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- Arthur, Frank, et al.
(author)
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The impact of volcanism on Scandinavian climate and human societies during the Holocene: Insights into the Fimbulwinter eruptions (536/540 AD)
- 2024
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In: The Holocene. - 0959-6836 .- 1477-0911.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent paleoclimatic research has revealed that volcanic events around 536–540 AD caused severe, short-term global cooling. For this same period, archeological research from various regions evidences significant cultural transformation. However, there is still a lack of understanding of how human societies responded and adapted to extreme climate variability and new circumstances. This study focuses on the effects of the 536/540 AD volcanic event in four Scandinavian regions by exploring the shift in demographic and land use intensity before, during, and after this abrupt climate cooling. To achieve this, we performed climate simulations with and without volcanic eruptions using a dynamically downscaled climate model (iLOVECLIM) at a high resolution (0.25° or ~25 km). We integrated the findings with a comprehensive collection of radiocarbon dates from excavated archeological sites across various Scandinavian regions. Our Earth System Model simulates pronounced cooling (maximum ensemble mean −1.1°C), an abrupt reduction in precipitation, and a particularly acute drop in growing degree days (GDD0) after the volcanic event, which can be used to infer likely impacts on agricultural productivity. When compared to the archeological record, we see considerable regional diversity in the societal response to this sudden environmental event. As a result, this study provides a more comprehensive insight into the demographic chronology of Scandinavia and a deeper understanding of the land-use practices its societies depended on during the 536/540 AD event. Our results suggest that this abrupt climate anomaly amplified a social change already in progress.
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- Hatlestad, Kailin, et al.
(author)
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Coping with Risk : A Deep-Time Perspective on Societal Responses to Ecological Uncertainty in the River Dalälven Catchment Area, Sweden
- 2021
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In: Land. - : MDPI. - 2073-445X. ; 10:8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In addressing the current climate crisis, research into how past societies have coped with risk and ecological uncertainty can provide old solutions to new problems. Here, we examine how human niche construction can be seen as risk management in the face of uncertainty by exploring the spatial patterning of land-use activities over time. Dalarna county, an agriculturally marginal boreal forest environment, provides the opportunity for addressing change in terms of agricultural responses and other activities. C14 archaeological records complied by Dalarna Museum were the base of this analysis. The spatial and temporal components of these Boreal Forestrecords were analyzed in the open-source software QGIS, guided by a historical ecology framework. Human niches diversified and intensified during specific periods in the Boreal forest environment; our focus has been on how humans managed resource risk related to the ecological uncertainty within this forest environment characterized by long winters and short growing seasons. We conclude that constructed niches shaped the Boreal Forest, spanning its environmentally unique upland and lowland regions, into a more predictable environment. Tracking the diversity, multi-functionality, and intensity of these past land-use activities can provide insights for best practices in land management, not only for the Boreal Forest area but also for elsewhere. These insights will assist in policy-making decisions, as the methodology is adaptable and replicable for various landscapes.
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| 6. |
- Hatlestad, Kailin
(author)
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Exploring Uncertainty and Significance : Analysing Human Response to Environmental Risk with Computational Archaeology
- 2024
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- As humanity confronts the escalating challenges posed by rapid climate change, it becomes increasingly urgent to understand the complex dynamics of human-environment interactions to mitigate its multifaceted impacts. Archaeology, with its long-term perspective, offers the opportunity to examine past societal responses to environmental risks across diverse locations in Northwestern Europe and temporal scales. This dissertation aims to contribute to this critical endeavour by exploring the socio-environmental dynamics and adaptive strategies of past societies, to inform effective responses to climate change challenges in both the present and future. Utilizing computational archaeology, which integrates digital technologies and computational methods to analyse big data, the dissertation employs probabilistic approaches, including Bayesian modelling like summed probability distributions of radiocarbon (14C) data, to confront uncertainties inherent in reconstructing past human-environmental dynamics from interdisciplinary datasets. Additionally, quantitative methods, such as correlation tests and null hypothesis testing of 14C data, are employed to identify significant shifts in these dynamics, translating insights into quantitative terms for enhanced integration with policy-making processes. The primary objective of the dissertation is to illustrate how the integration of archaeological and environmental big data can enrich the understanding of human responses to environmental challenges. The papers in this thesis demonstrate how computational methods can be applied to big data to understand spatiotemporal changes in human-environmental variables, uncovering risk management strategies and societal vulnerabilities. The papers highlight cases where human communities experienced mitigated adverse effects from severe environmental shifts due to diverse socioeconomic strategies. Simultaneously, the results emphasize regional variations in the impacts of climate change, crucial for understanding the effectiveness of human responses. Moreover, the thesis exhibits how big data analytics both complement and challenge existing archaeological interpretations, contributing to the development of new theories. Importantly, it underscores the significance of diverse socioeconomic strategies in mitigating risks, especially in the face of abrupt environmental events.
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| 9. |
- Nikulina, Anastasia, et al.
(author)
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Tracking Hunter-Gatherer Impact on Vegetation in Last Interglacial and Holocene Europe : Proxies and Challenges
- 2022
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In: Journal of archaeological method and theory. - : Springer Nature. - 1072-5369 .- 1573-7764. ; 29, s. 989-1033
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We review palaeoenvironmental proxies and combinations of these relevant for understanding hunter-gatherer niche construction activities in pre-agricultural Europe. Our approach consists of two steps: (1) identify the possible range of hunter-gatherer impacts on landscapes based on ethnographic studies; (2) evaluate proxies possibly reflecting these impacts for both the Eemian (Last Interglacial, Middle Palaeolithic) and the Early-Middle Holocene (Mesolithic). We found these paleoenvironmental proxies were not able to unequivocally establish clear-cut differences between specific anthropogenic, climatic and megafaunal impacts for either time period in this area. We discuss case studies for both periods and show that published evidence for Mesolithic manipulation of landscapes is based on the interpretation of comparable data as available for the Last Interglacial. If one applies the 'Mesolithic' interpretation schemes to the Neanderthal record, three common niche construction activities can be hypothesised: vegetation burning, plant manipulation and impact on animal species presence and abundance. Our review suggests that as strong a case can be made for a Neanderthal impact on landscapes as for anthropogenic landscape changes during the Mesolithic, even though the Neanderthal evidence comes from only one high-resolution site complex. Further research should include attempts (e.g. by means of modelling studies) to establish whether hunter-gatherer impact on landscapes played out at a local level only versus at a larger scale during both time periods, while we also need to obtain comparative data on the population sizes of Last Interglacial and Holocene hunter-gatherers, as these are usually inferred to have differed significantly.
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