associated with agriculture changed Dnieper valley landscape significantly.The first results of pollen analysis data of the first site allow to register significant human impact on vegetation 2.0-0.8 ka BP. Before that period pollen of indigenous forest trees dominates in spectra while since 2.0 ka BP pollen compassion changes dramatically and pollen of Betula and Pinus is in majority in so-called &#8220;Gnezdovo soil&#8221; lay. Medieval lays of sapropel contains mostly pollen of Pinus with admixture of Betula and Alnus. Taxonomic diversity and presence of meadow herbs, weeds and cultivated taxa pollen increases significantly (up to 30%). Dynamics of pollen composition in specimens from the second site allows us to register slow processes of indigenous vegetation recovery over last 3 centuries approximately. Modern analogue technique applied on pollen data and analysis of historical data makes possible to separate impacts of climate and human on vegetation of the past and to reconstruct the climate of last two millennia.The study was funded by RFBR, project number 19-34-90172.

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A 5000-year pollen and plant macrofossil record from the Osogovo Mountain, Southwestern Bulgaria: Vegetation history and human impact

Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology ◽

10.1016/j.revpalbo.2015.08.005 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 223 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Maria Lazarova ◽

Elena Marinova ◽

Spassimir Tonkov ◽

Ian Snowball

Keyword(s):

Human Impact ◽

Vegetation History ◽

Plant Macrofossil

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Vegetation history, climate and human impact over the last 15,000 years at Lago dell’Accesa (Tuscany, Central Italy)

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany ◽

10.1007/s00334-006-0089-z ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 279-299 ◽

Cited By ~ 125

Author(s):

Ruth Drescher-Schneider ◽

Jacques-Louis de Beaulieu ◽

Michel Magny ◽

Anne-Véronique Walter-Simonnet ◽

Gilles Bossuet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Impact ◽

Vegetation History ◽

Central Italy

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A Late Würmian and Holocene pollen profile from Tüttensee, Upper Bavaria, as evidence of 15 Millennia of landscape history in the Chiemsee glacier region

Acta Palaeobotanica ◽

10.35535/acpa-2021-0008 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 61 (2) ◽

pp. 136-147

Author(s):

Manfred Rösch ◽

Arne Friedmann ◽

Sabine Rieckhoff ◽

Philipp Stojakowits ◽

Dirk Sudhaus

Keyword(s):

Human Impact ◽

Vegetation History ◽

Plantago Lanceolata ◽

Landscape History ◽

Early Holocene ◽

Modern Times ◽

Migration History

A late Würmian and Holocene pollen profile from Tüttensee near Chiemsee, Bavaria, covering 14 millennia of vegetation history, shows the late Würmian reforestation of the area, Holocene woodland development, and later the human impact on the landscape. In the early Holocene a distinct Ulmus phase preceded the Corylus and Quercus expansion. Afterwards, between 6000 and 4000 BCE, Picea was most common. The expansion of Fagus and Abies started at 4000 BCE, together with the decline of Ulmus. Fagus was more common than Abies. From 500 BCE Abies started to decline, Fagus has also declined from 1000 CE onwards. Before the modern times Picea/Pinus phase Quercus is prevailing. The prehistoric human impact is rather weak. A short reforestation phase at ~ 1 BCE – 1 CE hints at the rather complex migration history in this region with so called Celts, Germanic people and Romans involved. Strong human impact indicated by cereals, Plantago lanceolata, other human indicators and deforestation started at 900 CE.

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From Climatic to Anthropogenic Drivers: A Multi-Proxy Reconstruction of Vegetation and Peatland Development in the French Jura Mountains

Quaternary ◽

10.3390/quat2040038 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 38 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Emilie Gauthier ◽

Vincent E.J. Jassey ◽

Edward A.D. Mitchell ◽

Mariusz Lamentowicz ◽

Richard Payne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Impact ◽

Iron Age ◽

Vegetation History ◽

Testate Amoebae ◽

Water Levels ◽

Radiocarbon Dates ◽

Surface Wetness ◽

Peatland Development ◽

Main Driver ◽

Age Model

A 4 m core was extracted from the center of a peatland located in the Drugeon valley (France). Thirteen radiocarbon dates were used to build a robust age model. Testate amoebae were used for reconstructing mire surface wetness. High-resolution pollen analysis of the sequence reconstructed 9 millennia of development of the peatland and its surrounding vegetation. During the early/middle Holocene (9500 to 5800 cal BP), warm conditions led to high evapotranspiration and low water levels. The vegetation history is characterized by the development of a Pinus and a mixed Quercus forest. From 5800 cal BP, testate amoebae show wetter conditions, indicating the onset of the cooler Neoglacial period. The cooling is also evidenced by the development of Abies and Fagus trees, replacing the oak forest. The first indicators of human impact appear at about 4800 cal BP, and indicators of farming activity remains very rare until ca. 2600 cal BP, at the beginning of the Iron Age. The development of the peatland responded to climatic fluctuation until 2600 cal BP, after which human impact became the main driver. The last millennium has been characterized by sudden drying and the spread of pine on the peatland.

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