Late Quaternary history of spruce in southern Europe

Ravazzi, Cesare

doi:10.1016/s0034-6667(01)00149-x

Cited by 145 publications

(121 citation statements)

References 135 publications

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“…The most obvious opposing trend during that time is the expansion of Picea abies (Figures 3,6,7,9a,b). Many studies have dealt with the late establishment of Picea abies and suggested different causes, such as a migrational lag, climate conditions or soil development (Lang, 1994;Ravazzi, 2002;Lotter et al, 2006;Henne et al, 2011).…”

Section: Interpretation and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstruction of Holocene vegetation dynamics at Lac de Bretaye, a high-mountain lake in the Swiss Alps

et al. 2015

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Abstract:A deeper understanding of past vegetation dynamics is required to better assess future vegetation responses to global warming in the Alps. Lake sediments from Lac de Bretaye, a small subalpine lake in the Northern Swiss Alps (1780 m a.s.l.), were analysed to reconstruct past vegetation dynamics for the entire Holocene, using pollen, macrofossil and charcoal analyses as main proxies. The results show that timberline reached the lake's catchment area at around 10300 cal. BP, supporting the hypothesis of a delayed postglacial afforestation in the Northern Alps. At the same time, thermophilous trees such as Ulmus, Tilia and Acer established in the lowlands and expanded to the altitude of the lake, forming distinctive boreo-nemoral forests with Betula, Pinus cembra and Larix decidua. From about 5000 to 3500 cal. BP, thermophilous trees declined due to increasing human land use, mainly driven by the mass expansion of Picea abies and severe anthropogenic fire activity. From the Bronze Age onwards (c. 4200-2800BP), grazing indicators and high values for charcoal concentration and influx attest an intensifying human impact, fostering the expansion of Alnus viridis and Picea abies. Hence, biodiversity in alpine meadows increased whereas forest diversity declined, as can be seen in other regional records. We argue that the anticipated climate change and http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/holocene HOLOCENE F o r P e e r R e v i e w decreasing human impact in the Alps today will not only lead to an upward movement of timberline with consequent loss of area for grasslands, but also to a disruption of Picea abies forests, which may allow the reexpansion of thermophilous tree species. Alnus viridis and Picea abies. Hence, biodiversity in alpine meadows increased whereas forest diversity declined, as can be seen in other regional records. We argue that the anticipated climate change and decreasing human impact in the Alps today will not only lead to an upward movement of timberline with consequent loss of area for grasslands, but also to a disruption of Picea abies forests, which may allow the re-expansion of thermophilous tree species.

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Section: Interpretation and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstruction of Holocene vegetation dynamics at Lac de Bretaye, a high-mountain lake in the Swiss Alps

et al. 2015

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“…P. sylvestris, Picea, Larix, Betula) survived the LGM in the eastern Po-Plain or in the Alpine foreland (e.g. Paganelli, 1996;Kromer et al, 1998;Ravazzi, 2002;Kaltenrieder et al, 2004). Deglaciation pulses at 18,500-17,500 cal yr BP and the initial expansion of trees and shrubs at 18,000-17,500 cal yr BP in the formerly glaciated lowland areas were probably a result of the first climatic warming after the LGM.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interactions between climate and vegetation during the Lateglacial period as recorded by lake and mire sediment archives in Northern Italy and Southern Switzerland

