\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Mountain aquatic Isoëtes populations reflect millennial-scale environmental changes in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem, Central Europe.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Moravcová, A.; Tichá, A.; Carter, V. A; Vondrák, D.; Čtvrtlíková, M.; van Leeuwen, J. F.; Heurich, M.; Tinner, W.; and Kuneš, P.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n The Holocene, 31(5): 746–759. May 2021.\n [IF2020=2.769]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{moravcova_mountain_2021,\n\ttitle = {Mountain aquatic \\textit{{Isoëtes}} populations reflect millennial-scale environmental changes in the {Bohemian} {Forest} {Ecosystem}, {Central} {Europe}},\n\tvolume = {31},\n\tissn = {0959-6836},\n\tdoi = {10.1177/0959683620988060},\n\tabstract = {In this study we aim to investigate millennial-scale dynamics of Isoëtes, a type of macrophyte well adapted to oligotrophic and clear-water lakes. Despite its wide distribution during the Early Holocene, nowadays Isoëtes is considered as vulnerable or critically endangered in many Central European countries. Using a multi-proxy palaeoecological reconstruction involving Isoëtes micro- and megaspores, pollen, plant macrofossils, macro-charcoal, diatoms and chironomids from four lakes (Prášilské jezero, Plešné jezero, Černé jezero, Rachelsee) located in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem mountain region in Central Europe, we reconstruct Isoëtes dynamics and discuss how local environmental factors impacted its distribution and abundance during the Holocene. Our results show regionally concurrent patterns of Isoëtes colonisation across all lakes beginning 10,300–9300 cal yr BP, and substantially declining around 6400 cal yr BP. Results from Prášilské jezero imply that Isoëtes decline and collapse in this lake reflect gradual dystrophication that led to the browning of lake water. This is evidenced by a shift in diatom assemblages towards more acidophilous taxa dominated by Asterionella ralfsii and by a decrease in total chironomid abundance and taxa sensitive to low oxygen levels. Dystrophication of Prášilské jezero was linked with the immigration of the late-successional tree taxa (Picea abies and later Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba), peatland expansion, and decreasing fire activity. Multi-site comparison of pollen records suggest that these vegetation-related environmental changes were common for the whole region. Our study demonstrates the sensitivity of Isoëtes to millennial-scale natural environmental changes within the surrounding lake catchment.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\tnumber = {5},\n\turldate = {2021-05-17},\n\tjournal = {The Holocene},\n\tauthor = {Moravcová, Alice and Tichá, Anna and Carter, Vachel A and Vondrák, Daniel and Čtvrtlíková, Martina and van Leeuwen, Jacqueline FN and Heurich, Marco and Tinner, Willy and Kuneš, Petr},\n\tmonth = may,\n\tyear = {2021},\n\tnote = {[IF2020=2.769]},\n\tkeywords = {disturbance, fire regime, lake dystrophy, podzolisation, quillwort decline, thermal stratification, vegetation change},\n\tpages = {746--759},\n}\n\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Multi-proxy temperature and environmental reconstruction during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene in the Bohemian Forest, Central Europe.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Mateo-Beneito, A.; Florescu, G.; Tátosová, J.; Carter, V. A.; Chiverrell, R.; Heiri, O.; Vasiliev, I.; Kuosmanen, N.; and Kuneš, P.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Quaternary Science Reviews, 331: 108647. May 2024.\n \n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{mateo-beneito_multi-proxy_2024,\n\ttitle = {Multi-proxy temperature and environmental reconstruction during the {Late} {Glacial} and {Early} {Holocene} in the {Bohemian} {Forest}, {Central} {Europe}},\n\tvolume = {331},\n\tissn = {0277-3791},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108647},\n\tabstract = {Multi-proxy temperature reconstructions can provide robust insights into past environmental conditions. By combining different proxies we can disentangle the temperature signal from the indirect climate effects on the environment. This study uses a multi-proxy approach to reconstruct temperature and palaeoenvironmental conditions during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene (13.5–8 cal. ka BP) in the Bohemian Forest, Central Europe. We assessed the similarity of the temperature signal based on chironomids, isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether lipids (isoGDGTs), and pollen within a comparison with locally modeled temperature data generated by the CHELSA\\_Trace21k dataset. Pollen, macroscopic charcoal remains, and geochemistry were further used to reconstruct past environmental conditions such as vegetation dynamics, fire activity, the input of lithogenic material (Titanium), nutrient content (Total Nitrogen) and the sources of organic matter (C/N and δ13Corg). All temperature reconstructions based on independent proxies were positively correlated and followed the same long-term trend. However, results also showed that chironomids-inferred July temperature had lower amplitude variations compared to the other temperature curves. IsoGDGTs showed the most pronounced decrease in temperature values at the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD), corroborating that this cooling event was more marked during winter than summer. However, a decrease of less than 1 °C during summer and two short-term warm events at 12.6 and 12.2 cal ka BP provoked a modest and asynchronous response of the vegetation to the onset of the YD. Nevertheless, isoGDGTs appeared to react to changes in both temperature and organic carbon sources, particularly between 11.2 and 10.6 cal yr BP. These environmental changes, characterized by high values of the GDGT-0/crenarchaeol ratio, recorded an increase in methanogenic activity in the lake sediments, which likely altered the recorded climatic signal. The corresponding anoxic episodes in the lake sediments might be caused by an increasing input of organic carbon from the catchment, related to the development of the vegetation and catchment soils at the beginning of the Holocene. Finally, pollen-based temperature reconstruction showed a lag in the response to major climatic events, such as the onset of YD and Holocene. Our study increases the understanding of the climate-vegetation-environmental feedback during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene in the Bohemian Forest, Central Europe.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2024-04-13},\n\tjournal = {Quaternary Science Reviews},\n\tauthor = {Mateo-Beneito, Amanda and Florescu, Gabriela and Tátosová, Jolana and Carter, Vachel A. and Chiverrell, Richard and Heiri, Oliver and Vasiliev, Iuliana and Kuosmanen, Niina and Kuneš, Petr},\n\tmonth = may,\n\tyear = {2024},\n\tkeywords = {Bohemian Forest, Central Europe, Chironomids, Early Holocene, Late Glacial, Multi-proxy, Pollen, Temperature reconstructions, Younger Dryas, disturbance, isoGDGTs},\n\tpages = {108647},\n}\n\n

