Long-term demographic trends and spatio-temporal distribution of past human activity in Central Europe: Comparison of archaeological and palaeoecological proxies

Kolář, Jan; Macek, Martin; Tkáč, Peter; Novák, David; Abrahám, Vojtěch

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2022.107834

Cited by 16 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 91 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A similar conclusion was reached by the analysis of Bronze-age pollen remains from northern Italy, which highlighted a thinning of forested areas due to the establishment of human settlements (Mercuri et al, 2015). Studies on pollen cores can also correlate human population demographics and activities with variation in plant species composition, identifying periods characterized by e.g., cultivation expansion, abandonment of terrains or livestock herding (Pini et al, 2021;Kolaŕ̌et al, 2022). Botanical remains can provide information on agropastoral practices even without a precise taxonomical information.…”

Section: Analytical Methods and Ecological Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 59%

Exploring the complex pre-adaptations of invasive plants to anthropogenic disturbance: a call for integration of archaeobotanical approaches

Bellini,

Schrieber,

Kirleis

et al. 2024

Front. Plant Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Pre-adaptation to anthropogenic disturbance is broadly considered key for plant invasion success. Nevertheless, empirical evidence remains scarce and fragmentary, given the multifaceted nature of anthropogenic disturbance itself and the complexity of other evolutionary forces shaping the (epi)-genomes of recent native and invasive plant populations. Here, we review and critically revisit the existing theory and empirical evidence in the field of evolutionary ecology and highlight novel integrative research avenues that work at the interface with archaeology to solve open questions. The approaches suggested so far focus on contemporary plant populations, although their genomes have rapidly changed since their initial introduction in response to numerous selective and stochastic forces. We elaborate that a role of pre-adaptation to anthropogenic disturbance in plant invasion success should thus additionally be validated based on the analyses of archaeobotanical remains. Such materials, in the light of detailed knowledge on past human societies could highlight fine-scale differences in the type and timing of past disturbances. We propose a combination of archaeobotanical, ancient DNA and morphometric analyses of plant macro- and microremains to assess past community composition, and species’ functional traits to unravel the timing of adaptation processes, their drivers and their long-term consequences for invasive species. Although such methodologies have proven to be feasible for numerous crop plants, they have not been yet applied to wild invasive species, which opens a wide array of insights into their evolution.

show abstract

Section: Analytical Methods and Ecological Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 59%

Exploring the complex pre-adaptations of invasive plants to anthropogenic disturbance: a call for integration of archaeobotanical approaches

Bellini,

Schrieber,

Kirleis

et al. 2024

Front. Plant Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Human settlement rapidly spread again after the start of the Mediaeval period (ca. 600 CE; Jiráň & Venclová, 2008; Kolář et al, 2022; Podborský et al, 1993). The current human population is 10.3 million (density: 136/km 2 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This (ca. 600 CE;Jiráň & Venclová, 2008;Kolář et al, 2022;Podborský et al, 1993). The current human population is 10.3 million (density: 136/km 2 ).…”

Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been Independent evidence for the spread of species and increase in plant diversity facilitated by anthropogenic disturbances had been provided by fossil pollen analysis (Kuneš et al, 2009). The persistence and continuity of anthropogenic disturbances in the settlement oecumene, and their fluctuation on the periphery in all spatial scales (Kolář et al, 2022), provided a great variation of niches and ecological opportunities for taxa of different origins. Human impact led to an increase in the species pool size, which completely rewrote the ecological rules.…”

