Bronze Age to Medieval vegetation dynamics and landscape anthropization in the central pre-Pyrenees&nbsp;
Valentı́ Rull|Teresa Vegas‐Vilarrúbia|Juan Pablo Corella|Blas Valero-Garcé
Abstract The varved sediments of Lake Montcortès (central Pre-Pyrenees) have provided a continuous high-resolution record the last ca. 3000 years. Previous chronological and sedimentological studies this furnished detailed paleoenvironmental reconstructions. However, palynological are only available for millennium, when landscape around lake had already been transformed by humans. Therefore, primeval vegetation history its anthropogenic transformations remains unknown. This paper presents analysis interval between Late Bronze Age Early Medieval period, aimed at recording preanthropic conditions, anthropization onset further transformations. During (ca. 1100 BCE to 770 BCE), did not show any evidence human impact. decisive transformation catchment started beginning Iron (770 BCE) continued during Roman times in form recurrent burning, grazing, cultivation, silviculture hemp retting. Some intervals lower pressure were recorded, but original never returned. that took place cause relevant changes sediment yield lake, significant limnological shift occurred, as manifested initiation varve formation, process has until today. Climatic shifts seem played secondary role influencing changes. These results contrast with previous inferences low impact Period, regional level. It could be interesting verify whether same pattern – i.e., intensification may mid-elevation Pyrenean landscapes below tree line.
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