Multi‐proxy reconstruction of the Holocene vegetation and land use dynamics in the Julian Alps, north‐west Slovenia

• Published in: Journal of Quaternary Science
• Main Authors: Caf, Nina, Sabatier, Pierre, Šmuc, Andrej, Ogrinc, Nives, Dolenec, Matej, Rapuc, William, Potočnik, Doris, von Grafenstein, Ulrich, Andrič, Maja
• Other Authors: Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement Gif-sur-Yvette (LSCE), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Direction de Recherche Fondamentale (CEA) (DRF (CEA)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Glaces et Continents, Climats et Isotopes Stables (GLACCIOS), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Direction de Recherche Fondamentale (CEA) (DRF (CEA))
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: CCSD 2023
• Subjects: alpine environment; geochemistry; human impact; palaeolimnology; vegetation dynamics; [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]; Tundra
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-04047830; https://hal.science/hal-04047830v1/document; https://hal.science/hal-04047830v1/file/J%20Quaternary%20Science%20-%202022%20-%20Caf%20-%20Multi%E2%80%90proxy%20reconstruction%20of%20the%20Holocene%20vegetation%20and%20land%20use%20dynamics%20in%20the%282%29.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3461

International audience Small mountain lakes are natural archives for understanding long-term natural and anthropogenic impact on the environment. This study focused on long-term (last ca. 13 000 years) vegetation changes and sedimentary processes in the catchment area of Lake Planina pri jezeru (1430 m a.s.l.) by using mineralogical, geochemical and palynological methods. Palynological results suggest that regional vegetation between 12 900 and 11 700 cal a BP was a herbaceous-forest tundra (Pinus, Artemisia, Poaceae). Climate warming at the beginning of the Holocene (ca. 11 700 cal a BP) caused the transition from a wetland (Cyperaceae) to an eutrophic lake with alternating anoxic (pyrite) and oxic conditions (gypsum). In addition, the surrounding area became forested (Picea, Larix, Ulmus). Fagus expanded at 10 200 cal a BP and Abies at 8200 cal a BP. Between 7500 and 4300 cal a BP, human impact on the environment was barely noticeable and mostly limited to grazing. During 4300-430 cal a BP human impact became more evident and gradually increased. The greatest influence was observed from 430 cal a BP onwards, when excessive exploitation of the surrounding area (logging and grazing) severely eutrophicated the lake.