1. |
- Allentoft, Morten E., et al.
(author)
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100 ancient genomes show repeated population turnovers in Neolithic Denmark
- 2024
-
In: Nature. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 625, s. 329-337
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Major migration events in Holocene Eurasia have been characterized genetically at broad regional scales1–4. However, insights into the population dynamics in the contact zones are hampered by a lack of ancient genomic data sampled at high spatiotemporal resolution5–7. Here, to address this, we analysed shotgun-sequenced genomes from 100 skeletons spanning 7,300 years of the Mesolithic period, Neolithic period and Early Bronze Age in Denmark and integrated these with proxies for diet (13C and 15N content), mobility (87Sr/86Sr ratio) and vegetation cover (pollen). We observe that Danish Mesolithic individuals of the Maglemose, Kongemose and Ertebølle cultures form a distinct genetic cluster related to other Western European hunter-gatherers. Despite shifts in material culture they displayed genetic homogeneity from around 10,500 to 5,900 calibrated years before present, when Neolithic farmers with Anatolian-derived ancestry arrived. Although the Neolithic transition was delayed by more than a millennium relative to Central Europe, it was very abrupt and resulted in a population turnover with limited genetic contribution from local hunter-gatherers. The succeeding Neolithic population, associated with the Funnel Beaker culture, persisted for only about 1,000 years before immigrants with eastern Steppe-derived ancestry arrived. This second and equally rapid population replacement gave rise to the Single Grave culture with an ancestry profile more similar to present-day Danes. In our multiproxy dataset, these major demographic events are manifested as parallel shifts in genotype, phenotype, diet and land use.
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2. |
- Allentoft, Morten E., et al.
(author)
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Population genomics of post-glacial western Eurasia
- 2024
-
In: Nature. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 625:7994, s. 301-311
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Western Eurasia witnessed several large-scale human migrations during the Holocene1–5. Here, to investigate the cross-continental effects of these migrations, we shotgun-sequenced 317 genomes—mainly from the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods—from across northern and western Eurasia. These were imputed alongside published data to obtain diploid genotypes from more than 1,600 ancient humans. Our analyses revealed a ‘great divide’ genomic boundary extending from the Black Sea to the Baltic. Mesolithic hunter-gatherers were highly genetically differentiated east and west of this zone, and the effect of the neolithization was equally disparate. Large-scale ancestry shifts occurred in the west as farming was introduced, including near-total replacement of hunter-gatherers in many areas, whereas no substantial ancestry shifts happened east of the zone during the same period. Similarly, relatedness decreased in the west from the Neolithic transition onwards, whereas, east of the Urals, relatedness remained high until around 4,000 bp, consistent with the persistence of localized groups of hunter-gatherers. The boundary dissolved when Yamnaya-related ancestry spread across western Eurasia around 5,000 bp, resulting in a second major turnover that reached most parts of Europe within a 1,000-year span. The genetic origin and fate of the Yamnaya have remained elusive, but we show that hunter-gatherers from the Middle Don region contributed ancestry to them. Yamnaya groups later admixed with individuals associated with the Globular Amphora culture before expanding into Europe. Similar turnovers occurred in western Siberia, where we report new genomic data from a ‘Neolithic steppe’ cline spanning the Siberian forest steppe to Lake Baikal. These prehistoric migrations had profound and lasting effects on the genetic diversity of Eurasian populations.
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3. |
- Gaillard, Marie-José, et al.
(author)
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Causes of Regional Change : Land Cover
- 2015
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In: Second Assessment of Climate Change for the Baltic Sea Basin. - Cham : Springer. - 9783319160054 - 9783319160061 ; , s. 453-477
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Anthropogenic land-cover change (ALCC) is one of the few climate forcings for which the net direction of the climate response over the last two centuries is still not known. The uncertainty is due to the often counteracting temperature responses to the many biogeophysical effects and to the biogeochemical versus biogeophysical effects. Palaeoecological studies show that the major transformation of the landscape by anthropogenic activities in the southern zone of the Baltic Sea basin occurred between 6000 and 3000/2500 cal year BP. The only modelling study of the biogeophysical effects of past ALCCs on regional climate in north-western Europe suggests that deforestation between 6000 and 200 cal year BP may have caused significant change in winter and summer temperature. There is no indication that deforestation in the Baltic Sea area since AD 1850 would have been a major cause of the recent climate warming in the region through a positive biogeochemical feedback. Several model studies suggest that boreal reforestation might not be an effective climate warming mitigation tool as it might lead to increased warming through biogeophysical processes.
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4. |
- Githumbi, Esther, et al.
(author)
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European pollen-based REVEALS land-cover reconstructions for the Holocene : Methodology, mapping and potentials
- 2022
-
In: Earth System Science Data. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1866-3508 .- 1866-3516. ; 14:4, s. 1581-1619
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Quantitative reconstructions of past land cover are necessary to determine the processes involved in climate-human-land-cover interactions. We present the first temporally continuous and most spatially extensive pollen-based land-cover reconstruction for Europe over the Holocene (last 11g€¯700g€¯calg€¯yrg€¯BP). We describe how vegetation cover has been quantified from pollen records at a 11 spatial scale using the "Regional Estimates of VEgetation Abundance from Large Sites"(REVEALS) model. REVEALS calculates estimates of past regional vegetation cover in proportions or percentages. REVEALS has been applied to 1128 pollen records across Europe and part of the eastern Mediterranean-Black Sea-Caspian corridor (30-75° N, 25° W-50° E) to reconstruct the percentage cover of 31 plant taxa assigned to 12 plant functional types (PFTs) and 3 land-cover types (LCTs). A new synthesis of relative pollen productivities (RPPs) for European plant taxa was performed for this reconstruction. It includes multiple RPP values (≥2 values) for 39 taxa and single values for 15 taxa (total of 54 taxa). To illustrate this, we present distribution maps for five taxa (Calluna vulgaris, Cerealia type (t)., Picea abies, deciduous Quercus t. and evergreen Quercus t.) and three land-cover types (open land, OL; evergreen trees, ETs; and summer-green trees, STs) for eight selected time windows. The reliability of the REVEALS reconstructions and issues related to the interpretation of the results in terms of landscape openness and human-induced vegetation change are discussed. This is followed by a review of the current use of this reconstruction and its future potential utility and development. REVEALS data quality are primarily determined by pollen count data (pollen count and sample, pollen identification, and chronology) and site type and number (lake or bog, large or small, one site vs. multiple sites) used for REVEALS analysis (for each grid cell). A large number of sites with high-quality pollen count data will produce more reliable land-cover estimates with lower standard errors compared to a low number of sites with lower-quality pollen count data. The REVEALS data presented here can be downloaded from https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937075 (Fyfe et al., 2022).
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5. |
- Marquer, Laurent, et al.
(author)
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Holocene changes in vegetation composition in northern Europe: why quantitative pollen-based vegetation reconstructions matter
- 2014
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In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-3791 .- 1873-457X. ; 90, s. 199-216
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present pollen-based reconstructions of the spatio-temporal dynamics of northern European regional vegetation abundance through the Holocene. We apply the Regional Estimates of VEgetation Abundance from Large Sites (REVEALS) model using fossil pollen records from eighteen sites within five modern biomes in the region. The eighteen sites are classified into four time-trajectory types on the basis of principal components analysis of both the REVEALS-based vegetation estimates (RVs) and the pollen percentage (PPs). The four trajectory types are more clearly separated for RVs than PPs. Further, the timing of major Holocene shifts, rates of compositional change, and diversity indices (turnover and evenness) differ between RVs and PPs. The differences are due to the reduction by REVEALS of biases in fossil pollen assemblages caused by different basin size, and inter-taxonomic differences in pollen productivity and dispersal properties. For example, in comparison to the PPs, the RVs show an earlier increase in Corylus and Ulmus in the early-Holocene and a more pronounced increase in grassland and deforested areas since the mid-Holocene. The results suggest that the influence of deforestation and agricultural activities on plant composition and abundance from Neolithic times was stronger than previously inferred from PPs. Relative to PPs, RVs show a more rapid compositional change, a largest decrease in turnover, and less variable evenness in most of northern Europe since 5200 cal yr BP. All these changes are primarily related to the strong impact of human activities on the vegetation. This study demonstrates that RV-based estimates of diversity indices, timing of shifts, and rates of change in reconstructed vegetation provide new insights into the timing and magnitude of major human distribution on Holocene regional, vegetation, feature that are critical in the assessment of human impact on vegetation, land-cover, biodiversity, and climate in the past. (C) Elsevier Ltd.All tights reserved.