Section: Interceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The diversity and distribution of introduced plant species reflect 8000 years of settlement history

et al. 2023

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human population has affected natural ecosystems since prehistoric times in many ways, causing disturbances in existing ecosystems and creating novel habitats, and altering the colonisation and extinction rates with potentially long‐lasting effects on biodiversity. Here, we explored the pervasive effects of past human occupancy on present‐day diversity and the distribution of plant species introduced by humans in the distant past—archaeophytes—at the regional spatial scale. We analysed spatial relations between the present‐day species richness of archaeophytes and native flora, the environmental setting, archaeological evidence, and the relationship between the residence time of archaeophytes and their regional range size. We used fine‐scaled gridded information on plant diversity and archaeological records for the period 6000 BCE to 1000 CE summarised as average occupancy probability (AOP) in Czechia, Central Europe. The proportion of archaeophytes in the local flora positively correlated with AOP. Variation partitioning revealed largely overlapping effects of AOP, environmental conditions, and present‐day land use on the relative diversity of archaeophytes in local flora. The relationship between the minimum residence time of introduced species and their regional range size was non‐significant. Synthesis. Present‐day regional diversity of archaeophytes mirrored the intensity of past human settlements. Our results suggest that the main underlying mechanism is the environmental filtering of non‐native species pools, while dispersal limitation plays a minor role in the regional patterns of archaeophyte diversity.

show abstract

“…plants were used for 14 C AMS. The use of annual plants for radiocarbon dating has been recently discussed in the case of the Holocene history of common human and vegetation development in Czechia(Kolář et al, 2022). The use of short-lived plants obtained by the archaeobotanical method of systematic layer flotation seems to be essential in our research on medieval field systems.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The medieval croft plužina field system in a mountain region of central Europe: The interdisciplinary record of the earthen field boundaries in Debrné, Czechia

Poledník Mohammadi,

Šitnerová,

Lisá

et al. 2024

Geoarchaeology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The integration of archaeological, historical and geoarchaeological records represents a significant contribution to research into the medieval landscape. This study focuses on the medieval field system in the deserted village of Debrné, located in northeastern Bohemia, Czechia. The village features a well‐preserved croft plužina field system, a typical historical landscape of central Europe. The main and most visible elements of the field system are the earthen field boundaries, which were the focus of the geoarchaeological investigations. Archaeological excavations in trench S1 revealed a collection of larger stones at a depth of 1 m, potentially serving a drainage function akin to the observed plužina. Additionally, a boulder paving, identified as a remnant of a path between fields, provided insights into the historical use of the area. In trench S2, positioned closer to the village's core, layers with increasing stone content were recorded at a depth of 130 cm. However, the drainage structure observed in trench S1 was not replicated. The dating of earthen field boundaries indicated the creation of the terrace in the second half of the 16th century in trench S1. In trench S2, radiocarbon dating at a depth of 70 to 80 cm ranged from 1025 to 1175 A.D., predating the first written source about Debrné. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating in trench S2 suggested exposure to sunlight during the third century A.D. Archaeobotanical analysis of charred macroremains from trench S1 revealed 236 plant macroremains belonging to approximately 20 taxa, showcasing wild‐growing, collected useful species such as raspberry, blackberry and elderberry. Trench S2 yielded 23 plant macroremains belonging to 11 taxa, with similar species as trench S1. Pedological and micromorphological examinations displayed distinct layering in both trenches, showing up to six layers. Micromorphological analysis unveiled vuggy microstructures, varying grain sizes and elemental patterns, shedding light on different periods of occupation. Multidisciplinary investigations of the buried soils forming the earthen field boundaries discovered that the original soil cover comprised automorphic lixisols and cambisols, which also form under present conditions. These results underscore the importance of integrating pedological, geoarchaeological, archaeobotanical and physical data to comprehend the intricate nature of anthropogenic landscape changes.

show abstract

Long-term demographic trends and spatio-temporal distribution of past human activity in Central Europe: Comparison of archaeological and palaeoecological proxies

Cited by 16 publications

References 91 publications

Exploring the complex pre-adaptations of invasive plants to anthropogenic disturbance: a call for integration of archaeobotanical approaches

Exploring the complex pre-adaptations of invasive plants to anthropogenic disturbance: a call for integration of archaeobotanical approaches

The diversity and distribution of introduced plant species reflect 8000 years of settlement history

The medieval croft plužina field system in a mountain region of central Europe: The interdisciplinary record of the earthen field boundaries in Debrné, Czechia

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About