Contrasting local and regional Holocene histories of Abies alba in the Czech Republic in relation to human impact. Evidence from forestry, pollen and anthracological data

0365628 - ARÚ 2012 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Kozáková, Radka - Šamonil, P. - Kuneš, P. - Novák, J. - Kočár, P. - Kočárová, R.
Contrasting local and regional Holocene histories of Abies alba in the Czech Republic in relation to human impact. Evidence from forestry, pollen and anthracological data.
Holocene. Roč. 21, č. 3 (2011), s. 431-444. ISSN 0959-6836. E-ISSN 1477-0911
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAAX00020701
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80020508
Keywords : Abies alba * charcoal analysis * forest management * human impact * Medieval * pollen analysis
Subject RIV: EF - Botanics
Impact factor: 2.595, year: 2011
http://hol.sagepub.com/content/21/3/431

After the last glaciation, around 4000 BC, silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) spread to the area that is now the Czech Republic. This spread was not restricted to high mountains, but also took place across both highland and lowland landscapes. Historical forestry records from around AD 1500 mention a massive expansion of Abies alba, favoured by forest pasturing, litter raking and selective tree cutting. According to the current interpretation of these historical records, this expansion in Czech forests was extensive and lasted until AD 1800. On the other hand, pollen data coming mostly from the Alps consider silver fir as a species that is extremely sensitive to human impact. In this paper, we compare historical forestry reports with pollen and charcoal data from the Czech Republic. Both pollen and charcoal records show that Abies alba reached its maximum during the Bronze (2200–800/750 BC) and Iron Ages (800/750 BC–AD 0).
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0200823