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6. |
- Marquer, Laurent, et al.
(author)
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Quantifying the effects of land use and climate on Holocene vegetation in Europe
- 2017
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In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Pergamon Press. - 0277-3791 .- 1873-457X. ; 171, s. 20-37
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Early agriculture can be detected in palaeovegetation records, but quantification of the relative importance of climate and land use in influencing regional vegetation composition since the onset of agriculture is a topic that is rarely addressed. We present a novel approach that combines pollen-based REVEALS estimates of plant cover with climate, anthropogenic land-cover and dynamic vegetation modelling results. This is used to quantify the relative impacts of land use and climate on Holocene vegetation at a sub-continental scale, i.e. northern and western Europe north of the Alps. We use redundancy analysis and variation partitioning to quantify the percentage of variation in vegetation composition explained by the climate and land-use variables, and Monte Carlo permutation tests to assess the statistical significance of each variable. We further use a similarity index to combine pollen based REVEALS estimates with climate-driven dynamic vegetation modelling results. The overall results indicate that climate is the major driver of vegetation when the Holocene is considered as a whole and at the sub-continental scale, although land use is important regionally. Four critical phases of land-use effects on vegetation are identified. The first phase (from 7000 to 6500 BP) corresponds to the early impacts on vegetation of farming and Neolithic forest clearance and to the dominance of climate as a driver of vegetation change. During the second phase (from 4500 to 4000 BP), land use becomes a major control of vegetation. Climate is still the principal driver, although its influence decreases gradually. The third phase (from 2000 to 1500 BP) is characterised by the continued role of climate on vegetation as a consequence of late-Holocene climate shifts and specific climate events that influence vegetation as well as land use. The last phase (from 500 to 350 BP) shows an acceleration of vegetation changes, in particular during the last century, caused by new farming practices and forestry in response to population growth and industrialization. This is a unique signature of anthropogenic impact within the Holocene but European vegetation remains climatically sensitive and thus may continue to respond to ongoing climate change. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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7. |
- Mortensen, Morten Fischer, et al.
(author)
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Turfs and Timbers- Resource use in the construction of the Viking Age Ring Fortress Borgring, Southeast Denmark
- 2021
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In: Danish Journal of Archaeology. - : Det Kgl. Bibliotek/Royal Danish Library. - 2166-2290 .- 2166-2282. ; 10, s. 1-18
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Viking Age ring fortresses were some of the largest construction projects in Danish prehistory. In this article we reconstruct the amount of turf and timber used in the construction of the Borgring ring fortress and estimate the resource area needed to supply the building materials. Using REVEALS pollen data modelling, we quantify the regional oak land cover and estimate the resource area. The results show that even though Borgring was built in an open cultural landscape, sufficient supply of oak for the construction would have been accessible within a few kilometres from the fortress.
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8. |
- Pirzamanbein, Behnaz, et al.
(author)
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Creating spatially continuous maps of past land cover from point estimates : A new statistical approach applied to pollen data
- 2014
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In: Ecological Complexity. - : Elsevier BV. - 1476-945X .- 1476-9840. ; 20, s. 127-141
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Reliable estimates of past land cover are critical for assessing potential effects of anthropogenic land-cover changes on past earth surface-climate feedbacks and landscape complexity. Fossil pollen records from lakes and bogs have provided important information on past natural and human-induced vegetation cover. However, those records provide only point estimates of past land cover, and not the spatially continuous maps at regional and sub-continental scales needed for climate modelling. We propose a set of statistical models that create spatially continuous maps of past land cover by combining two data sets: 1) pollen-based point estimates of past land cover (from the REVEALS model) and 2) spatially continuous estimates of past land cover, obtained by combining simulated potential vegetation (from LPJ-GUESS) with an anthropogenic land-cover change scenario (KK10). The proposed models rely on statistical methodology for compositional data and use Gaussian Markov Random Fields to model spatial dependencies in the data. Land-cover reconstructions are presented for three time windows in Europe: 0.05, 0.2, and 6 ka years before present (BP). The models are evaluated through cross-validation, deviance information criteria and by comparing the reconstruction of the 0.05 ka time window to the present-day land-cover data compiled by the European Forest Institute (EFI). For 0.05 ka, the proposed models provide reconstructions that are closer to the EFI data than either the REVEALS- or LPJ-GUESS/KK10-based estimates; thus the statistical combination of the two estimates improves the reconstruction. The reconstruction by the proposed models for 0.2 ka is also good. For 6 ka, however, the large differences between the REVEALS- and LPJ-GUESS/KK10-based estimates reduce the reliability of the proposed models. Possible reasons for the increased differences between REVEALS and LPJ-GUESS/KK10 for older time periods and further improvement of the proposed models are discussed. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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9. |
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10. |
- Yang, Bingjie, et al.
(author)
-
Quantitative landscape reconstruction and erosion history during the past 1,100 years in the Skogaryd Research Catchment, southern Sweden
- 2020
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In: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0939-6314 .- 1617-6278. ; 29:6, s. 657-70
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A sediment sequence from a small forest lake in southwestern Sweden was investigated to explore the effects of forestry and land-use on catchment erosion and delivery of organic and minerogenic matter to the lake. Catchment-scale vegetation changes during the last 1,100 years were reconstructed quantitatively at 50-year resolution using pollen analysis and the Landscape reconstruction algorithm (LRA). Variations in terrestrial organic matter input to lake sediments were assessed by total organic carbon (TOC) content and carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios. Changes in minerogenic matter were analysed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning. The results show that Skogaryd was not intensively used for agriculture throughout the past 1,100 years, but its land-use changes were very sensitive to societal changes. Between ca. ad 950 and 1350, local land-use was characterized by small-scale agricultural activities associated with the Medieval expansion, and enhanced soil erosion was recorded by increased K, Ti and Rb deposition. Around ad 1350 much of the farmland was abandoned, most likely in response to outbreaks of plague. The abandonment of farmland caused increased coniferous woodland cover and lower soil erosion. From the 16th century land-use expanded and gradually intensified, concurrent with a population increase documented in the study area between ca. ad 1600 and 1850. Intensive exploitation of the forest led to soil erosion and increased terrestrial organic and minerogenic matter export to the lake. These processes peaked with the artificial drainage of a nearby wetland for agricultural purposes. During the 20th century, modern forestry management started with the plantation of conifers, and soil erosion declined.
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11. |
- Björck, Svante, et al.
