The younger Dryas and Preboreal landscape in the Moervaart area (northwestern Belgium) and the apparent decrease in human occupation
This paper presents the results of multi-disciplinary research carried out on the deposits of a residual channel (“Peerdemeers”) of the Kale/Durme River in the Moervaart depression, NW Belgium. The combination of physical, botanical, zoological and chemical analyses allowed a detailed reconstruction...
Published in: | Vegetation History and Archaeobotany |
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Online Access: | https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8543740 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0666-3 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740/file/8543744 |
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ftunivgent:oai:archive.ugent.be:8543740 2023-06-11T04:11:20+02:00 The younger Dryas and Preboreal landscape in the Moervaart area (northwestern Belgium) and the apparent decrease in human occupation Bos, Johanna Gelorini, Vanessa Van der Meeren, Thijs Peleman, Jolien Court-Picon, Mona Demiddele, Hendrik De Smedt, Philippe Boudin, Mathieu Verniers, Jacques Boeckx, Pascal Crombé, Philippe 2018 application/x-unknown-application-x-unknown-application-pdf https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8543740 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0666-3 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740/file/8543744 eng eng https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8543740 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0666-3 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740/file/8543744 No license (in copyright) info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess VEGETATION HISTORY AND ARCHAEOBOTANY ISSN: 0939-6314 History and Archaeology Earth and Environmental Sciences Late-glacial/early Holocene transition Multi-proxy analyses Palynology Climate Hunter-gatherers Belgium PLEISTOCENE-HOLOCENE TRANSITION MULTI-PROXY EVENT STRATIGRAPHY CLIMATIC CHANGES NW BELGIUM LAKE ASSEMBLAGES NETHERLANDS RECORD RECONSTRUCTION journalArticle info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2018 ftunivgent https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0666-3 2023-05-10T22:28:58Z This paper presents the results of multi-disciplinary research carried out on the deposits of a residual channel (“Peerdemeers”) of the Kale/Durme River in the Moervaart depression, NW Belgium. The combination of physical, botanical, zoological and chemical analyses allowed a detailed reconstruction of the channel ecosystem and the vegetation in the surrounding landscape during the Younger Dryas and Early Holocene. A chronology for the record was provided by radiocarbon dating. Vegetation patterns were influenced by major climate changes that occurred during this period. During the early Younger Dryas, the river channel was active and vegetation was open with scattered birch copses, shrubs, grasses and herbs. The channel was cut-off in the late Younger Dryas, while some heath developed in the area. The Friesland Phase is characterised by a lithological change and increase in water level in the residual channel. Dwarf birch disappeared and boreal forests developed. The area however, remained relatively open compared to other coversand areas in NW Europe. The Rammelbeek Phase is considered as a drier, more continental climate phase in which forest expansion was temporarily interrupted and grasslands became more abundant. Also at the “Peerdemeers” site an increase in grasses is recorded. During the entire period (ca. 1,000 years) there is no hard evidence for human activity. The absence of archaeological evidence is in sharp contrast with the preceding (Allerød) and succeeding periods (Boreal). This suggests that environmental conditions during the YD and PB were probably too unfavourable for hunter-gatherers to remain in the Moervaart area. Article in Journal/Newspaper Dwarf birch Ghent University Academic Bibliography Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 27 5 697 715 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Ghent University Academic Bibliography |
op_collection_id |
ftunivgent |
language |
English |
topic |
History and Archaeology Earth and Environmental Sciences Late-glacial/early Holocene transition Multi-proxy analyses Palynology Climate Hunter-gatherers Belgium PLEISTOCENE-HOLOCENE TRANSITION MULTI-PROXY EVENT STRATIGRAPHY CLIMATIC CHANGES NW BELGIUM LAKE ASSEMBLAGES NETHERLANDS RECORD RECONSTRUCTION |
spellingShingle |
