Persistence of a vegetation mosaic in a peripheral region: could turbulent medieval history disrupt Holocene continuity of extremely species-rich grasslands?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Vegetation History and Archaeobotany |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0660-9 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0660-9 |
| Keywords | Human impact; Landscape history; Macrofossils; Multidimensional analysis; Pollen; White Carpathians |
| Description | We analysed four new profiles from wetland deposits in the White Carpathians for pollen, macrofossils and abiotic proxies, and re-dated some old profiles from the area. The results show the continual presence of human impact indicators since the Migration period in the southwest of the Bile Karpaty Mts, where these unique grasslands occur. Agricultural activities were indicated by pollen of crops, ruderals, weeds and grassland taxa and by macrofossils of fen-grassland plants. Grazing and burning seem to have been the main disturbances during the older period, while mowing of meadows by scythe became more important since the 17th century. Despite intensification of human activities, the landscape remained mosaic-like. Continuous yet perhaps never too intensive disturbances might therefore have maintained the ancient grassland species pool in the long term. |
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