Take a seed! Revealing Neolithic landscape and agricultural development in the Carpathian Basin through multivariate statistics and environmental modelling

The Carpathian Basin represents the cradle of human agricultural development during the Neolithic period, when large parts were transformed into ‘cultural landscapes’ by first farmers from the Balkans. It is assumed that an Early Neolithic subsistence economy established along the hydrologic systems and on Chernozem soil patches, which developed from loess deposits. However, recent results from soil chemistry and geoarchaeological analyses raised the hypothesis that extensive Chernozem coverage developed from increased land-use activity and that Early Neolithic ‘cultural’ groups were not restricted to loess-covered surfaces but rather preferred hydromorphic soils that formed in the floodplains. This article performs multivariable statistics from large datasets of Neolithic sites in Hungary and allows tracing Early to Late Neolithic site preferences from digital environmental data. Quantitative analyses reveal a strong preference for hydromorphic soils, a significant avoidance of loess-covered areas, and no preference for Chernozem soils throughout the Early Neolithic followed by a strong transformation of site preferences during the Late Neolithic period. These results align with socio-cultural developments, large-scale mobility patterns, and land-use and surface transformation, which shaped the Carpathian Basin and paved the way for the agricultural revolution across Europe.

Fragilidade Ambiental e Zoneamento Ecológico Econômico da Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Preto – Estado de Goiás – Brasil

The Ecological-Economic Zoning (EEZ) is a territorial management instrument, a king of territory organization in zones which indicate activities that consider its potentialities and fragilities. The research analyzed in an integrated way the landscape of Rio Preto’s watershed, located in the south of Goiás State (Brazil) with the objective of proposing a zoning which ally environmental preservation and socioeconomic development. From the landscape analysis, five zones were delimited: 1) zone of restrict use (32%), characterized by remaining vegetation areas, slopes with strong/very strong dissection and hydromorphic soils; 2) urban industrial expansion one (0.53%); 3) consolidated sugar-energy production zone (19.47%), area which a power plant and its respective areas of sugarcane crops are localized; 4) zones of agrosilvopastoral use I (18%), characterized for being favorable to grains cultivation, forestry and pasture; 5) agrosilvopastoral zone use II (30%), with the same characteristics of the previous zone, however with the possibility of expansion of sugarcane plantation. It was proposed the creation of a belt of preservation unities taking advantage of the mountains, besides establishing ecological corridors all over Rio Preto, which would result in an average deadline on the water production increase.

Simulation of vegetation-soil water feedback in nemoral forests on hydromorphic soils with Hydrus-1D

<p>It is hypothesized that northern nemoral forests on hydromorphic soils in lowland settings can enter a feedback loop were enhanced evapotranspiration led to better soil aeration enhancing root water uptake and further increase of evapotranspiration. Opposite feedback could be possible as well – poor soil aeration due to water saturation hinders the root water uptake, resulting in overall decreased evapotranspiration and preservation of waterlogged state of the soil. The feasibility of the feedback loop is explored by a Hydrus-1D simulation using artificial climate forcing. It is suggested that wet or dry years can shift the vegetation-soil water<strong> </strong>system from wet to dry state and back. The research is supported by project No. 1.1.1.2/VIAA/3/19/524.</p>