Environmental responses of past and recent agropastoral activities on south Greenlandic ecosystems through molecular biomarkers
Paleoenvironmental studies previously performed on Lake Igaliku revealed two agropastoral phases in south Greenland: the Norse settlement from AD 986 to ca. AD 1450 and the recent installation of sheep farmers, since the 1920s. To improve the knowledge of the timing and magnitude of the Greenlandic...
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crsagepubl:10.1177/0959683616675811 2024-06-23T07:53:25+00:00 Environmental responses of past and recent agropastoral activities on south Greenlandic ecosystems through molecular biomarkers Guillemot, Typhaine Bichet, Vincent Gauthier, Emilie Zocatelli, Renata Massa, Charly Richard, Herve 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959683616675811 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0959683616675811 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1177/0959683616675811 en eng SAGE Publications http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license The Holocene volume 27, issue 6, page 783-795 ISSN 0959-6836 1477-0911 journal-article 2016 crsagepubl https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683616675811 2024-06-04T06:27:06Z Paleoenvironmental studies previously performed on Lake Igaliku revealed two agropastoral phases in south Greenland: the Norse settlement from AD 986 to ca. AD 1450 and the recent installation of sheep farmers, since the 1920s. To improve the knowledge of the timing and magnitude of the Greenlandic agropastoral activities, a lipid inventory was realized and compared with biological and geochemical data. During the 12th century, a major increase in deoxycholic acid (DOC) and coprophilous fungal spores revealed a maximum of herbivores. Synchronously, a minimum of the n-C 29 / n-C 31 alkane ratio and tree and shrub pollen and a maximum of triterpenyl acetates showed a reduction in the tree and shrub cover, because of grazing activities. Lupanone, produced by angiosperms, appeared simultaneously in the molecular content, probably revealing an introduction of plant species by the Norse, as it has been the case for Rumex spp. No major erosion was recorded by trimethyl-tetrahydrocrysenes (TTHCs) and titanium (Ti) fluxes. No massive algal production, identified by the n-C 17 /total n-alkane ratio and mesotrophic diatoms, was either revealed. After the Norse abandon (around AD 1450), a return of the vegetation to quasi-pristine conditions was observed in the molecular content. Finally, a re-introduction of sheep in the 1920s provoked major impacts between the 1970s and the 1990s. A major decrease in the n-C 29 / n-C 31 alkane ratio and tree and shrub pollen associated with maxima of triterpenyl acetates, TTHCs, Ti fluxes, and mesotrophic diatoms highlighted a reduction in the tree and shrub cover, a strong soil mobilization, and algal blooms, probably linking to the recent mechanized creation of hay fields and the massive use of fertilizers. In this study, molecular biomarkers revealed two periods of major impacts: the 12th century and between the 1970s and the 1990s, separated by centuries without agropastoral practices, allowing a quasi-resilience of the vegetation. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland greenlandic Igaliku SAGE Publications Greenland Igaliku ENVELOPE(-45.421,-45.421,60.988,60.988) The Holocene 27 6 783 795 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
SAGE Publications |
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crsagepubl |
language |
English |
description |
Paleoenvironmental studies previously performed on Lake Igaliku revealed two agropastoral phases in south Greenland: the Norse settlement from AD 986 to ca. AD 1450 and the recent installation of sheep farmers, since the 1920s. To improve the knowledge of the timing and magnitude of the Greenlandic agropastoral activities, a lipid inventory was realized and compared with biological and geochemical data. During the 12th century, a major increase in deoxycholic acid (DOC) and coprophilous fungal spores revealed a maximum of herbivores. Synchronously, a minimum of the n-C 29 / n-C 31 alkane ratio and tree and shrub pollen and a maximum of triterpenyl acetates showed a reduction in the tree and shrub cover, because of grazing activities. Lupanone, produced by angiosperms, appeared simultaneously in the molecular content, probably revealing an introduction of plant species by the Norse, as it has been the case for Rumex spp. No major erosion was recorded by trimethyl-tetrahydrocrysenes (TTHCs) and titanium (Ti) fluxes. No massive algal production, identified by the n-C 17 /total n-alkane ratio and mesotrophic diatoms, was either revealed. After the Norse abandon (around AD 1450), a return of the vegetation to quasi-pristine conditions was observed in the molecular content. Finally, a re-introduction of sheep in the 1920s provoked major impacts between the 1970s and the 1990s. A major decrease in the n-C 29 / n-C 31 alkane ratio and tree and shrub pollen associated with maxima of triterpenyl acetates, TTHCs, Ti fluxes, and mesotrophic diatoms highlighted a reduction in the tree and shrub cover, a strong soil mobilization, and algal blooms, probably linking to the recent mechanized creation of hay fields and the massive use of fertilizers. In this study, molecular biomarkers revealed two periods of major impacts: the 12th century and between the 1970s and the 1990s, separated by centuries without agropastoral practices, allowing a quasi-resilience of the vegetation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Guillemot, Typhaine Bichet, Vincent Gauthier, Emilie Zocatelli, Renata Massa, Charly Richard, Herve |
spellingShingle |
Guillemot, Typhaine Bichet, Vincent Gauthier, Emilie Zocatelli, Renata Massa, Charly Richard, Herve Environmental responses of past and recent agropastoral activities on south Greenlandic ecosystems through molecular biomarkers |
author_facet |
Guillemot, Typhaine Bichet, Vincent Gauthier, Emilie Zocatelli, Renata Massa, Charly Richard, Herve |
author_sort |
Guillemot, Typhaine |
title |
Environmental responses of past and recent agropastoral activities on south Greenlandic ecosystems through molecular biomarkers |
title_short |
Environmental responses of past and recent agropastoral activities on south Greenlandic ecosystems through molecular biomarkers |
title_full |
Environmental responses of past and recent agropastoral activities on south Greenlandic ecosystems through molecular biomarkers |
title_fullStr |
Environmental responses of past and recent agropastoral activities on south Greenlandic ecosystems through molecular biomarkers |
title_full_unstemmed |
Environmental responses of past and recent agropastoral activities on south Greenlandic ecosystems through molecular biomarkers |
title_sort |
environmental responses of past and recent agropastoral activities on south greenlandic ecosystems through molecular biomarkers |
publisher |
SAGE Publications |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959683616675811 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0959683616675811 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1177/0959683616675811 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-45.421,-45.421,60.988,60.988) |
geographic |
Greenland Igaliku |
geographic_facet |
Greenland Igaliku |
genre |
Greenland greenlandic Igaliku |
genre_facet |
Greenland greenlandic Igaliku |
op_source |
The Holocene volume 27, issue 6, page 783-795 ISSN 0959-6836 1477-0911 |
op_rights |
http://journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683616675811 |
container_title |
The Holocene |
container_volume |
27 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
783 |
op_container_end_page |
795 |
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1802645026789916672 |