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\n Multi-proxy temperature reconstructions can provide robust insights into past environmental conditions. By combining different proxies we can disentangle the temperature signal from the indirect climate effects on the environment. This study uses a multi-proxy approach to reconstruct temperature and palaeoenvironmental conditions during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene (13.5–8 cal. ka BP) in the Bohemian Forest, Central Europe. We assessed the similarity of the temperature signal based on chironomids, isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether lipids (isoGDGTs), and pollen within a comparison with locally modeled temperature data generated by the CHELSA_Trace21k dataset. Pollen, macroscopic charcoal remains, and geochemistry were further used to reconstruct past environmental conditions such as vegetation dynamics, fire activity, the input of lithogenic material (Titanium), nutrient content (Total Nitrogen) and the sources of organic matter (C/N and δ13Corg). All temperature reconstructions based on independent proxies were positively correlated and followed the same long-term trend. However, results also showed that chironomids-inferred July temperature had lower amplitude variations compared to the other temperature curves. IsoGDGTs showed the most pronounced decrease in temperature values at the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD), corroborating that this cooling event was more marked during winter than summer. However, a decrease of less than 1 °C during summer and two short-term warm events at 12.6 and 12.2 cal ka BP provoked a modest and asynchronous response of the vegetation to the onset of the YD. Nevertheless, isoGDGTs appeared to react to changes in both temperature and organic carbon sources, particularly between 11.2 and 10.6 cal yr BP. These environmental changes, characterized by high values of the GDGT-0/crenarchaeol ratio, recorded an increase in methanogenic activity in the lake sediments, which likely altered the recorded climatic signal. The corresponding anoxic episodes in the lake sediments might be caused by an increasing input of organic carbon from the catchment, related to the development of the vegetation and catchment soils at the beginning of the Holocene. Finally, pollen-based temperature reconstruction showed a lag in the response to major climatic events, such as the onset of YD and Holocene. Our study increases the understanding of the climate-vegetation-environmental feedback during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene in the Bohemian Forest, Central Europe.\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Climate-related soil saturation and peatland development may have conditioned surface water brownification at a central European lake for millennia.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Tichá, A.; Vondrák, D.; Moravcová, A.; Chiverrell, R.; and Kuneš, P.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Science of The Total Environment, 858: 159982. February 2023.\n [IF2022=9.8,AIS2022=1.436]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{ticha_climate-related_2023,\n\ttitle = {Climate-related soil saturation and peatland development may have conditioned surface water brownification at a central {European} lake for millennia},\n\tvolume = {858},\n\tissn = {0048-9697},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159982},\n\tabstract = {Water brownification has long altered freshwater ecosystems across the northern hemisphere. The intensive surface water brownification of the last 30 years was however preceded by previous long-lasting more humic browning episodes in many catchments. To disentangle a cascade of browning-induced environmental stressors this longer temporal perspective is essential and can be reconstructed using paleolimnological investigations. Here we present a Holocene duration multi-proxy paleolimnological record from a small forest mountain lake in the Bohemian Forest (Czechia) and show that climate-related soil saturation and peatland development has driven surface water brownification for millennia there. A long core retrieved from the central part of the lake was dated using 14C and 210Pb, subsampled and analyzed for diatoms and zoological indicator (chironomids, planktonic cladocerans) remains. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) provided a record of elements sensitive to biogeochemical processes connected to browning and catchment development (P, Ti, Al/Rb, Fe/Ti, Mn/Ti, Si/Ti). Three threshold shifts related to the processes of water browning were detected in both diatom and chironomid successions at {\\textasciitilde}10.7, {\\textasciitilde}5.5 and {\\textasciitilde}4.2 cal. ky BP. Since, postglacial afforestation of the catchment {\\textasciitilde}10.7 cal. ky BP the lake experienced strong thermal stratification of the waters, but after {\\textasciitilde}6.8 cal. ky BP soil saturation and expansion of peatlands led to effective shading and probable nutrient limitation within the lake ecosystem. The more intensive in-wash of dissolved organic matter appears to decline after {\\textasciitilde}4.2 cal. ky BP, when the paludified catchment soils became permanently anoxic. Two temporary negative and positive anomalies of browning progress occur at the same time and may be connected with the “8.2 ka event” and the “4.2 ka event”, respectively. The key role of peatlands presence in the catchment was manifested in millennial-scaled browning process and a climatic forcing of long-lasting browning is evidenced by coincidence with the moistening of climate across the northern hemisphere after {\\textasciitilde}6 cal. ky BP.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2022-11-15},\n\tjournal = {Science of The Total Environment},\n\tauthor = {Tichá, Anna and Vondrák, Daniel and Moravcová, Alice and Chiverrell, Richard and Kuneš, Petr},\n\tmonth = feb,\n\tyear = {2023},\n\tnote = {[IF2022=9.8,AIS2022=1.436]},\n\tkeywords = {Bohemian Forest, Dystrophication, Humic substances, Mid-Holocene climate transition, Natural acidification, Paludification, disturbance},\n\tpages = {159982},\n}\n\n