(author)
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Relative sea level changes and glacio-isostatic modelling in the Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego, Chile : glacial and tectonic implications
- 2021
-
In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-3791. ; 251
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Beagle Channel crosses the southernmost tip of South America (Tierra del Fuego), connecting the South Atlantic with the Southeastern Pacific. Raised beaches occur up to 10 m above mean sea level (m a.m.s.l.), especially along the northern (Argentinian) shore, and have been dated using marine shells. The southern (Chilean) shore is well-known for its abundance of shell middens at different levels above the present shore, particularly along the island of Isla Navarino, but the relative sea level history in this glacially impacted landscape has not previously been investigated. In this study we present postglacial relative sea level changes on Isla Navarino, based on sediment cores from six lagoons, bogs or lakes, and stratigraphic investigations of three open sections, of which one is of MIS 5e age. In addition, one core from a lagoon in the south-western Beagle Channel has been analysed and a system of terraces was mapped in the north-western Beagle Channel. The analyses of the core sites have resulted in two tentative relative sea level curves, displaying a rapid sea level rise at 8500−6500 cal yr BP, amounting to ∼10 and 14 m in eastern and western Isla Navarino, respectively, and reaching levels of ∼8 and > 10 m, respectively, followed by a slow relative sea level fall. Our sea level observations have been compared with a range of modelling results of glacial-isostatic adjustments (GIA) for estimating timing of deglaciation and ice sheet thicknesses. Based mainly on the GIA modelling of the altitude of the MIS 5e beach sediments, situated at 13 m, we can conclude that no other uplift than GIA is needed to explain their altitude. Regarding the modelling of postglacial sea levels we can conclude that no model has been found that satisfies all of the observational evidence, but that deglaciation most likely preceded Northern Hemisphere main deglaciation by at least 3 kyr, which agrees with the deglaciation age of Isla Navarino (>16 000 cal yr BP). In addition, our model runs imply that the Patagonian and Tierra del Fuego ice sheet thicknesses were in the order of ∼1500 m.
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12. |
- Blaesild, Paulina, et al.
(author)
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Early Holocene vegetation development at Mesolithic fen dwelling sites in Dagsmosse, south-central Sweden, and its implications for understanding environment–human dynamics at various scales
- 2024
-
In: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. - 0031-0182. ; 641
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent discoveries of several Mesolithic sites within the Dagsmosse Basin, south-central Sweden, offer an opportunity to study the lifestyle and skillsets of Mesolithic hunter-gatherer-fishers operating in wetland environments. In this paper, we present a combined archaeological and palaeoecological analysis of a Mesolithic fenland environment using Repetitive-Proxy Pollen Analysis (RPPA) of early Holocene sequences. Based on comparison of stratigraphic profiles from two cores within the basin, we infer that the variance in pollen composition and anthropogenic signals reflect variability in human/vegetation interactions in the fenland, at different distances to the main human dwelling at Jussberg (9.0–8.2 ka cal BP). Our study describes the socio-environmental relations within the wetland and adjacent terrestrial areas, providing a basis for tracking changes in forager interactions with their surroundings during the Mesolithic. Pollen analysis is consistent with the previously established sequence of settlement phases and extent as well as providing new data concerning the anthropogenic impacts on plant communities within the wetland including the use, reuse, and management of vegetation taxa. Correlations between palaeoecological and archaeological data demonstrate that forager communities (i) prevailed in the open fenland landscape between 9.3 and 8.2 ka cal BP, (ii) actively altered taxa composition through small-scale clearings of pine (Pinus), birch (Betula) and sedges (Cyperaceae) and (iii) reduced canopy cover, possibly to intentionally encourage the growth of taxa such as hazel (Corylus), but that also promoted the establishment of pioneer plants such as mugwort (Artemisia) and bracken (Pteridium).
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13. |
- Blaesild, Paulina, 1994, et al.
(author)
-
Early Holocene vegetation development at Mesolithic fen dwelling sites in Dagsmosse, south-central Sweden, and its implications for understanding environment–human dynamics at various scales
- 2024
-
In: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. - 0031-0182. ; 641
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent discoveries of several Mesolithic sites within the Dagsmosse Basin, south-central Sweden, offer an opportunity to study the lifestyle and skillsets of Mesolithic hunter-gatherer-fishers operating in wetland environments. In this paper, we present a combined archaeological and palaeoecological analysis of a Mesolithic fenland environment using Repetitive-Proxy Pollen Analysis (RPPA) of early Holocene sequences. Based on comparison of stratigraphic profiles from two cores within the basin, we infer that the variance in pollen composition and anthropogenic signals reflect variability in human/vegetation interactions in the fenland, at different distances to the main human dwelling at Jussberg (9.0–8.2 ka cal BP). Our study describes the socio-environmental relations within the wetland and adjacent terrestrial areas, providing a basis for tracking changes in forager interactions with their surroundings during the Mesolithic. Pollen analysis is consistent with the previously established sequence of settlement phases and extent as well as providing new data concerning the anthropogenic impacts on plant communities within the wetland including the use, reuse, and management of vegetation taxa. Correlations between palaeoecological and archaeological data demonstrate that forager communities (i) prevailed in the open fenland landscape between 9.3 and 8.2 ka cal BP, (ii) actively altered taxa composition through small-scale clearings of pine (Pinus), birch (Betula) and sedges (Cyperaceae) and (iii) reduced canopy cover, possibly to intentionally encourage the growth of taxa such as hazel (Corylus), but that also promoted the establishment of pioneer plants such as mugwort (Artemisia) and bracken (Pteridium).
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14. |
- Bragée, Petra, et al.
(author)
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Historical TOC concentration minima during peak sulfur deposition in two Swedish lakes
- 2015
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In: Biogeosciences. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1726-4170 .- 1726-4189. ; 12:2, s. 307-322
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Decadal-scale variations in total organic carbon (TOC) concentration in lake water since AD1200 in two small lakes in southern Sweden were reconstructed based on visible-near-infrared spectroscopy (VNIRS) of their recent sediment successions. In order to assess the impacts of local land-use changes, regional variations in sulfur, and nitrogen deposition and climate variations on the inferred changes in TOC concentration, the same sediment records were subjected to multi-proxy palaeolimnological analyses. Changes in lake-water pH were inferred from diatom analysis, whereas pollen-based land-use reconstructions (Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm) together with geochemical records provided information on catchment-scale environmental changes, and comparisons were made with available records of climate and population density. Our long-term reconstructions reveal that inferred lake-water TOC concentrations were generally high prior to AD1900, with additional variability coupled mainly to changes in forest cover and agricultural land-use intensity. The last century showed significant changes, and unusually low TOC concentrations were inferred at AD1930-1990, followed by a recent increase, largely consistent with monitoring data. Variations in sulfur emissions, with an increase in the early 1900s to a peak around AD1980 and a subsequent decrease, were identified as an important driver of these dynamics at both sites, while processes related to the introduction of modern forestry and recent increases in precipitation and temperature may have contributed, but the effects differed between the sites. The increase in lake-water TOC concentration from around AD1980 may therefore reflect a recovery process. Given that the effects of sulfur deposition now subside and that the recovery of lake-water TOC concentrations has reached pre-industrial levels, other forcing mechanisms related to land management and climate change may become the main drivers of TOC concentration changes in boreal lake waters in the future.
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15. |
- Broström, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Pollen productivity estimates of key European plant taxa for quantitative reconstruction of past vegetation : a review
- 2008
-
In: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0939-6314 .- 1617-6278. ; 17:5, s. 461-478
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Information on the spatial distribution of past vegetation on local, regional and global scales is increasingly used within climate modelling, nature conservancy and archaeology. It is possible to obtain such information from fossil pollen records in lakes and bogs using the landscape reconstruction algorithm (LRA) and its two models, REVEALS and LOVE. These models assume that reliable pollen productivity estimates (PPEs) are available for the plant taxa involved in the quantitative reconstructions of past vegetation, and that PPEs are constant through time. This paper presents and discusses the PPEs for 15 tree and 18 herb taxa obtained in nine study areas of Europe. Observed differences in PPEs between regions may be explained by methodological issues and environmental variables, of which climate and related factors such as reproduction strategies and growth forms appear to be the most important. An evaluation of the PPEs at hand so far suggests that they can be used in modelling applications and quantitative reconstructions of past vegetation, provided that consideration of past environmental variability within the region is used to inform selection of PPEs, and bearing in mind that PPEs might have changed through time as a response to climate change. Application of a range of possible PPEs will allow a better evaluation of the results.
