Evidence of prehistoric and early medieval agriculture and its impact on soil and land relief transformation in the Białowieża natural forest (NE Poland)

Krupski, Mateusz; Kruczkowska, Bogusława; Kittel, Piotr; Jakubczak, Michał; Skrzyński, Grzegorz; Golyeva, Alexandra; Niedziółka, Kamil; Urbańczyk, Przemysław

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115668

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 80 publications

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“…Presently, the most common concepts assume Chernozems development in Central Europe under open-canopy broadleaf forests or in an open woodland-grassland landscape created in the course of anthropogenic activity during the Neolithic [12,20,21]. Studies focused on the origin and transformation of soils in relation to covering vegetation, may also offer useful proxy information for the identification of agricultural practices, what has large importance for archeological reconstructions of ancient human activity and its impact on the environment [22,23]. Typically, reconstructions of environmental conditions of Chernozem development and existence are based on analyses of vegetation residues, such as pollen grains, phytoliths and charcoal particles preserved in soil [24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Infrared Spectroscopy Techniques for Identification of Ancient Vegetation and Soil Change on Loess Areas

Dudek

Kabała

Łabaz

et al. 2022

Land

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The discussion on the formation of Chernozems still has no consensus, and one of the outstanding questions is the type of the vegetation that supported the persistence of these soils in Central Europe over the Holocene period. The transformation of Chernozems and related soil types may be clarified by paleoenvironmental studies, which integrate different investigation techniques and proxy data. We propose a procedure based on infrared reflectance spectroscopy of soil organic matter, that presumably contains specific fingerprints from land use and plant cover. A database of spectra for 337 samples representing vegetation classes (grassland, woodland and arable) and loess soil types (Chernozem, Phaeozem, Luvisol) was created to build a mathematical model, which allows to identify the origin of buried soils with unknown history. The comparison confirmed the applicability of both near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy, with higher statistical affinity of MIR. A clear disjunction of land use/vegetation classes was proven and allowed reliable association of the samples from buried soils with grassland/woodland and episodes of arable land use, followed by prevailing forest vegetation after burial. The findings are consistent with proposed models in Poland and Czechia, and confirm the potential of spectroscopy techniques in identification of soil types and their evolution.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Infrared Spectroscopy Techniques for Identification of Ancient Vegetation and Soil Change on Loess Areas

Dudek

Kabała

Łabaz

et al. 2022

Land

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Legacies of Past Land Use: Mapping Anthropogenic Landforms in Forest Areas of Eastern Bavaria, Germany

Schneider,

Raab,

Raab

et al. 2024

Geoarchaeology

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Reconstructing (pre‐)historic land use distribution is essential for understanding past human societies and their impacts on the environment. Various land use forms result in distinct alterations of surface morphology, which are often well preserved but rarely described within forest areas. The interpretation of LiDAR Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) can greatly enhance our insight into the geoarchaeological records of woodlands. This study examines the legacies of past land use in forested areas of Upper Palatinate, Germany, utilizing LiDAR DEMs to map anthropogenic relief features. We comprehensively mapped land use legacy landforms (LULLs) that occur with considerable frequency in the study area, that is, former agricultural field systems, road remnants, abandoned ponds, relict charcoal hearths, mining legacies, and indicators of anthropogenically induced soil erosion. Results reveal that 17% of the forested area is affected by LULLs, with the largest areas covered by former field systems, roads, and ponds. Characteristic LULL associations reflect past agricultural and charcoal production landscapes. While erosion indicators often coincide with field systems and roads, natural factors mainly influence their distribution. Comparison with historical maps suggests pre‐19th‐century abandonment of most LULLs and good preservation of anthropogenic relief modifications. Our results underscore the enduring impact of past land use on present woodland ecosystems and emphasize the importance of considering forest areas in the analysis of past human–landscape interactions.

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Natural Landscapes

Renes

2022

Landscape, Heritage and National Identity in Modern Europe

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Evidence of prehistoric and early medieval agriculture and its impact on soil and land relief transformation in the Białowieża natural forest (NE Poland)

Cited by 6 publications

References 80 publications

Application of Infrared Spectroscopy Techniques for Identification of Ancient Vegetation and Soil Change on Loess Areas

Application of Infrared Spectroscopy Techniques for Identification of Ancient Vegetation and Soil Change on Loess Areas

Legacies of Past Land Use: Mapping Anthropogenic Landforms in Forest Areas of Eastern Bavaria, Germany

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