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\n Water brownification has long altered freshwater ecosystems across the northern hemisphere. The intensive surface water brownification of the last 30 years was however preceded by previous long-lasting more humic browning episodes in many catchments. To disentangle a cascade of browning-induced environmental stressors this longer temporal perspective is essential and can be reconstructed using paleolimnological investigations. Here we present a Holocene duration multi-proxy paleolimnological record from a small forest mountain lake in the Bohemian Forest (Czechia) and show that climate-related soil saturation and peatland development has driven surface water brownification for millennia there. A long core retrieved from the central part of the lake was dated using 14C and 210Pb, subsampled and analyzed for diatoms and zoological indicator (chironomids, planktonic cladocerans) remains. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) provided a record of elements sensitive to biogeochemical processes connected to browning and catchment development (P, Ti, Al/Rb, Fe/Ti, Mn/Ti, Si/Ti). Three threshold shifts related to the processes of water browning were detected in both diatom and chironomid successions at ~10.7, ~5.5 and ~4.2 cal. ky BP. Since, postglacial afforestation of the catchment ~10.7 cal. ky BP the lake experienced strong thermal stratification of the waters, but after ~6.8 cal. ky BP soil saturation and expansion of peatlands led to effective shading and probable nutrient limitation within the lake ecosystem. The more intensive in-wash of dissolved organic matter appears to decline after ~4.2 cal. ky BP, when the paludified catchment soils became permanently anoxic. Two temporary negative and positive anomalies of browning progress occur at the same time and may be connected with the “8.2 ka event” and the “4.2 ka event”, respectively. The key role of peatlands presence in the catchment was manifested in millennial-scaled browning process and a climatic forcing of long-lasting browning is evidenced by coincidence with the moistening of climate across the northern hemisphere after ~6 cal. ky BP.\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n The absence of disturbances promoted Late Holocene expansion of silver fir (Abies alba) in the Bohemian Forest.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Schafstall, N.; Svitavská-Svobodová, H.; Kadlec, M.; Gałka, M.; Kuneš, P.; Bobek, P.; Goliáš, V.; Pech, P.; Nývlt, D.; Hubený, P.; Kuosmanen, N.; Carter, V. A.; and Florescu, G.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 635: 111950. February 2024.\n \n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{schafstall_absence_2024,\n\ttitle = {The absence of disturbances promoted {Late} {Holocene} expansion of silver fir ({Abies} alba) in the {Bohemian} {Forest}},\n\tvolume = {635},\n\tissn = {0031-0182},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.palaeo.2023.111950},\n\tabstract = {Temperate forests in the Northern Hemisphere are strongly affected by increasing annual temperatures and natural disturbances such as droughts, fires, and pest outbreaks. In many regions, alternatives are explored by the forestry industry for previously commercialized tree species which are rapidly declining in areas outside their optimal climatic niches. However, as the current ranges of tree species have been mainly constrained by human activity, their true climatic and ecological niches are likely different from our observations. For example, little is known about environmental niches and population dynamics of tree species with limited dispersal ability, such as silver fir (Abies alba). Long-term (paleo) records of past landscape composition, past climate, and past disturbances can help to reveal the natural environmental niches of tree species. This study focuses on the Bohemian Forest (Šumava) in Czechia, where the human alteration of forests in higher elevations ({\\textgreater}1000 m asl) has only been demonstrated from Medieval times onward. We present an interdisciplinary approach of geochemistry, pollen, charcoal, botanical and insect macro remains from a high-elevation peat record for the last seven millennia. Our multi-proxy study aimed to identify episodes of increased fire and other disturbances such as insect outbreaks, which could have influenced forest dynamics and vegetation succession in this montane region. However, the charcoal and macro-fossil records do not indicate any large local fires, insect outbreaks, browsing, or other disturbances (e.g., anthropogenic) for a major part of the record, suggesting that changes in the vegetation after 6500 cal yr BP were mainly caused by climatic fluctuations. Silver fir (Abies alba) expanded from 4300 cal yr BP, and likely became the dominant tree species at this locality for the next 2000 years, with extremely high pollen values up to 60\\%. During the establishment of silver fir around the peat bog around 5600 cal yr BP and its expansion around 4300 cal yr BP, the geochemical record and low counts of the testate amoeba Archerella flavum indicate drier conditions on the peat bog. Comparison with climatic simulations on a 1 × 1-km scale from the CHELSA database suggests that the local expansion of silver fir possibly coincided with a decrease in precipitation during both the wettest and warmest quarter of the year, related to a decreasing trend in seasonality of annual precipitation; this might confirm the species' higher tolerance to drought. Although silver fir is currently extremely rare in the Bohemian Forest, it has the potential for local expansion if logging, fire, and game browsing are kept to a minimum.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2023-12-14},\n\tjournal = {Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology},\n\tauthor = {Schafstall, Nick and Svitavská-Svobodová, Helena and Kadlec, Martin and Gałka, Mariusz and Kuneš, Petr and Bobek, Přemysl and Goliáš, Viktor and Pech, Pavel and Nývlt, Daniel and Hubený, Pavel and Kuosmanen, Niina and Carter, Vachel A. and Florescu, Gabriela},\n\tmonth = feb,\n\tyear = {2024},\n\tkeywords = {Central Europe, Drought tolerance, Fire, Holocene climate, Insect outbreaks, Potential natural vegetation, disturbance},\n\tpages = {111950},\n}\n\n