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16. |
- Bunting, M. J., et al.
(author)
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Palynological perspectives on vegetation survey: a critical step for model-based reconstruction of Quaternary land cover
- 2013
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In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-3791. ; 82, s. 41-55
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 1. Quantitative reconstruction of past vegetation distribution and abundance from sedimentary pollen records provides an important baseline for understanding long term ecosystem dynamics and for the calibration of earth system process models such as regional-scale climate models, widely used to predict future environmental change. Most current approaches assume that the amount of pollen produced by each vegetation type, usually expressed as a relative pollen productivity term, is constant in space and time. 2. Estimates of relative pollen productivity can be extracted from extended R-value analysis (Parsons and Prentice, 1981) using comparisons between pollen assemblages deposited into sedimentary contexts, such as moss polsters, and measurements of the present day vegetation cover around the sampled location. Vegetation survey method has been shown to have a profound effect on estimates of model parameters (Bunting and Hjelle, 2010), therefore a standard method is an essential pre-requisite for testing some of the key assumptions of pollen-based reconstruction of past vegetation; such as the assumption that relative pollen productivity is effectively constant in space and time within a region or biome. 3. This paper systematically reviews the assumptions and methodology underlying current models of pollen dispersal and deposition, and thereby identifies the key characteristics of an effective vegetation survey method for estimating relative pollen productivity in a range of landscape contexts. 4. It then presents the methodology used in a current research project, developed during a practitioner workshop. The method selected is pragmatic, designed to be replicable by different research groups, usable in a wide range of habitats, and requiring minimum effort to collect adequate data for model calibration rather than representing some ideal or required approach. Using this common methodology will allow project members to collect multiple measurements of relative pollen productivity for major plant taxa from several northern European locations in order to test the assumption of uniformity of these values within the climatic range of the main taxa recorded in pollen records from the region. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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17. |
- Davis, Basil A.S., et al.
(author)
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The Eurasian Modern Pollen Database (EMPD), version 2
- 2020
-
In: Earth System Science Data. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1866-3516. ; 12:4, s. 2423-2445
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Eurasian (née European) Modern Pollen Database (EMPD) was established in 2013 to provide a public database of high-quality modern pollen surface samples to help support studies of past climate, land cover, and land use using fossil pollen. The EMPD is part of, and complementary to, the European Pollen Database (EPD) which contains data on fossil pollen found in Late Quaternary sedimentary archives throughout the Eurasian region. The EPD is in turn part of the rapidly growing Neotoma database, which is now the primary home for global palaeoecological data. This paper describes version 2 of the EMPD in which the number of samples held in the database has been increased by 60 % from 4826 to 8134. Much of the improvement in data coverage has come from northern Asia, and the database has consequently been renamed the Eurasian Modern Pollen Database to reflect this geographical enlargement. The EMPD can be viewed online using a dedicated map-based viewer at https://empd2.github.io and downloaded in a variety of file formats at https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.909130 (Chevalier et al., 2019). © Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
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18. |
- Edvardsson, Johannes, et al.
(author)
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The Integrated Use of Dendrochronological Data and Paleoecological Records From Northwest European Peatlands and Lakes for Understanding Long-Term Ecological and Climatic Changes—A Review
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-701X. ; 10
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Our overall understanding of long-term climate dynamics is largely based on proxy data generated from archives such as ice cores, ocean sediments, tree rings, speleothems, and corals, whereas reconstructions of long-term changes in vegetation and associated climate during the Holocene are largely based on paleoecological records from peat and lake sequences, primarily pollen and plant macrofossil data. However, since no proxy can provide a complete picture of the past, it is important to integrate different types of data, and to use methods that can support the paleoecological and paleoclimatic interpretations. Here we review how tree-ring data and dendrochronological approaches can be integrated with stratigraphic records to provide complementary paleoecological and paleoclimatic information. The review includes multiproxy studies in which dendrochronological data have been either compared or integrated with stratigraphic records, mainly pollen records, with the aim to contribute to a better understanding of long-term ecosystem and climate dynamics. We mainly focus on studies from northwest Europe in which tree-ring data and at least one type of paleoecological proxy record from the same site or area has been either compared or integrated. We find that integration of dendrochronological data and paleoecological records from peat and lake sequences is a powerful but underutilized approach to reconstruct long-term ecological and climatic changes. One likely reason for its limited use is the contrasting character of the two categories of data, including their different time resolution and occurrence, making them difficult to integrate. For example, subfossil wood providing annual dendrochronological data usually only occurs sporadically in peat and lake sediments, and the presence/absence of the trees are normally expected to be recorded in the pollen data with multi-decadal or coarser resolution. Therefore, we also discuss methods to compare and integrate dendrochronological and stratigraphic records, as well as the relevant paleoecological and paleoclimatic information provided by dendrochronology, pollen, and peat stratigraphy, with the aim to facilitate new multi-proxy initiatives that will contribute to a better understanding of long-term ecosystem and climate dynamics and thereby a firmer basis for future nature conservation initiatives.
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19. |
- Eriksson Stenström, Kristina, et al.
(author)
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Environmental levels of radiocarbon in Lund, Sweden, prior to the start of the European Spallation Source
- 2022
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In: Radiocarbon. - 0033-8222. ; 64:1, s. 51-56
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a neutron-based research facility under construction in Lund in southern Sweden. The spallation reactions will generate not only the desired neutrons, but also many radioactive byproducts, including 14C. As part of the licensing process, and as recommended by the IAEA, various preoperational studies are being carried out, including mapping the “zero-point” radiation environment around the site. As the city of Lund hosts several facilities using 14C-labeled substances, and since temporary and local 14C contamination have been observed in the past, 14C mapping is an important part of these baseline assessments. We here present a summary of 14C levels in various terrestrial environmental samples in Lund and in southern Sweden during the years 2012 to 2020. These environmental F14C do not display significantly elevated levels compared to sites located remote from Lund. We also describe a local 14C contamination event that was detected at the Lund Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory in 2009. Horse-chestnut leaves collected close to the laboratory exhibited F14C values of up to ∼25% above the clean air background. Elevated values of F14C were also found in a short tree-ring series, especially in 2007. The source of this contamination was identified and successfully removed.
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20. |
- Feurdean, Angelica, et al.
(author)
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Origin of the forest steppe and exceptional grassland diversity in Transylvania (central-eastern Europe)
- 2015
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1365-2699 .- 0305-0270. ; 42:5, s. 951-963
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim The forest steppe of the Transylvanian Plain is a landscape of exceptionally diverse steppe-like and semi-natural grasslands. Is this vegetation a remnant of a once continuous temperate forest extensively cleared by humans, or has the area, since the last glacial, always been a forest steppe? Understanding the processes that drive temperate grassland formation is important because effective management of this biome is critical to the conservation of the European cultural landscape. Location Lake Stiucii, north-western Romania, central-eastern Europe. Methods We analysed multi-proxy variables (pollen, coprophilous fungi, plant macroremains, macrocharcoal) from a 55,000year discontinuous sequence (c. 55,000-35,000; 13,000-0cal. yr bp), integrating models of pollen-based vegetation cover, biome reconstruction, global atmospheric simulations and archaeological records. Results Needleleaf woodland occurred during glacial Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, but contracted at the end of this period. Forest coverage of c. 55% (early Holocene) and 65% (mid-Holocene) prevailed through the Holocene, but Bronze Age humans extensively cleared forests after 3700cal. yr bp. Forest coverage was most widespread between 8600 and 3700cal. yr bp, whereas grasses, steppe and xerothermic forbs were most extensive between 11,700 and 8600cal. yr bp and during the last 3700cal. yr bp. Cerealia pollen indicate the presence of arable agriculture by c. 7000cal. yr bp. Main conclusions We have provided the first unequivocal evidence for needleleaf woodland during glacial MIS 3 in this region. Extensive forests prevailed prior to 3700cal. yr bp, challenging the hypothesis that the Transylvanian lowlands were never wooded following the last glaciation. However, these forests were never fully closed either, reflecting dry growing season conditions, recurrent fires and anthropogenic impacts, which have favoured grassland persistence throughout the Holocene. The longevity of natural and semi-natural grasslands in the region may explain their current exceptional biodiversity. This longer-term perspective implies that future climatic warming and associated fire will maintain these grasslands.