History and Archaeology Earth and Environmental Sciences Late-glacial/early Holocene transition Multi-proxy analyses Palynology Climate Hunter-gatherers Belgium PLEISTOCENE-HOLOCENE TRANSITION MULTI-PROXY EVENT STRATIGRAPHY CLIMATIC CHANGES NW BELGIUM LAKE ASSEMBLAGES NETHERLANDS RECORD RECONSTRUCTION Bos, Johanna Gelorini, Vanessa Van der Meeren, Thijs Peleman, Jolien Court-Picon, Mona Demiddele, Hendrik De Smedt, Philippe Boudin, Mathieu Verniers, Jacques Boeckx, Pascal Crombé, Philippe The younger Dryas and Preboreal landscape in the Moervaart area (northwestern Belgium) and the apparent decrease in human occupation |
topic_facet |
History and Archaeology Earth and Environmental Sciences Late-glacial/early Holocene transition Multi-proxy analyses Palynology Climate Hunter-gatherers Belgium PLEISTOCENE-HOLOCENE TRANSITION MULTI-PROXY EVENT STRATIGRAPHY CLIMATIC CHANGES NW BELGIUM LAKE ASSEMBLAGES NETHERLANDS RECORD RECONSTRUCTION |
description |
This paper presents the results of multi-disciplinary research carried out on the deposits of a residual channel (“Peerdemeers”) of the Kale/Durme River in the Moervaart depression, NW Belgium. The combination of physical, botanical, zoological and chemical analyses allowed a detailed reconstruction of the channel ecosystem and the vegetation in the surrounding landscape during the Younger Dryas and Early Holocene. A chronology for the record was provided by radiocarbon dating. Vegetation patterns were influenced by major climate changes that occurred during this period. During the early Younger Dryas, the river channel was active and vegetation was open with scattered birch copses, shrubs, grasses and herbs. The channel was cut-off in the late Younger Dryas, while some heath developed in the area. The Friesland Phase is characterised by a lithological change and increase in water level in the residual channel. Dwarf birch disappeared and boreal forests developed. The area however, remained relatively open compared to other coversand areas in NW Europe. The Rammelbeek Phase is considered as a drier, more continental climate phase in which forest expansion was temporarily interrupted and grasslands became more abundant. Also at the “Peerdemeers” site an increase in grasses is recorded. During the entire period (ca. 1,000 years) there is no hard evidence for human activity. The absence of archaeological evidence is in sharp contrast with the preceding (Allerød) and succeeding periods (Boreal). This suggests that environmental conditions during the YD and PB were probably too unfavourable for hunter-gatherers to remain in the Moervaart area. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bos, Johanna Gelorini, Vanessa Van der Meeren, Thijs Peleman, Jolien Court-Picon, Mona Demiddele, Hendrik De Smedt, Philippe Boudin, Mathieu Verniers, Jacques Boeckx, Pascal Crombé, Philippe |
author_facet |
Bos, Johanna Gelorini, Vanessa Van der Meeren, Thijs Peleman, Jolien Court-Picon, Mona Demiddele, Hendrik De Smedt, Philippe Boudin, Mathieu Verniers, Jacques Boeckx, Pascal Crombé, Philippe |
author_sort |
Bos, Johanna |
title |
The younger Dryas and Preboreal landscape in the Moervaart area (northwestern Belgium) and the apparent decrease in human occupation |
title_short |
The younger Dryas and Preboreal landscape in the Moervaart area (northwestern Belgium) and the apparent decrease in human occupation |
title_full |
The younger Dryas and Preboreal landscape in the Moervaart area (northwestern Belgium) and the apparent decrease in human occupation |
title_fullStr |
The younger Dryas and Preboreal landscape in the Moervaart area (northwestern Belgium) and the apparent decrease in human occupation |
title_full_unstemmed |
The younger Dryas and Preboreal landscape in the Moervaart area (northwestern Belgium) and the apparent decrease in human occupation |
title_sort |
younger dryas and preboreal landscape in the moervaart area (northwestern belgium) and the apparent decrease in human occupation |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8543740 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0666-3 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740/file/8543744 |
genre |
Dwarf birch |
genre_facet |
Dwarf birch |
op_source |
VEGETATION HISTORY AND ARCHAEOBOTANY ISSN: 0939-6314 |
op_relation |
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8543740 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0666-3 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8543740/file/8543744 |
op_rights |
No license (in copyright) info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-017-0666-3 |
container_title |
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany |
container_volume |
27 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
697 |
op_container_end_page |
715 |
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1768386314062790656 |