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\n Temperate forests in the Northern Hemisphere are strongly affected by increasing annual temperatures and natural disturbances such as droughts, fires, and pest outbreaks. In many regions, alternatives are explored by the forestry industry for previously commercialized tree species which are rapidly declining in areas outside their optimal climatic niches. However, as the current ranges of tree species have been mainly constrained by human activity, their true climatic and ecological niches are likely different from our observations. For example, little is known about environmental niches and population dynamics of tree species with limited dispersal ability, such as silver fir (Abies alba). Long-term (paleo) records of past landscape composition, past climate, and past disturbances can help to reveal the natural environmental niches of tree species. This study focuses on the Bohemian Forest (Šumava) in Czechia, where the human alteration of forests in higher elevations (\\textgreater1000 m asl) has only been demonstrated from Medieval times onward. We present an interdisciplinary approach of geochemistry, pollen, charcoal, botanical and insect macro remains from a high-elevation peat record for the last seven millennia. Our multi-proxy study aimed to identify episodes of increased fire and other disturbances such as insect outbreaks, which could have influenced forest dynamics and vegetation succession in this montane region. However, the charcoal and macro-fossil records do not indicate any large local fires, insect outbreaks, browsing, or other disturbances (e.g., anthropogenic) for a major part of the record, suggesting that changes in the vegetation after 6500 cal yr BP were mainly caused by climatic fluctuations. Silver fir (Abies alba) expanded from 4300 cal yr BP, and likely became the dominant tree species at this locality for the next 2000 years, with extremely high pollen values up to 60%. During the establishment of silver fir around the peat bog around 5600 cal yr BP and its expansion around 4300 cal yr BP, the geochemical record and low counts of the testate amoeba Archerella flavum indicate drier conditions on the peat bog. Comparison with climatic simulations on a 1 × 1-km scale from the CHELSA database suggests that the local expansion of silver fir possibly coincided with a decrease in precipitation during both the wettest and warmest quarter of the year, related to a decreasing trend in seasonality of annual precipitation; this might confirm the species' higher tolerance to drought. Although silver fir is currently extremely rare in the Bohemian Forest, it has the potential for local expansion if logging, fire, and game browsing are kept to a minimum.\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Development of high diversity beech forest in the eastern Carpathians.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Lestienne, M.; Jamrichová, E.; Kuosmanen, N.; Diaconu, A.; Schafstall, N.; Goliáš, V.; Kletetschka, G.; Šulc, V.; and Kuneš, P.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Journal of Biogeography, 50(4): 699–714. 2023.\n \n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{lestienne_development_2023,\n\ttitle = {Development of high diversity beech forest in the eastern {Carpathians}},\n\tvolume = {50},\n\tissn = {1365-2699},\n\tdoi = {10.1111/jbi.14562},\n\tabstract = {Aim In recent decades, a surge in the number of significant and uncontrolled wildfires has occurred worldwide. Global warming may amplify this trend and threaten most ecosystems worldwide. Deciduous forests are characterized by high plant diversity, and understanding their long-term dynamics is crucial to anticipate changes in these ecosystems during ongoing global warming. The aim of this study is to understand how European beech forests have colonized the inner Eastern Carpathians and how changes in fire regime and human activities have affected their biodiversity. Location Inner Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Slovakia. Taxon Plantae, gymnosperms, angiosperms. Methods Peat core was extracted from the centre of Ďurova mláka mire in 2018. A multi-proxy approach has been applied to investigate the development of beech forest. Charcoal analysis has been done each centimetre to reconstruct the fire signal. Pollen analysis has been done at 2 cm resolution to reconstruct the vegetation composition and dynamics, and the variation in palynological richness (PRI), evenness and turnover has been analysed. Macro-remains analysis has been performed at 10 cm resolution to add more information about the local vegetation. Results Low diversity spruce forest was dominant until 5200 cal. BP during a fire-prone period due to specific climatic conditions (drier climate than the following period). The higher fire frequency and intensity following this period is simultaneous with the first expansion of Fagus which indicate that Fagus could occupy post-fire habitats, at least at the local scale. However, its dominance coincided with major gaps in fire events from 3900 cal. BP. The PRI has increased during the transition from spruce to beech forest highlighting the importance of beech forests in maintaining plant biodiversity. However, the stronger increase in the richness is synchronous with the increase in human activities around 2000 cal. BP, and then 350 cal. BP. Main Conclusions Climate-driven fire frequency has been a natural driver of vegetation changes in the Carpathians by promoting the emergence of high diversified beech forest. These changes were significantly modified by later increase in human activities.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\tnumber = {4},\n\turldate = {2023-01-11},\n\tjournal = {Journal of Biogeography},\n\tauthor = {Lestienne, Marion and Jamrichová, Eva and Kuosmanen, Niina and Diaconu, Andrei-Cosmin and Schafstall, Nick and Goliáš, Viktor and Kletetschka, Günther and Šulc, Václav and Kuneš, Petr},\n\tyear = {2023},\n\tkeywords = {Carpathians, Holocene, beech forest, biodiversity, disturbance, fire history, human activities, palaeoecology, spruce forest},\n\tpages = {699--714},\n}\n\n

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\n Aim In recent decades, a surge in the number of significant and uncontrolled wildfires has occurred worldwide. Global warming may amplify this trend and threaten most ecosystems worldwide. Deciduous forests are characterized by high plant diversity, and understanding their long-term dynamics is crucial to anticipate changes in these ecosystems during ongoing global warming. The aim of this study is to understand how European beech forests have colonized the inner Eastern Carpathians and how changes in fire regime and human activities have affected their biodiversity. Location Inner Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Slovakia. Taxon Plantae, gymnosperms, angiosperms. Methods Peat core was extracted from the centre of Ďurova mláka mire in 2018. A multi-proxy approach has been applied to investigate the development of beech forest. Charcoal analysis has been done each centimetre to reconstruct the fire signal. Pollen analysis has been done at 2 cm resolution to reconstruct the vegetation composition and dynamics, and the variation in palynological richness (PRI), evenness and turnover has been analysed. Macro-remains analysis has been performed at 10 cm resolution to add more information about the local vegetation. Results Low diversity spruce forest was dominant until 5200 cal. BP during a fire-prone period due to specific climatic conditions (drier climate than the following period). The higher fire frequency and intensity following this period is simultaneous with the first expansion of Fagus which indicate that Fagus could occupy post-fire habitats, at least at the local scale. However, its dominance coincided with major gaps in fire events from 3900 cal. BP. The PRI has increased during the transition from spruce to beech forest highlighting the importance of beech forests in maintaining plant biodiversity. However, the stronger increase in the richness is synchronous with the increase in human activities around 2000 cal. BP, and then 350 cal. BP. Main Conclusions Climate-driven fire frequency has been a natural driver of vegetation changes in the Carpathians by promoting the emergence of high diversified beech forest. These changes were significantly modified by later increase in human activities.