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21. |
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22. |
- Gaillard, Marie-José, et al.
(author)
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From land cover-climate relationships at the subcontinental scale to land cover-environment relationships at the regional and local spatial scale – the contribution of pollen-based quantitative reconstructions of vegetation cover using the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm approach
- 2014
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In: Towards a more accurate quantification of human-environment interactions in the past. ; , s. 25-26
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm (Sugita 2007a,b) includes two models, REVEALS (Regional Estimates of VEgetation Abundance from Large Sites) that estimates vegetation abundance (% cover) within an area of ca. 100 km x 100 km, and LOVE (LOcal Vegetation Estimates) that estimates vegetation abundance at the local spatial scale, i.e. within the Relevant Source Area of Pollen (RSAP sensu Sugita, 2004) that is the smallest area around the study site for which the reconstruction is valid. The RSAP is estimated by the LOVE model and varies between sites and vegetation settings; so far, it was estimated to vary between < 1 - < 10 km in most ecological settings of the Holocene in NW Europe. We used the REVEALS model and over 600 pollen records from pollen data bases and individual researchers to reconstruct land-cover in NW Europe N of the Alps for key time windows of the Holocene in order to assess model-based reconstructions of anthropogenic land-cover change (ALCC) (e.g. Kaplan et al., 2009) and model (LPJ-GUESS) simulations of past potential (climate-induced vegetation), and to study past land cover – climate interactions using a regional climate model (RCA3). We used the REVEALS model and the complete LRA approach (REVEALS + LOVE models) along with two pollen records from large lakes and three pollen records from small bogs to reconstruct the local-scale land-cover in central Småland, southern Sweden, to study the relationship between vegetation composition, fire, climate and human impact at the regional and local spatial scales with the objective to discuss biodiversity issues. Our results suggest that i) past subcontinental to regional ALCC did influence regional climate through biogeophysical processes at the landatmosphere interface (Strandberg et al., submitted), and ii) local land-cover change, both natural and anthropogenic, govern environmental changes such as fire and biodiversity (Cui et al., 2013; Cui et al., submitted).
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25. |
- Gaillard, Marie-Jose, et al.
(author)
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The use of modelling and simulation approach in reconstructing past landscapes from fossil pollen data: a review and results from the POLLANDCAL network
- 2008
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In: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0939-6314 .- 1617-6278. ; 17:5, s. 419-443
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Information on past land cover in terms of absolute areas of different landscape units (forest, open land, pasture land, cultivated land, etc.) at local to regional scales is needed to test hypotheses and answer questions related to climate change (e.g. feedbacks effects of land-cover change), archaeological research, and nature conservancy (e.g. management strategy). The palaeoecological technique best suited to achieve quantitative reconstruction of past vegetation is pollen analysis. A simulation approach developed by Sugita (the computer model POLLSCAPE) which uses models based on the theory of pollen analysis is presented together with examples of application. POLLSCAPE has been adopted as the central tool for POLLANDCAL (POLlen/LANdscape CALibration), an international research network focusing on this topic. The theory behind models of the pollen-vegetation relationship and POLLSCAPE is reviewed. The two model outputs which receive greatest attention in this paper are the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) and pollen loading in mires and lakes. Six examples of application of POLLSCAPE are presented, each of which explores a possible use of the POLLANDCAL tools and a means of validating or evaluating the models with empirical data. The landscape and vegetation factors influencing the size of the RSAP, the importance of pollen productivity estimates (PPEs) for the model outputs, the detection of small and rare patches of plant taxa in pollen records, and quantitative reconstructions of past vegetation and landscapes are discussed on the basis of these examples. The simulation approach is seen to be useful both for exploring different vegetation/landscape scenarios and for refuting hypotheses.
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26. |
- Githumbi, Esther, et al.
(author)
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Holocene quantitative pollen-based vegetation reconstructions in Europe for climate modelling: LandClim II
- 2019
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Understanding land use and land cover (LULC) change through time is an important aspect when attempting to interpret human-environment interactions through time. Palaeoenvironmental techniques have been crucial in bridging this gap by providing information that has been used to estimate climate change, vegetation change, sea level change etc. through time using a variety of proxies. Producing quantitative land-cover reconstructions has been an aim and a challenge with several methods attempted during the decades. In this project, we use the REVEALS model has been tested and validated in several regions of the world.We use REVEALS-based quantitative reconstructions of vegetation change to investigate the biogeochemical and biogeophysical forcings of land-cover change on climate. In the first phase of this project, LandClim I, quantitative vegetation reconstructions were produced for Europe (Mediterranean area excluded) focusing on five time windows of the Holocene between 6ka BP and present. The results from a regional climate model showed that the impact of the reconstructed LULC between 6 ka and 0.2 ka BP via biogeophysical forcing varied geographically and seasonally. We present the REVEALS quantitative pollen-based vegetation reconstruction from the ongoing second phase of the project LandClim II “Quantification of the biogeophysical and biogeochemical forcings from anthropogenic deforestation on regional Holocene climate in Europe”. This reconstruction covers entire Europe and is transient over the Holocene with a time resolution of 500 years between 11.2 and 0.7ka BP, and 100 to 300 years from 0.7ka BP to modern time.
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27. |
- Grindean, Roxana, et al.
(author)
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Relative pollen productivity estimates in the forest steppe landscape of southeastern Romania
- 2019
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In: Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0034-6667. ; 264, s. 54-63
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Estimates of relative pollen productivity (RPP) represent key input parameters for model-based quantitative reconstructions of past vegetation cover. In this study, we provide the first RPP estimates for 13 taxa from the forest steppe ecoregion in southeastern Romania (southeastern Europe). We used modern pollen assemblages from 26 points together with vegetation surveys and mapping, covering a 1.5 km radius around each sampling site. We have estimated the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) and pollen productivity for 13 taxa relative to Poaceae using the ERV (Extended R-value model), sub-model 3, as this model shows the best goodness of fit. The estimated RSAP is about 100 m and falls within the range of RSAP estimates of moss pollsters and forest hollows from other RPP-related studies. Results show that Rubiaceae (7.97), Apiaceae (5.91), Artemisia (5.89) and Fraxinus (2.99) are high pollen producers compared to Poaceae, while Plantago lanceolata (0.58), Fabaceae (0.40), Acer (0.30), Rosaceae (0.29), Carpinus orientalis (0.24), Cerealia (0.22) and Asteraceae (0.16) are low pollen producers with lower RPPs than Poaceae. Quercus (1.10) has a pollen productivity close to that of Poaceae. The RPPs for Carpinus orientalis and Fabaceae are published here the first time for Europe. The high pollen producing plants include both entomophilous and anemophilous species, while the low pollen producers are mostly entomophilous species. Our results form an essential contribution to improving the accuracy of quantitative reconstruction of forest steppe ecoregion in Europe and generally in regions with a similar climate and vegetation setting.
