Gobet, Erika; Tinner, Willy; Hochuli, P. A.; van Leeuwen, Jacqueline; Ammann, Brigitta (2003). Middle to Late Holocene vegetation history of the Upper Engadine (Swiss Alps): the role of man and fire. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 12(3), pp. 143-163. Springer-Verlag 10.1007/s00334-003-0017-4
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o reconstruct the vegetation and fire history of the Upper Engadine, two continuous sediment cores from Lej da Champfèr and Lej da San Murezzan (Upper Engadine Valley, southeastern Switzerland) were analysed for pollen, plant macrofossils, charcoal and kerogen. The chronologies of the cores are based on 38 radiocarbon dates. Pollen and macrofossil data suggest a rapid afforestation with Betula, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus cembra, and Larix decidua after the retreat of the glaciers from the lake catchments 11,000 cal years ago. This vegetation type persisted until ca. 7300 cal b.p. (5350 b.c.) when Picea replaced Pinus cembra. Pollen indicative of human impact suggests that in this high-mountain region of the central Alps strong anthropogenic activities began during the Early Bronze Age (3900 cal b.p., 1950 b.c.). Local human settlements led to vegetational changes, promoting the expansion of Larix decidua and Alnus viridis. In the case of Larix, continuing land use and especially grazing after fire led to the formation of Larix meadows. The expansion of Alnus viridis was directly induced by fire, as evidenced by time-series analysis. Subsequently, the process of forest conversion into open landscapes continued for millennia and reached its maximum at the end of the Middle Ages at around 500 cal b.p. (a.d. 1450).
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Palaeoecology 08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) |
UniBE Contributor: |
Gobet, Erika, Tinner, Willy, van Leeuwen, Jacqueline Francisca, Ammann, Brigitta |
Subjects: |
500 Science > 580 Plants (Botany) |
ISSN: |
0939-6314 |
Publisher: |
Springer-Verlag |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Peter Alfred von Ballmoos-Haas |
Date Deposited: |
07 Dec 2015 09:35 |
Last Modified: |
02 Mar 2023 23:26 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1007/s00334-003-0017-4 |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Larix decidua, Alnus viridi,s Central Alps, High-resolution palynology, Cross correlations, Human impact |
BORIS DOI: |
10.7892/boris.73350 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/73350 |
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