\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Sub-fossil bark beetles as indicators of past disturbance events in temperate Picea abies mountain forests.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Schafstall, N.; Kuosmanen, N.; Kuneš, P.; Svobodová, H. S.; Svitok, M.; Chiverrell, R. C.; Halsall, K.; Fleischer, P.; Knížek, M.; and Clear, J. L.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Quaternary Science Reviews, 275: 107289. January 2022.\n [IF2021=4.456;AIS2021=1.586]\n\n\n\n
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@article{schafstall_sub-fossil_2022,\n\ttitle = {Sub-fossil bark beetles as indicators of past disturbance events in temperate {Picea} abies mountain forests},\n\tvolume = {275},\n\tissn = {0277-3791},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107289},\n\tabstract = {Temperate mountain forests have experienced an increase in frequency and severity of natural disturbances (e.g., droughts, fires, windstorms and insect outbreaks) in recent decades due to climate and environmental change. Outbreaks of bark beetles have caused significant dieback of conifer forests in Central Europe and it is essential to model and predict the potential severity of future bark beetle outbreaks. However, to predict future bark beetle activity, historical baseline information is required to contextualize the magnitude of current and potential future outbreaks. A fossil beetle record from a forest hollow in the Tatra Mountains, Slovakia; one of the best-preserved national parks in Central Europe, was produced to identify insect outbreaks during the last millennia. Sub-fossil bark beetle remains were compared with parallel pollen and charcoal to assess whether peaks in conifer bark beetle remains correspond with indications of disturbance documented in historical or sedimentary fossil records. Three peaks in bark beetle remains were detected (1) post-2004, (2) AD 1140–1440, and (3) AD 930–1030. The abundance of species Pityogenes chalcographus and Pityophthorus pityographus in the two top samples can be linked directly to large bark beetle outbreaks in the High Tatra Mountains after 2004. P. chalcographus and P. pityographus are also the abundant species in the second peak (AD 1140–1440) while the third peak (AD 930–1030) consists of the species Polygraphus poligraphus. The most prominent conifer bark beetle in Central Europe, Ips typographus, was found to be present in most of the samples but always at very low numbers. It is plausible that P. chalcographus and P. pityographus fossils might be useful proxies for past conifer bark beetle outbreaks in Central Europe, as they occur together with fossils of I. typographus but appear to be well-preserved. A significant correlation was found between primary bark beetles and macroscopic charcoal densities in the sediment, highlighting the complex interactions between disturbance agents, bark beetles and fire, in this long-term regime of natural disturbances. Our 1400-year disturbance record shows how bark beetle outbreaks have been an important component of the regional natural disturbance regime for over a millennium and have intensified with increasing anthropogenic activity. Bark beetle outbreaks are likely one of the drivers promoting the future ecological stability of the temperate conifer ecosystem over decades to centuries.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2021-11-29},\n\tjournal = {Quaternary Science Reviews},\n\tauthor = {Schafstall, Nick and Kuosmanen, Niina and Kuneš, Petr and Svobodová, Helena Svitavská and Svitok, Marek and Chiverrell, Richard C. and Halsall, Karen and Fleischer, Peter and Knížek, Miloš and Clear, Jennifer L.},\n\tmonth = jan,\n\tyear = {2022},\n\tnote = {[IF2021=4.456;AIS2021=1.586]},\n\tkeywords = {Bark beetle outbreaks, Central Europe, Disturbance history, Ecosystem services, Fire, Fossil proxies, High Tatra mountains, disturbance},\n\tpages = {107289},\n}\n\n

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\n Temperate mountain forests have experienced an increase in frequency and severity of natural disturbances (e.g., droughts, fires, windstorms and insect outbreaks) in recent decades due to climate and environmental change. Outbreaks of bark beetles have caused significant dieback of conifer forests in Central Europe and it is essential to model and predict the potential severity of future bark beetle outbreaks. However, to predict future bark beetle activity, historical baseline information is required to contextualize the magnitude of current and potential future outbreaks. A fossil beetle record from a forest hollow in the Tatra Mountains, Slovakia; one of the best-preserved national parks in Central Europe, was produced to identify insect outbreaks during the last millennia. Sub-fossil bark beetle remains were compared with parallel pollen and charcoal to assess whether peaks in conifer bark beetle remains correspond with indications of disturbance documented in historical or sedimentary fossil records. Three peaks in bark beetle remains were detected (1) post-2004, (2) AD 1140–1440, and (3) AD 930–1030. The abundance of species Pityogenes chalcographus and Pityophthorus pityographus in the two top samples can be linked directly to large bark beetle outbreaks in the High Tatra Mountains after 2004. P. chalcographus and P. pityographus are also the abundant species in the second peak (AD 1140–1440) while the third peak (AD 930–1030) consists of the species Polygraphus poligraphus. The most prominent conifer bark beetle in Central Europe, Ips typographus, was found to be present in most of the samples but always at very low numbers. It is plausible that P. chalcographus and P. pityographus fossils might be useful proxies for past conifer bark beetle outbreaks in Central Europe, as they occur together with fossils of I. typographus but appear to be well-preserved. A significant correlation was found between primary bark beetles and macroscopic charcoal densities in the sediment, highlighting the complex interactions between disturbance agents, bark beetles and fire, in this long-term regime of natural disturbances. Our 1400-year disturbance record shows how bark beetle outbreaks have been an important component of the regional natural disturbance regime for over a millennium and have intensified with increasing anthropogenic activity. Bark beetle outbreaks are likely one of the drivers promoting the future ecological stability of the temperate conifer ecosystem over decades to centuries.