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28. |
- Haak, Wolfgang, et al.
(author)
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The Corded Ware Complex in Europe in Light of Current Archaeogenetic and Environmental Evidence
- 2023
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In: The Indo-European Puzzle Revisited : Integrating Archaeology, Genetics, and Linguistics - Integrating Archaeology, Genetics, and Linguistics. - 9781009261746 - 9781009261753 ; , s. 63-80
-
Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Corded Ware is one of the main archaeological phenomena of the third millennium before the common era (BCE), with a wide geographic spread across much of central and northeastern Europe, from Denmark, the Rhineland, and Switzerland in the west to the Baltic and Western Russia in the east, and broadly restricted to the temperate, continental zones north of the Alps, the Carpathians, and the steppe/forest steppe border to the east (Glob 1944; Strahm and Buchvaldek 1991; Furholt 2014).
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29. |
- Kaplan, Jed O., et al.
(author)
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Constraining the Deforestation History of Europe : Evaluation of Historical Land Use Scenarios with Pollen-Based Land Cover Reconstructions
- 2017
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In: Land. - : MDPI. - 2073-445X. ; 6:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Anthropogenic land cover change (ALCC) is the most important transformation of the Earth system that occurred in the preindustrial Holocene, with implications for carbon, water and sediment cycles, biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services and regional and global climate. For example, anthropogenic deforestation in preindustrial Eurasia may have led to feedbacks to the climate system: both biogeophysical, regionally amplifying winter cold and summer warm temperatures, and biogeochemical, stabilizing atmospheric CO2 concentrations and thus influencing global climate. Quantification of these effects is difficult, however, because scenarios of anthropogenic land cover change over the Holocene vary widely, with increasing disagreement back in time. Because land cover change had such widespread ramifications for the Earth system, it is essential to assess current ALCC scenarios in light of observations and provide guidance on which models are most realistic. Here, we perform a systematic evaluation of two widely-used ALCC scenarios (KK10 and HYDE3.1) in northern and part of central Europe using an independent, pollen-based reconstruction of Holocene land cover (REVEALS). Considering that ALCC in Europe primarily resulted in deforestation, we comparemodeled land use with the cover of non-forest vegetation inferred from the pollen data. Though neither land cover change scenario matches the pollen-based reconstructions precisely, KK10 correlates well with REVEALS at the country scale, while HYDE systematically underestimates land use with increasing magnitude with time in the past. Discrepancies between modeled and reconstructed land use are caused by a number of factors, including assumptions of per-capita land use and socio-cultural factors that cannot be predicted on the basis of the characteristics of the physical environment, including dietary preferences, long-distance trade, the location of urban areas and social organization.
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30. |
- Li, Yiyin, et al.
(author)
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Pollen production estimates (PPEs) and fall speeds for major tree taxa and relevant source areas of pollen (RSAP) in Changbai Mountain, northeastern China
- 2015
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In: Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. - 0034-6667. ; 216, s. 92-100
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- For model-based quantitative reconstructions of past vegetation cover on the scale of landscapes, pollen productivity estimates (PPEs) are key input parameters. In this study, we employed a random sampling strategy to collect moss polsters at 20 sites in Changbai Mountain, northeastern China. A detailed vegetation survey within 1000-m radius around each sampling point was carried out and digitized vegetation maps were used for, vegetation data compilation. A forest map at the scale of 1:25,000 was used to extract information about vegetation for the area between 1000 and 5000 m from each sampling point. Using the ERV (Extended R-Value) model, pollen productivity was estimated for Larix, Pinus, Juglans, Ulmus, Tilia, Betula and Fraxinus relative to Quercus. Estimates of pollen fall speeds for the eight taxa as well as the relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) were also obtained. Three different ERV sub-models were tested against the data. The sub-model 3 produced the best goodness of fit and the PPE values calculated with this sub-model show that BMA (5.04), Pinus (3.11), Juglans (1.94) and Ulmus (1.40) are high pollen producers with higher PPEs than Quercus while Fraxinus (0.76), Larix (0.30), Tilia (0.16) are low pollen producers compared to Quercus. The high pollen producers are all anemophilous species, while low pollen producing plants include both entomophilous, such as Fraxinus, Tilia and anemophilous species such as Larix. The estimated RSAP for the eight tree pollen taxa is about 2000-2500 m. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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31. |
- Margaryan, Ashot, et al.
(author)
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Population genomics of the Viking world
- 2020
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 585:7825, s. 390-396
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The maritime expansion of Scandinavian populations during the Viking Age (about ad750–1050) was a far-flung transformation in world history1,2. Here we sequenced the genomes of 442humans from archaeological sites across Europe and Greenland (to a median depth of about 1×) to understand the global influence of this expansion. We find the Viking period involved gene flow into Scandinavia from the south and east. We observe genetic structure within Scandinavia, with diversity hotspots in the south and restricted gene flow within Scandinavia. We find evidence for a major influx of Danish ancestry into England; a Swedish influx into the Baltic; and Norwegian influx into Ireland, Iceland and Greenland. Additionally, we see substantial ancestry from elsewhere in Europe entering Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Our ancient DNA analysis also revealed that a Viking expedition included close family members. By comparing with modern populations, we find that pigmentation-associated loci have undergone strong population differentiation during the past millennium, and trace positively selected loci—including the lactase-persistence allele of LCT and alleles of ANKA that are associated with the immune response—in detail. We conclude that the Viking diaspora was characterized by substantial transregional engagement: distinct populations influenced the genomic makeup of different regions of Europe, and Scandinavia experienced increased contact with the rest of the continent.
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33. |
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34. |
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35. |
- Matthias, Isabelle, et al.
(author)
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Evaluating the effect of flowering age and forest structure on pollen productivity estimates
- 2012
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In: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0939-6314 .- 1617-6278. ; 21:6, s. 471-484
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Pollen productivity estimates (PPEs) are indispensable prerequisites for quantitative vegetation reconstructions. Estimates from different European regions show a large variability and it is uncertain whether this reflects regional differences in climate and soil or is brought about by different assessments of vegetation abundance. Forests represent a particular problem as they consist of several layers of vegetation and many tree species only start producing pollen after they have attained ages of several decades. Here we used detailed forest inventory data from north-eastern Germany to investigate the effect of flowering age and understory trees on PPEs. Pollen counts were obtained from 49 small to medium sized lakes chosen to represent the different forest types in the region. Surface samples from lakes within a closed forest of Fagus yielded disproportionate amounts of Fagus pollen, increasing its PPE and the variability of all other estimates. These samples were removed from further analysis but indicate a high trunk-space component that is not considered in the Prentice–Sugita pollen dispersal and deposition model. Results of the restricted dataset show important differences in PPEs based on the consideration of flowering age and understory position. The effect is largest for slow growing and/or late flowering trees like Fagus and Carpinus while it is minimal for species that flower early in their development like Betula and Alnus. The large relevant source area of pollen (RSAP) of 7 km obtained in this study is consistent with the landscape structure of the region.
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36. |
- Mazier, Florence, et al.