Vescovi

Ravazzi

Arpenti

et al. 2007

Quaternary Science Reviews

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153

139

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We reconstruct the vegetational history of the southern side of the Alps at 18,000-10,000 cal yr BP using previous and new AMS-dated stratigraphic records of pollen, stomata, and macrofossils. To address potential effects of climatic change on vegetation, we compare our results with independent paleoclimatic series (e.g. isotope and chironomid records from the Alps and the Alpine forelands). The period before 16,000 cal yr BP is documented only at the lowland sites. The previous studies used for comparison with our new Palughetto record, however, shows that Alpine deglaciation must have started before 18,000-17,500 cal yr BP south of the Alps and that deglaciated sites were colonized by open woods and shrublands (Juniperus, tree Betula, Larix, Pinus cembra) at ca 17,500 cal yr BP. The vegetational history of a new site (Palughetto, 1040 m a.s.l.) is consistent with that of previous investigations in the study region. Our results show three conspicuous vegetational shifts delimited by statistically significant pollen zones, at ca 14,800-14,400, 13,300-12,800 and 11,600-11,200 cal yr BP. At sites situated above 1000 m a.s.l. (e.g. Palughetto, Pian di Gembro) forests expanded in alpine environments at ca 14,500 cal yr BP (onset of Bølling period, GI-1 in the Greenland ice record). At the same time, rather closed treeline communities of the lowlands were replaced by dense stands of Pinus sylvestris and Betula. These early forests and shrublands consisted of Larix, P. cembra, Juniperus, P. sylvestris, Pinus mugo, and Betula, and had become established at ca 16,000 cal yr BP, probably in response to a temperature increase. If combined with other records from the Southern Alps, our data suggest that treeline ascended by ca 800-1000 m in a few centuries at most, probably as a consequence of climatic warming at the beginning of the Bølling period. At 13,100-12,800 cal yr BP the onset of a long-lasting decline of P. sylvestris was accompanied by the expansion of Quercus and other thermophilous tree taxa below ca 600 m a.s.l. This vegetational change was probably induced by a shift to warmer climatic conditions before the onset of the Younger Dryas, as indicated by independent paleoclimatic records. Only a few centuries later, at ca 12,700-12,500 cal yr BP, an expansion of herbaceous taxa occurred in the lowlands as well as at higher altitudes, documenting an opening of forested habitats. This change coincided with the beginning of the Younger Dryas cooling (GS-1), which according to the paleoclimatic series (e.g. oxygen isotope series), started at 12,700-12,600 cal yr BP and lasted for about 1000 years. Environments south of the Alps responded markedly to climatic warming at the onset of the Holocene (11,600-11,500 cal yr BP). Thermophilous trees that had declined during the Younger Dryas re-expanded very rapidly in the lowlands and reached the high altitude sites below ca 1500 m a.s.l. within a few centuries at most. Our study implies that the synchronous vegetational changes observed over wide areas were probabl...

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“…is one of the most widely distributed tree species in Europe, and it is an important component of boreal and mixed coniferous broad-leaved forests. Because of its widespread use in forestry and its importance in the ecosystem, there is much interest in its ecological requirements and its genetic structure at the population level (Ravazzi 2001). The genetic structure of populations of P. abies has been investigated in a number of studies (Lagercrantz and Ryman 1990;Maghuly et al 2006;Scotti et al 2006;Vendramin et al 2000); however, most of those studies were conducted in plantation forests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic aspects of age dynamics of a natural Picea abies (L.) Karst. population in the Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland

et al. 2013

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We studied temporal changes in the genetic structure and diversity of a naturally regenerated Picea abies (L.) Karst. (Norway spruce) population in the Białowie_ za Primeval Forest, Poland. The analysis included five age classes of trees: newly germinating seedlings (in laboratory conditions), seedlings up to 3 years old, young trees 4-10 years old, middle-aged trees 11-100 years old, and trees older than 100 years. We conducted genetic analyses of 26 allozyme loci using dormant buds from 405 individuals and 100 embryos. The results showed that the naturally regenerating Norway spruce population is genetically heterogeneous across the studied age classes. As determined by Chi squared tests, there were statistically significant differences in frequencies of alleles and genotypes as well as Wright's index values (F) among the five age classes. The level of genetic differentiation (pairwise F ST = 0.5-2.3 %) among the age class groups was equal to levels previously determined for various populations of this species. The Ewens-Watterson test for neutrality showed that one or two loci across different age classes of Norway spruce were affected by the selection process. The distinctiveness of embryo and seedling classes was confirmed by the number of detected alleles, the number of private alleles, the level of observed heterozygosity, and Wright's index value. The results obtained in the present study indicate there are interesting dynamics of adaptation processes occurring in the natural age-diverse population of Norway spruce in the Białowie_ za Primeval Forest.

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Late Quaternary history of spruce in southern Europe

Cited by 145 publications

References 135 publications

Reconstruction of Holocene vegetation dynamics at Lac de Bretaye, a high-mountain lake in the Swiss Alps

Reconstruction of Holocene vegetation dynamics at Lac de Bretaye, a high-mountain lake in the Swiss Alps

Interactions between climate and vegetation during the Lateglacial period as recorded by lake and mire sediment archives in Northern Italy and Southern Switzerland

Genetic aspects of age dynamics of a natural Picea abies (L.) Karst. population in the Białowieża Primeval Forest, Poland

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