\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Disruption of cultural burning promotes shrub encroachment and unprecedented wildfires.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Mariani, M.; Connor, S. E; Theuerkauf, M.; Herbert, A.; Kuneš, P.; Bowman, D.; Fletcher, M.; Head, L.; Kershaw, A P.; Haberle, S. G; Stevenson, J.; Adeleye, M.; Cadd, H.; Hopf, F.; and Briles, C.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 20(5): 292–300. 2022.\n [IF2021=13.789;AIS2021=4.071]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n \n \n 1 download\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{mariani_disruption_2022,\n\ttitle = {Disruption of cultural burning promotes shrub encroachment and unprecedented wildfires},\n\tvolume = {20},\n\tissn = {1540-9309},\n\tdoi = {10.1002/fee.2395},\n\tabstract = {Recent catastrophic fires in Australia and North America have raised broad-scale questions about how the cessation of Indigenous burning practices has impacted fuel accumulation and structure. For sustainable coexistence with fire, a better understanding of the ancient nexus between humans and flammable landscapes is needed. We used novel palaeoecological modeling and charcoal compilations to reassess evidence for changes in land cover and fire activity, focusing on southeast Australia before and after British colonization. Here, we provide what we believe is the first quantitative evidence that the region’s forests and woodlands contained fewer shrubs and more grass before colonization. Changes in vegetation, fuel structures, and connectivity followed different trajectories in different vegetation types. The pattern is best explained by the disruption of Indigenous vegetation management caused by European settlement. Combined with climate-change impacts on fire weather and drought, the widespread absence of Indigenous fire management practices likely preconditioned fire-prone regions for wildfires of unprecedented extent.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\tnumber = {5},\n\turldate = {2022-06-22},\n\tjournal = {Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment},\n\tauthor = {Mariani, Michela and Connor, Simon E and Theuerkauf, Martin and Herbert, Annika and Kuneš, Petr and Bowman, David and Fletcher, Michael-Shawn and Head, Lesley and Kershaw, A Peter and Haberle, Simon G and Stevenson, Janelle and Adeleye, Matthew and Cadd, Haidee and Hopf, Feli and Briles, Christy},\n\tyear = {2022},\n\tnote = {[IF2021=13.789;AIS2021=4.071]},\n\tkeywords = {disturbance, reconstruction},\n\tpages = {292--300},\n}\n\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Quantitative palynology informing conservation ecology in the Bohemian/Bavarian Forests of Central Europe.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Carter, V. A.; Chiverrell, R. C.; Clear, J. L.; Kuosmanen, N.; Moravcová, A.; Svoboda, M.; Svobodová-Svitavská, H.; Leeuwen, V.; Van Leeuwen, J.; van der Knaap, W. O.; and Kuneš, P.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Frontiers in Plant Science, 8(Article 2268): 1–14. 2018.\n [IF2017=3.678]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n \n \n 2 downloads\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{carter_quantitative_2018,\n\ttitle = {Quantitative palynology informing conservation ecology in the {Bohemian}/{Bavarian} {Forests} of {Central} {Europe}},\n\tvolume = {8},\n\tissn = {1664-462X},\n\tdoi = {10.3389/fpls.2017.02268},\n\tabstract = {In 1927, the first pollen diagram was published from the Bohemian/Bavarian Forest region of Central Europe, providing one of the first qualitative views of the long-term vegetation development in the region. Since then significant methodological advances in quantitative approaches such as pollen influx and pollen-based vegetation models (e.g., Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm, LRA) have contributed to enhance our understanding of temporal and spatial ecology. These types of quantitative reconstructions are fundamental for conservation and restoration ecology because they provide long-term perspectives on ecosystem functioning. In the Bohemian/Bavarian Forests, forest managers have a goal to restore the original forest composition at mid-elevation forests, yet they rely on natural potential vegetation maps that do not take into account long-term vegetation dynamics. Here we reconstruct the Holocene history of forest composition and discuss the implications the LRA has for regional forest management and conservation. Two newly analysed pollen records from Prášilské jezero and Rachelsee were compared to 10 regional peat bogs/mires and two other regional lakes to reconstruct total land-cover abundance at both the regional- and local-scales. The results demonstrate that spruce has been the dominate canopy cover across the region for the past 9000 years at both high- ({\\textgreater}900 m) and mid-elevations ({\\textgreater}700-900 m) elevations. At the regional-scale, inferred from lake records, spruce has comprised an average of {\\textasciitilde}50\\% of the total forest canopy; whereas at the more local-scale at mid-elevations, spruce formed {\\textasciitilde}59\\%. Beech established {\\textasciitilde}6000 cal yr BP while fir established {\\textasciitilde}5500 cal yr BP, and reached a maximum land-cover abundance of 24\\% and 13\\% roughly 1000 years ago at mid-elevations. Over the past 500 years spruce has comprised {\\textasciitilde}47\\% land-cover, while beech and fir comprised {\\textasciitilde}8\\% and {\\textless}5\\% at mid-elevations. This approach argues for the ‘natural’ development of spruce and fir locally in zones where the paleoecology indicates the persistence of these species for millennia. Contrasting local and regional reconstructions of forest canopy cover points to a patchwork mosaic with local variability in the dominant taxa. Incorporation of paleoecological data in dialogues about biodiversity and ecosystem management is an approach that has wider utility.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\tnumber = {Article 2268},\n\turldate = {2017-12-28},\n\tjournal = {Frontiers in Plant Science},\n\tauthor = {Carter, Vachel A. and Chiverrell, Richard C. and Clear, Jennifer L. and Kuosmanen, Niina and Moravcová, Alice and Svoboda, Miroslav and Svobodová-Svitavská, Helena and Leeuwen, Van and Van Leeuwen, Jacqueline and van der Knaap, Willem O. and Kuneš, Petr},\n\tyear = {2018},\n\tnote = {[IF2017=3.678]},\n\tkeywords = {Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, Holocene, Picea abies, Pollen, Reveals, disturbance, landcover, palynology, reconstruction},\n\tpages = {1--14},\n}\n\n

