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Middle to Late Holocene vegetation history of the Upper Engadine (Swiss Alps): the role of man and fire

Gobet, E. ; Tinner, W. ; Hochuli, P. ; van Leeuwen, J. ; Ammann, B.

In: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2003, vol. 12, no. 3, p. 143-163

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    Titre
    • Middle to Late Holocene vegetation history of the Upper Engadine (Swiss Alps): the role of man and fire
    Auteur
    • Gobet, E.. Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Abteilung Paläoökologie, Universität Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland
    • Tinner, W.. Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Abteilung Paläoökologie, Universität Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland
    • Hochuli, P.. Paläontologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006, Zürich, Switzerland
    • van Leeuwen, J.. Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Abteilung Paläoökologie, Universität Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland
    • Ammann, B.. Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Abteilung Paläoökologie, Universität Bern, Altenbergrain 21, 3013, Bern, Switzerland
    Type de document
    • Postprint
    Langue
    • Anglais
    Publié dans
    • Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2003, vol. 12, no. 3, p. 143-163. Springer-Verlag
    Autre version électronique
    Identifiant OAI-PMH
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:321016
    Summary
    To reconstruct the vegetation and fire history of the Upper Engadine, two continuous sediment cores from Lej da Champfèr and Lej da San Murezzan (Upper Engadine Valley, southeastern Switzerland) were analysed for pollen, plant macrofossils, charcoal and kerogen. The chronologies of the cores are based on 38 radiocarbon dates. Pollen and macrofossil data suggest a rapid afforestation with Betula, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus cembra, and Larix decidua after the retreat of the glaciers from the lake catchments 11,000cal years ago. This vegetation type persisted until ca. 7300cal b.p. (5350b.c.) when Picea replaced Pinus cembra. Pollen indicative of human impact suggests that in this high-mountain region of the central Alps strong anthropogenic activities began during the Early Bronze Age (3900cal b.p., 1950b.c.). Local human settlements led to vegetational changes, promoting the expansion of Larix decidua and Alnus viridis. In the case of Larix, continuing land use and especially grazing after fire led to the formation of Larix meadows. The expansion of Alnus viridis was directly induced by fire, as evidenced by time-series analysis. Subsequently, the process of forest conversion into open landscapes continued for millennia and reached its maximum at the end of the Middle Ages at around 500cal b.p. (a.d.1450)