(author)
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Signals of tree volume and temperature in a high-resolution record of pollen accumulation rates in northern Finland
- 2012
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In: Journal of Quaternary Science. - : Wiley. - 1099-1417 .- 0267-8179. ; 27:6, s. 564-574
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Pollen accumulation rates (PARs) provide a potential proxy for quantitative tree volume (m3 ha-1) reconstruction with reliable absolute pollen productivity estimates (APPEs). We obtained APPEs for pine, spruce and birch at their range limits in northern Finland under two temperature periods (warm and cold) based on long-term pollen trap and tree volume records within a 14-km radius of each trap. APPEs (mean?+/-?SE;?x?108 grains m-3 a-1) tend to be higher for the warm periods (pine 123.8?+/-?24.4, birch 528.0?+/-?398.4, spruce 434.3?+/-?113.7) compared with the cold periods (pine 95.5?+/-?37.3, birch 317.3?+/-?282.6, spruce 119.6?+/-?37.6), although the difference is only significant for spruce. Using an independent temperature record and the APPEs obtained, we reconstruct a low-frequency record of pine volume changes over the last 1000 years at Palomaa mire, where a high-resolution record of Pinus PARs is available. Five phases are distinguished in the reconstruction: moderate pine volume, AD 10801170; high volume, AD 11701340; low volume, AD 13401630; very low volume, AD 16301810; and rising pine volume, AD 18101950. These phases do not coincide with periods of high or low JuneJulyAugust temperatures, and thus appear to reflect regional variations in tree volume, while high-frequency changes within each time-period block show variations in PARs in response to temperature. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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37. |
- Möller, Per, et al.
(author)
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Rekonstruktion av paleomiljön för området kring den Mesolitiska stenåldersboplatsen vid Sammakko, Norrbotten
- 2022
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- A large number of quartz fragments from knapping andburnt bone, discovered during reconnaissance (NorrbottensMuseum) of forest-cleared areas north of the villageSammakko, c. 40 km SE of Gällivare, have been interpretedto indicate a short-term used dwelling site. Th esite, located c. 100 meters north of the Linaälven Riverand at the edge of an almost overgrown pond, underwentarchaeological preliminary investigation in the summerof 2019. Collected material of burnt bone and charcoalshows that the settlement was used c. 8800 - 8900 yearsago by Mesolithic hunters. Th e present report includesa landscape analysis and vegetation reconstruction, thelatter carried out through pollen analysis of sedimentarylayers from two nearby lake basins, of the area into whichthese early Holocene hunters migrated. Th e settlement islocated in a so-called Veikimorain area, a landscape withhigh and broad plateaus with depressions in between.Th is landscape was formed during the fi nal phase of aprevious glaciation, a landscape morphology that wasonly very slightly aff ected by the most recent glaciationDating of the lowest sediment layers in the lake basins(silt, clay) shows that current lake basins became completelyice-free c. 9200 years ago while surrounding higher-situated areas became ice-free at least 600 years earlier- stagnant ice residues lingered in the terrain lows whilethe gradually ice-free landscape in higher locations wasoccupied by a vegetation of the Arctic heathland type.When the hunter-gatherer settlement at Sammakko wasutilized, the landscape had been completely ice-free forc. 300–400 years and it constituted an inland settlementat c. 20 km distance from the coastline of the LittorinaSea further east. From the pollen analyzes we can see thateven a little earlier the vegetation had changed from arcticheath to an open birch forest (Betula) with elements ofpine (Pinus) and in more humid locations there was alder(Alnus). Dwarf shrubs, including dwarf birch (Betulanana), willow (Salix) and juniper (Juniperus) were commonand so were various herbs, grasses and sedges in thesemi-open fi elds. Only after c. 8500 BP does the forestbecome a more closed birch-pine forest.
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38. |
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39. |
- Nielsen, Anne Birgitte, et al.
(author)
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Quantitative reconstructions of changes in regional openness in north-central Europe reveal new insights into old questions
- 2012
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In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-3791. ; 47:30, s. 131-149
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- By applying the recently developed model REVEALS (Regional Estimates of VEgetation Abundance from Large Sites) (Sugita, 2007) to pollen data from a large number of sites across Northern Germany and Denmark, we construct maps of regional patterns in landscape openness and in cover abundance of key plant taxa in the cultural landscape of north-central Europe for selected time slices in the Holocene. The results indicate that the pattern of landscape openness across the regions of northern Germany and Denmark prior to the introduction of agriculture was affected by soil conditions and degree of continentality. The 8.2 ka climate event did not lead to a general decrease in tree cover, although some changes in species composition were observed. The early phases of agriculture also had little effect on landscape openness at the regional scale, but later human impact lead to large scale deforestation and development of arable areas, grasslands and of heathlands in the north-western part of the region. The timing and degree of deforestation, and the weight between arable and grazing areas varied in space, partly due to differences in natural conditions, partly due to differences in cultural impact.
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41. |
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42. |
- Overballe-Petersen, Mette Venas, et al.
(author)
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Long-term forest dynamics at Gribskov, eastern Denmark with early-Holocene evidence for thermophilous broadleaved tree species
- 2013
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In: The Holocene. - : SAGE Publications. - 0959-6836 .- 1477-0911. ; 23:2, s. 243-254
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on a full-Holocene pollen, charcoal and macrofossil record from a small forest hollow in Gribskov, eastern Denmark. The Fagus sylvatica pollen record suggests the establishment of a small Fagus population at Gribskov in the early Holocene together with early establishment of other thermophilous broadleaved trees, including Quercus sp., Tilia sp. and Ulmus sp. The macrofossils contribute to the vegetation reconstruction with evidence for local presence of species with low pollen productivity or easily degraded pollen types such as Populus. The charcoal record shows frequent burning during two periods of the early Holocene and from c. 3000 cal. BP to present. The early-Holocene part of the record indicates a highly disturbed forest ecosystem with frequent fires and abundant macrofossils of particularly Betula sp. and Populus sp. The sediment stratigraphy and age-depth relationships give no clear indication of post-depositional disturbance, although a possible short-lived hiatus occurs around 6500 cal. BP. The early pollen record from thermophilous trees could indicate that there may have been some downwash following sediment desiccation through wood peat layers deposited between c. 6500 and 10,000 cal. BP, but the overall biostratigraphy is consistent with other Danish small hollow records.
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43. |
- Overballe-Petersen, Mette Venas, et al.
(author)
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Quantitative vegetation reconstruction from pollen analysis and historical inventory data around a Danish small forest hollow
- 2013
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In: Journal of Vegetation Science. - : Wiley. - 1654-1103 .- 1100-9233. ; 24:4, s. 755-771
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Questions Can the model performance of the landscape reconstruction algorithm (LRA) for small forest hollows be validated through comparison to inventory-based vegetation reconstructions from the last 150yrs? Does the application of LRA and the comparison to historical data enhance interpretation of the pollen record? Location Denmark. The Gribskov-Ostrup small forest hollow (56 degrees N, 12 degrees 20E, 44m a.s.l.) in the forest of Gribskov, eastern Denmark. Methods Pollen analysis was carried out on a small forest hollow, and LRA used to derive pollen-based quantitative estimates of past vegetation. Historical forest inventory data and maps were used to reconstruct the vegetation within three different circles around the hollow (20, 50 and 200m ring widths) for five time periods during the last 150yrs. The results of the two approaches were compared in order to evaluate model performance, and the LRA-based reconstruction used to describe how the model changes interpretation of vegetation development during the last ca. 6500yrs compared to the use of pollen percentages alone. Results Distance-weighted inventory-based reconstructions within 200m of the hollow's edge provide the best match with the LRA-modelled vegetation. Precise validation of the model is not possible due to insufficient historical data, but the comparison indicates that the LRA reconstruction for Gribskov tends to (1) underestimate tree cover and overestimate open areas, (2) give a too high representation of on-site pollen types, (3) give an underestimation of Fagus and (4) a small overestimation of Quercus and Corylus. Despite these uncertainties, application of the LRA model shows a higher degree of openness than would be apparent from the uncorrected pollen diagram, and makes it possible to attempt to distinguish changes at the local scale from regional vegetation changes, thus giving a clearer picture of the vegetation changes at the site. Conclusions We demonstrate that the estimates of the LRA model applied to pollen data from small forest hollows can be compared with small-scale historical data to evaluate model performance.