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\n In 1927, the first pollen diagram was published from the Bohemian/Bavarian Forest region of Central Europe, providing one of the first qualitative views of the long-term vegetation development in the region. Since then significant methodological advances in quantitative approaches such as pollen influx and pollen-based vegetation models (e.g., Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm, LRA) have contributed to enhance our understanding of temporal and spatial ecology. These types of quantitative reconstructions are fundamental for conservation and restoration ecology because they provide long-term perspectives on ecosystem functioning. In the Bohemian/Bavarian Forests, forest managers have a goal to restore the original forest composition at mid-elevation forests, yet they rely on natural potential vegetation maps that do not take into account long-term vegetation dynamics. Here we reconstruct the Holocene history of forest composition and discuss the implications the LRA has for regional forest management and conservation. Two newly analysed pollen records from Prášilské jezero and Rachelsee were compared to 10 regional peat bogs/mires and two other regional lakes to reconstruct total land-cover abundance at both the regional- and local-scales. The results demonstrate that spruce has been the dominate canopy cover across the region for the past 9000 years at both high- (\\textgreater900 m) and mid-elevations (\\textgreater700-900 m) elevations. At the regional-scale, inferred from lake records, spruce has comprised an average of ~50% of the total forest canopy; whereas at the more local-scale at mid-elevations, spruce formed ~59%. Beech established ~6000 cal yr BP while fir established ~5500 cal yr BP, and reached a maximum land-cover abundance of 24% and 13% roughly 1000 years ago at mid-elevations. Over the past 500 years spruce has comprised ~47% land-cover, while beech and fir comprised ~8% and \\textless5% at mid-elevations. This approach argues for the ‘natural’ development of spruce and fir locally in zones where the paleoecology indicates the persistence of these species for millennia. Contrasting local and regional reconstructions of forest canopy cover points to a patchwork mosaic with local variability in the dominant taxa. Incorporation of paleoecological data in dialogues about biodiversity and ecosystem management is an approach that has wider utility.\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n The role of climate-fuel feedbacks on Holocene biomass burning in upper-montane Carpathian forests.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Carter, V. A.; Bobek, P.; Moravcová, A.; Šolcová, A.; Chiverrell, R. C.; Clear, J. L.; Finsinger, W.; Feurdean, A.; Tanţău, I.; Magyari, E.; Brussel, T.; and Kuneš, P.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Global and Planetary Change, 193: 103264. October 2020.\n [IF2019=4.448]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n \n \n 5 downloads\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{carter_role_2020,\n\ttitle = {The role of climate-fuel feedbacks on {Holocene} biomass burning in upper-montane {Carpathian} forests},\n\tvolume = {193},\n\tissn = {0921-8181},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.gloplacha.2020.103264},\n\tabstract = {Over the past few decades, mean summer temperatures within the Carpathian Mountains have increased by as much as 2 °C leading to a projected increased forest fire risk. Currently, there are no paleofire records from the Western Carpathians that provide the long-term range of natural variability to contextualise the response of upper-montane forests to future environmental change and disturbance regimes. We present the first high-resolution Holocene fire history record from the upper-montane ecotone from the High Tatra Mountains, Slovakia, as well as provide a regional synthesis of pan-Carpathian drivers of biomass burning in upper-montane forests. Our results illustrate that forest composition and density both greatly influence biomass burning, creating two different climate-fuel feedbacks. First, warmer conditions in the early Holocene, coupled with generally higher abundances of Pinus sp., either P. cembra and/or P. mugo/sylvestris, created a positive climate-fuel relationship that resulted in higher amounts of biomass burning. Second, cooler and wetter late Holocene conditions led to denser Picea abies upper-montane forests, creating a negative climate-fuel feedback that reduced biomass burning in upper-montane forests across the Carpathians. Given that warmer and drier conditions are expected across the entire Carpathian region in the future, our results illustrate how future climate change could potentially create a positive climate-fuel relationship within upper-montane forests dominated by Picea abies and Pinus cembra and/or P. mugo/sylvestris.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2020-07-10},\n\tjournal = {Global and Planetary Change},\n\tauthor = {Carter, Vachel A. and Bobek, Přemysl and Moravcová, Alice and Šolcová, Anna and Chiverrell, Richard C. and Clear, Jennifer L. and Finsinger, Walter and Feurdean, Angelica and Tanţău, Ioan and Magyari, Enikő and Brussel, Thomas and Kuneš, Petr},\n\tmonth = oct,\n\tyear = {2020},\n\tnote = {[IF2019=4.448]},\n\tkeywords = {Carpathians, Fire, Forest composition, Forest density, Holocene, Macrofossils, Pollen, Sedimentary charcoal, Upper-montane, disturbance},\n\tpages = {103264},\n}\n\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Changes in species composition and diversity of a montane beetle community over the last millennium in the High Tatras, Slovakia: Implications for forest conservation and management.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Schafstall, N.; Whitehouse, N.; Kuosmanen, N.; Svobodová-Svitavská, H.; Saulnier, M.; Chiverrell, R. C.; Fleischer, P.; Kuneš, P.; and Clear, J. L.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 555: 109834. October 2020.