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Anne Birgitte Nielsen

Anne Nielsen

Project coordinator

Anne Birgitte Nielsen

Origin of the forest steppe and exceptional grassland diversity in Transylvania (central-eastern Europe)

Author

  • Angelica Feurdean
  • Elena Marinova
  • Anne Birgitte Nielsen
  • Johan Liakka
  • Daniel Veres
  • Simon M. Hutchinson
  • Mihaly Braun
  • Alida Timar-Gabor
  • Ciprian Astalos
  • Volker Mosburgger
  • Thomas Hickler
Show all

Summary, in English

Aim The forest steppe of the Transylvanian Plain is a landscape of exceptionally diverse steppe-like and semi-natural grasslands. Is this vegetation a remnant of a once continuous temperate forest extensively cleared by humans, or has the area, since the last glacial, always been a forest steppe? Understanding the processes that drive temperate grassland formation is important because effective management of this biome is critical to the conservation of the European cultural landscape. Location Lake Stiucii, north-western Romania, central-eastern Europe. Methods We analysed multi-proxy variables (pollen, coprophilous fungi, plant macroremains, macrocharcoal) from a 55,000year discontinuous sequence (c. 55,000-35,000; 13,000-0cal. yr bp), integrating models of pollen-based vegetation cover, biome reconstruction, global atmospheric simulations and archaeological records. Results Needleleaf woodland occurred during glacial Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, but contracted at the end of this period. Forest coverage of c. 55% (early Holocene) and 65% (mid-Holocene) prevailed through the Holocene, but Bronze Age humans extensively cleared forests after 3700cal. yr bp. Forest coverage was most widespread between 8600 and 3700cal. yr bp, whereas grasses, steppe and xerothermic forbs were most extensive between 11,700 and 8600cal. yr bp and during the last 3700cal. yr bp. Cerealia pollen indicate the presence of arable agriculture by c. 7000cal. yr bp. Main conclusions We have provided the first unequivocal evidence for needleleaf woodland during glacial MIS 3 in this region. Extensive forests prevailed prior to 3700cal. yr bp, challenging the hypothesis that the Transylvanian lowlands were never wooded following the last glaciation. However, these forests were never fully closed either, reflecting dry growing season conditions, recurrent fires and anthropogenic impacts, which have favoured grassland persistence throughout the Holocene. The longevity of natural and semi-natural grasslands in the region may explain their current exceptional biodiversity. This longer-term perspective implies that future climatic warming and associated fire will maintain these grasslands.

Department/s

  • Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
  • MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system
  • BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate

Publishing year

2015

Language

English

Pages

951-963

Publication/Series

Journal of Biogeography

Volume

42

Issue

5

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Topic

  • Physical Geography

Keywords

  • Anthropogenic impact
  • Bronze Age
  • fire
  • grassland diversity
  • Holocene
  • MIS-3
  • palaeoecology
  • REVEALS
  • Romania
  • steppe

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1365-2699