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44. |
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46. |
- Poska, Anneli, et al.
(author)
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The Verijarv area, South Estonia over the last millennium: A high resolution quantitative land-cover reconstruction based on pollen and historical data
- 2014
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In: Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0034-6667. ; 207, s. 5-17
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Integration of palynological proxies with annual lamina counting, C-14, Pb-210, Cs-137 and Am-241 radiometric dating, historical documents and old cadastral maps enabled reconstruction of changes in the cultural landscape resulting from extensive forest clearance, arable farming and slash-and-burn practices in South Estonia over the last millennium. Changes in land-cover were quantitatively reconstructed using Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm (LRA) models. These reconstructions are in accordance with historical data from the last century, while reconstructions for the late 19th century time-slice exhibit a considerably more open landscape with a higher portion of cultivated land than that recorded on maps, and possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. Taxa represented in the pollen spectrum with values <1% cannot be recommended in reconstructions, as standard deviations are usually larger than the mean cover estimates of the taxon in question. Pollen data and historical evidence suggest that the forest structure changed from fairly open wooded meadow type grazed forests during early periods to closed boreal forest communities typical of the area today. Maximum landscape openness was reached in the 1700s and 1800s, when almost all of the available land was cultivated or used for cattle rearing. Four different periods of landscape development have been differentiated: AD 1000 to 1600, semi-open (20-70%) landscape with increasing intensity of agriculture and openness; AD 1600 to 1870, open (>70%) landscape resulting from extensive agrarian activities including slash-and-burn agriculture; AD 1870 to 1950, cultural landscape with variable openness (70-80%) and AD 1950 to 2000, modern overgrowing semi-open (<70%) landscape. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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47. |
- Strandberg, Gustav, 1977-, et al.
(author)
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Mid-Holocene European climate revisited : New high-resolution regional climate model simulations using pollen-based land-cover
- 2022
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In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Elsevier. - 0277-3791 .- 1873-457X. ; 281
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Land-cover changes have a clear impact on local climates via biophysical effects. European land cover has been affected by human activities for at least 6000 years, but possibly longer. It is thus highly probable that humans altered climate before the industrial revolution (AD1750-1850). In this study, climate and vegetation 6000 years (6 ka) ago is investigated using one global climate model, two regional climate models, one dynamical vegetation model, pollen-based reconstruction of past vegetation cover using a model of the pollen-vegetation relationship and a statistical model for spatial interpolation of the reconstructed land cover. This approach enables us to study 6 ka climate with potential natural and reconstructed land cover, and to determine how differences in land cover impact upon simulated climate. The use of two regional climate models enables us to discuss the robustness of the results. This is the first experiment with two regional climate models of simulated palaeo-climate based on regional climate models. Different estimates of 6 ka vegetation are constructed: simulated potential vegetation and reconstructed vegetation. Potential vegetation is the natural climate-induced vegetation as simulated by a dynamical vegetation model driven by climate conditions from a climate model. Bayesian spatial model interpolated point estimates of pollen-based plant abundances combined with estimates of climate-induced potential un-vegetated land cover were used for reconstructed vegetation. The simulated potential vegetation is heavily dominated by forests: evergreen coniferous forests dominate in northern and eastern Europe, while deciduous broadleaved forests dominate central and western Europe. In contrast, the reconstructed vegetation cover has a large component of open land in most of Europe. The simulated 6 ka climate using reconstructed vegetation was 0-5 degrees C warmer than the pre-industrial (PI) climate, depending on season and region. The largest differences are seen in north-eastern Europe in winter with about 4-6 degrees C, and the smallest differences (close to zero) in southwestern Europe in winter. The simulated 6 ka climate had 10-20% more precipitation than PI climate in northern Europe and 10-20% less precipitation in southern Europe in summer. The results are in reasonable agreement with proxy-based climate reconstructions and previous similar climate modelling studies. As expected, the global model and regional models indicate relatively similar climates albeit with regional differences indicating that, models response to land-cover changes differently. The results indicate that the anthropogenic land-cover changes, as given by the reconstructed vegetation, in this study are large enough to have a significant impact on climate. It is likely that anthropogenic impact on European climate via land-use change was already taking place at 6 ka. Our results suggest that anthropogenic land-cover changes at 6 ka lead to around 0.5 degrees C warmer in southern Europe in summer due to biogeophysical forcing. (C) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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48. |
- Strandberg, Gustav, et al.
(author)
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Regional climate model simulations for Europe at 6 and 0.2 k BP : sensitivity to changes in anthropogenic deforestation
- 2014
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In: Climate of the Past. - : Copernicus GmbH. - 1814-9324 .- 1814-9332. ; 10:2, s. 661-680
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study aims to evaluate the direct effects of anthropogenic deforestation on simulated climate at two contrasting periods in the Holocene, similar to 6 and similar to 0.2 k BP in Europe. We apply We apply the Rossby Centre regional climate model RCA3, a regional climate model with 50 km spatial resolution, for both time periods, considering three alternative descriptions of the past vegetation: (i) potential natural vegetation (V) simulated by the dynamic vegetation model LPJ-GUESS, (ii) potential vegetation with anthropogenic land use (deforestation) from the HYDE3.1 (History Database of the Global Environment) scenario (V + H3.1), and (iii) potential vegetation with anthropogenic land use from the KK10 scenario (V + KK10). The climate model results show that the simulated effects of deforestation depend on both local/regional climate and vegetation characteristics. At similar to 6 k BP the extent of simulated deforestation in Europe is generally small, but there are areas where deforestation is large enough to produce significant differences in summer temperatures of 0.5-1 degrees C. At similar to 0.2 k BP, extensive deforestation, particularly according to the KK10 model, leads to significant temperature differences in large parts of Europe in both winter and summer. In winter, deforestation leads to lower temperatures because of the differences in albedo between forested and unforested areas, particularly in the snow-covered regions. In summer, deforestation leads to higher temperatures in central and eastern Europe because evapotranspiration from unforested areas is lower than from forests. Summer evaporation is already limited in the southernmost parts of Europe under potential vegetation conditions and, therefore, cannot become much lower. Accordingly, the albedo effect dominates in southern Europe also in summer, which implies that deforestation causes a decrease in temperatures. Differences in summer temperature due to deforestation range from -1 degrees C in south-western Europe to +1 degrees C in eastern Europe. The choice of anthropogenic land-cover scenario has a significant influence on the simulated climate, but uncertainties in palaeoclimate proxy data for the two time periods do not allow for a definitive discrimination among climate model results.
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49. |
- Søe, Niels Emil, et al.
(author)
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Late Holocene landscape development around a Roman Iron Age mass grave, Alken Enge, Denmark
- 2017
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In: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0939-6314 .- 1617-6278. ; 26:3, s. 277-292
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sediments from the small lake Ilsø situated in the Illerup/Alken Enge Valley were studied in order to investigate past landscape development at the time of a probably ritual human mass burial following battle during the Roman Iron Age (ad 1–400). A pollen record from Ilsø and a number of other records from Jutland were combined using the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm to reconstruct local vegetation changes through the last 2,800 years. These methods were supplemented by studies of catchment-related geochemistry of the Ilsø lake sediments. The results show a marked reforestation event associated with a strong decrease in erosion levels at the very beginning of the first century ad, contemporaneous with the finds of human remains at Alken Enge. Comparison with a pollen record 10 km away and with those from other sites, reveals that this reforestation occurs unusually early and rapidly, and is an unparalleled development in a Danish context. We suggest that the major landscape changes at the beginning of the Roman Iron Age and forest cover for the next few centuries comprise a possible example of ritual control of local land-use.
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50. |
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