Vegetation changes in the southern Pyrenean flank during the last millennium in relation to climate and human activities: the Montcortès lacustrine record
Valentı́ Rull|Penélope González-Sampériz|Juan Pablo Corella|Mario Morellón|Santiago Giralt
We report vegetation changes of the last millennium inferred from palynological analysis a sediment core Lake Montcortès, situated at ~1,000 m elevation in southern pre-Pyrenean flank. The record begins Middle Ages (~AD 800) and ends around AD1920, with an average resolution ~30 years. reconstructed sequence is complex shows influence both climate humans shaping landscape. Pre-feudal times were characterized by presence well-developed conifer forests, which intensely burned beginning feudal (AD 1000) replaced cereal (rye) hemp cultivation, as well meadows pastures. In thirteenth century, relatively short period warming, likely corresponding to Medieval Warm Period, was low Mediterranean scrub community that today restricted <800 elevation. This disappeared during Little Ice Age cooling fifteenth coinciding decline human activities lake. Forest recovery began AD 1500, Modern period, wetter climate. Forests, however, declined again seventeenth maximum olive cultivation. situation reversed post-Modern (nineteenth century), intense agricultural crisis significant population favored forest re-expansion. Correlations nearby Estanya Lake, about 350 below, provide regional picture environmental change. Besides some forcing evident sequences, seem have been main drivers landscape change Pyrenean flank, agreement conclusions other studies high-mountain environments.
Journal of Paleolimnology|Library Open Repository (Universidad Complutense Madrid)|DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC))