Response of the aquatic plants and mollusc communities in Lake Kojle (central Europe) to climatic changes between 250 BCE and 1550 CE
Abstract Sediments of Lake Kojle, located in the transition zone between the nemoral and boreal biogeographic zones in NE Poland, were analysed to verify the response of the aquatic ecosystem to major environmental changes. High-resolution plant macrofossil, mollusc and pollen data were derived from two replicate parallel cores and revealed several shifts in the biota composition within the littoral zone between 250 BCE and 1550 CE. The reaction of the aquatic ecosystem to temperature changes was found to be minor, which is ascribed to the mitigating influence of water and the wide ecological tolerance of most of the taxa. Najas marina, considered as an indicator of warmer conditions, was t…
A multi-proxy long-term ecological investigation into the development of a late Holocene calcareous spring-fed fen ecosystem (Raganu Mire) and boreal forest at the SE Baltic coast (Latvia)
Abstract The calcareous substrate of spring-fed fens makes them unique islands of biodiversity, hosting endangered, vulnerable, and protected vascular plants. Hence, spring-fed fens ecosystems require special conservation attention because many of them are destroyed (e.g. drained, forested) and it is extremely difficult or even impossible to restore the unique hydrogeological and geochemical conditions enabling their function. The long-term perspective of paleoecological studies allows indication of former wetland ecosystem states and provides understanding of their development over millennia. To examine the late Holocene dynamics of a calcareous spring-fed fen (Raganu Mire) ecosystem on th…
Rich fen development in CE Europe, resilience to climate change and human impact over the last ca. 3500 years
Here, for the first time in SE Poland, we document the long-term development of a rich fen and assess its sensitivity to climate change and human impacts over the last ca. 3500 years. Our results are based on a high-resolution, continuous plant macrofossil remains, mollusc and pollen record, complemented by geochemical, mineral magnetic and physical characterisation, and radiocarbon dating from Bagno Serebryskie rich fen located in SE Poland. Based on the palaeoecological data we distinguished five stages of wet habitat conditions: 5000–3300, 2800–2150, 1600–1100, 750–230, 150–10 cal yr BP and five dry periods at ca. 3300–2800, 2150–1600, 1100–750, 230–150, 10 to − 64 cal yr BP. The pollen …