Investigation of climate and vegetation change in Göbekli Tepe (Türkiye) region using polen data
Abdulkadir GÜZEL1,Arif PARMAKSIZ2, Mehmet ÖZCANLI1
ORCİD: 0000-0003-0321-8198; 0000-0002-4168-4803; 0000-0003-2228-8298
1 Harran University, Faculty of Science-Literature, Department of Geography, Şanlıurfa, Turkey
2 Harran University, Faculty of Science-Literature, Department of Biology, Şanlıurfa, Turkey
Abstract
Today, it is known that there is a change in the world's climate system and that the living things that cause the deterioration of the natural balance are human beings. Human beings have always made changes in the environment they live in to meet their nutritional and shelter needs. These changes have affected the habitat in the region over time, causing both flora and fauna to change and have affected the level of biodiversity. In order to understand this change, pollen records from past periods are valuable archives of vegetation dynamics and provide important information about vegetation. In this study, pollen belonging to the ancient period was investigated from the wells drilled in Göbekli Tepe, which is described as the "zero point of history". The pollen analyzes obtained from the samples in the 1st well between 6 meters and 7-7.5 meters were approximately B.C. It covers the years 11126 and 13354. The pollen analyzes made at 6, 10, 12 meters in the samples in the 3rd well were B.C. It reflects the changes in vegetation and climate between 10634-12418. Although individuals belonging to Quercus, Salix, Juglans, Abies, Pinus and Juniperus species of forest vegetation were encountered in Ancient Göbekli Tepe, no individuals belonging to these tree species were encountered today. In this study, data were obtained supporting that the region was forest-steppe in the past, and the presence of forest-forming taxa Juglans, Abies, Pinus, and Juniperus was determined for the first time and the vegetation of the past period was made more evident.
Key words: Göbekli Tepe, human impact, oak steppe-forest, pollen