Some problems of forest transformation at the transition to the oligocratic/Homo sapiens phase of the Holocene interglacial in northern lowlands of central Europe

Abstract

The paper discusses the main changes in the composition of mixed deciduous forests which occurred mostly between 5,000 and 2,000 b.p., based on selected pollen diagrams from the lowlands of Germany, Denmark and Poland, and including two pollen diagrams from varved sediments, used as reference sites, and on isopollen maps for Poland. The Ulmus retreat is shown on maps, and additional data for its pathogenic origin are presented. Corylus declines at ca. 3,500 b.p. at both reference sites, and its connection with Fagus expansion in the west and Carpinus expansion in the east is discussed. The nature of post-Atlantic transitory shrub–forest communities with dominant Corylus and Quercus is presented. Relationships between the history of Fagus and Carpinus and the development of human settlements are shown. Human impact has been admitted as one of the most important driving forces determining vegetational development since the time of fully developed Neolithic cultures. Other very important abiotic factors were the climate (particularly after 2,500 b.p.), and soil degradation.

Appendix

The Appendix shows isopollen maps for Poland: Fig. 8, Ulmus; Fig. 9, Corylus; Fig. 10, Fagus; and Fig. 11, Carpinus, at individually selected time slices. These maps have been based on data of the following authors:

M. Ralska-Jasiewiczowa¹, Dorota Nalepka¹, Zofia Balwierz², Krystyna Bałaga³, Anna Filbrandt-Czaja⁴, Wojciech Granoszewski¹, Krystyna Harmata⁵, Krzysztof Krupiński⁶, Mirosława Kupryjanowicz⁷, Małgorzata Latałowa⁸, Jacek Madeja⁵, Ewa Madeyska¹, Mirosław Makohonienko⁹, Kazimiera Mamakowa¹, Krystyna Milecka⁹, Grażyna Miotk-Szpiganowicz¹⁰, Agnieszka Noryśkiewicz¹¹, Bożena Noryśkiewicz¹², Małgorzata Nita¹³, Andrzej Obidowicz¹, Iwona Okuniewska-Nowaczyk¹⁴, Kazimierz Szczepanek⁵, Kazimierz Tobolski⁹, Agnieszka Wacnik¹, Adam Walanus¹⁵, Krystyna Wasylikowa¹, Joanna Zachowicz¹⁰

• 1. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland

• 2. Department of Geomorphology, Łódź University, Narulowiera 88, 90-139 Łódź, Poland

• 3. Department of Physical Geography and Palaeogeography, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland

• 4. Institute of Biology and Environment Protection Nicholas Copernicus University, Gagarina 9, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

• 5. Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland

• 6. Polish Geological Institute, Rakowiecka 4, 00-975 Warszawa, Poland

• 7. Institute of Biology, Białystok University, Świerkowa 20b, Białystok, Poland

• 8. Laboratory of Palaeoecology and Archaeobotany, Department of Plant Ecology and Nature Protection, Gdańsk University, Legionów 9, 80-441 Gdańsk, Poland

• 9. Quaternary Research Institute, Adam Mickiewicz University, Fredry 10, 61-701 Poznań, Poland

• 10. Polish Geological Institute, Sea Geology Branch, Kościerska 5, 80-328 Gdańsk, Poland

• 11. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Nicholas Copernicus University, Podmurna 9/11, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

• 12. Institute of Geography, Nicholas Copernicus University, Fredry 6/8, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

• 13. Earth Science Faculty, University of Silesia, Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland

• 14. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Poznań Branch, Polish Academy of Sciences, Zwierzyniecka 20, 60-814 Poznań, Poland

• 15. Institute of Archaeology, Rzeszów University, 36-007 Krasne 32a, Poland

Fig. 8

Isopollen maps for Ulmus

Fig. 9

Isopollen maps for Corylus

Fig. 10

Isopollen maps for Fagus

Fig. 11

Isopollen maps for Carpinus