A study of late Holocene local vegetation dynamics and responses to land use changes in an ancient charcoal making woodland in the central Pyrenees (Ariège, France), using pedoanthracology
Mélanie Saulnier|Raquel Cunill Artigas|Léonel Fouedjeu Foumou|Sandrine Buscaino|Jean-Paul Métailié|Didier Galop|Vanessa Py-Saragaglia
Human activities have profoundly transformed mountain woodland landscapes, particularly in the Pyrenees where they intensified and diversified since Bronze Age. Quantification of role played by past practices with regard to cover is critical for accurate assessment how ongoing global environmental change may affect its dynamics future. A local study was made charcoal remains from an ancient charcoal-making (ca. 30 ha), forêt de Bernadouze, located on a north-facing slope Vicdessos valley French central Pyrenees. This well known as having had long history human influence related pastoralism, iron ore mining smelting. total 1,695 pieces soils three sampling pits were extracted, identified, quantified dated order identify tree canopy openings patterns driven uses. The results provide new original insights regarding 1, higher biodiversity character 2, main trees 3, successive phases activity. We show that current has resulted several millennia such pasturing use wood making charcoal. From Age, humans progressively natural fir-dominated into managed beech-dominated one, caused elimination Taxus baccata L. (yew).
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany|HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)|HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)|HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)|HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)|HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)