\n [IF2019=2.833]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n \n \n 2 downloads\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{schafstall_changes_2020,\n\ttitle = {Changes in species composition and diversity of a montane beetle community over the last millennium in the {High} {Tatras}, {Slovakia}: {Implications} for forest conservation and management},\n\tvolume = {555},\n\tissn = {0031-0182},\n\tshorttitle = {Changes in species composition and diversity of a montane beetle community over the last millennium in the {High} {Tatras}, {Slovakia}},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109834},\n\tabstract = {Montane biomes are niche environments high in biodiversity with a variety of habitats. Often isolated, these non-continuous remnant ecosystems inhabit narrow ecological zones putting them under threat from changing climatic conditions and anthropogenic pressure. Twelve sediment cores were retrieved from a peat bog in Tatra National Park, Slovakia, and correlated to each other by wiggle-matching geochemical signals derived from micro-XRF scanning, to make a reconstruction of past conditions. A fossil beetle (Coleoptera) record, covering the last 1000 years at 50- to 100-year resolution, gives a new insight into changing flora and fauna in this region. Our findings reveal a diverse beetle community with varied ecological groups inhabiting a range of forest, meadow and synanthropic habitats. Changes in the beetle community were related to changes in the landscape, driven by anthropogenic activities. The first clear evidence for human activity in the area occurs c. 1250 CE and coincides with the arrival of beetle species living on the dung of domesticated animals (e.g. Aphodius spp.). From 1500 CE, human (re)settlement, and activities such as pasturing and charcoal burning, appear to have had a pronounced effect on the beetle community. Local beetle diversity declined steadily towards the present day, likely due to an infilling of the forest hollow leading to a decrease in moisture level. We conclude that beetle communities are directly affected by anthropogenic intensity and land-use change. When aiming to preserve or restore natural forest conditions, recording their past changes in diversity can help guide conservation and restoration. In doing so, it is important to look back beyond the time of significant human impact, and for this, information contained in paleoecological records is irreplaceable.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2020-06-20},\n\tjournal = {Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology},\n\tauthor = {Schafstall, Nick and Whitehouse, Nicki and Kuosmanen, Niina and Svobodová-Svitavská, Helena and Saulnier, Mélanie and Chiverrell, Richard C. and Fleischer, Peter and Kuneš, Petr and Clear, Jennifer L.},\n\tmonth = oct,\n\tyear = {2020},\n\tnote = {[IF2019=2.833]},\n\tkeywords = {Biodiversity, Central Europe, Climate change, Coleoptera, Human impact, Nature conservation, disturbance},\n\tpages = {109834},\n}\n\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Integration of dendrochronological and palaeoecological disturbance reconstructions in temperate mountain forests.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Kuosmanen, N.; Čada, V.; Halsall, K.; Chiverrell, R. C.; Schafstall, N.; Kuneš, P.; Boyle, J. F.; Knížek, M.; Appleby, P. G.; Svoboda, M.; and Clear, J. L.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Forest Ecology and Management, 475: 118413. November 2020.\n [IF2019=3.17]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n \n \n 2 downloads\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{kuosmanen_integration_2020,\n\ttitle = {Integration of dendrochronological and palaeoecological disturbance reconstructions in temperate mountain forests},\n\tvolume = {475},\n\tissn = {0378-1127},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118413},\n\tabstract = {Disentangling the long-term changes in forest disturbance dynamics provides a basis for predicting the forest responses to changing environmental conditions. The combination of multidisciplinary records can offer more robust reconstructions of past forest disturbance dynamics. Here we link disturbance histories of the central European mountain spruce forest obtained from dendrochronological and palaeoecological records (fossil pollen, sedimentary charcoal, bark beetle remains and geochemistry) using a small glacial lake and the surrounding forest in the Šumava National Park (Czech Republic). Dendrochronological reconstructions of disturbance were created for 300-year-long records from 6 study plots with a minimum of 35 trees analyzed for the abrupt growth increases (releases) and rapid early growth rates, both indicative of disturbance events. High-resolution analysis of lake sediments were used to reconstruct 800-year long changes in forest composition and landscape openness (fossil pollen), past fire events (micro- and macroscopic charcoal), bark beetle occurrence (fossil bark beetle remains), and erosion episodes (geochemical signals in the sediment) potentially resulting from disturbance events. Tree-ring data indicate that disturbances occurred regularly through the last three centuries and identify a most intensive period of disturbances between 1780 and 1830 CE. Geochemical erosion markers (e.g. K, Zr, \\% inorganic) show greater flux of catchment sediment and soils in the periods 1250–1400 and 1450–1500 CE, before a substantial shift to a more erosive regime 1600–1850 and 1900 CE onwards. Pollen records demonstrate relatively small changes in forest composition during the last 800 years until the beginning of the 20th century, when there was decrease in Picea. Fossil bark beetle remains indicate continuous presence of bark beetles from 1620s to 1800s, and charcoal records suggest that more frequent fires occurred during the 18th century. Each of the dendrochronological, palaeoecological and sedimentological records provide a unique perspective on forest disturbance dynamics, and combined offer a more robust and complete record of disturbance history. We demonstrate that sedimentary proxies originating from the lake catchment mirror the forest disturbance dynamics recorded in the tree-rings. The multidisciplinary records likely record forest disturbances at different spatial and temporal scales revealing different disturbance characteristics. Integrating these multidisciplinary datasets demonstrates a promising way to obtain more complete understanding of long-term disturbance dynamics. However, integrating datasets with variable spatial and temporal influence remains challenging. Our results indicated that multiple disturbance factors, such as windstorms, bark beetle outbeaks and fires, may occur simultaneously creating a complex disturbance regime in mountain forests, which should be considered in forest management and conservation strategies.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2020-08-02},\n\tjournal = {Forest Ecology and Management},\n\tauthor = {Kuosmanen, Niina and Čada, Vojtěch and Halsall, Karen and Chiverrell, Richard C. and Schafstall, Nick and Kuneš, Petr and Boyle, John F. and Knížek, Miloš and Appleby, Peter G. and Svoboda, Miroslav and Clear, Jennifer L.},\n\tmonth = nov,\n\tyear = {2020},\n\tnote = {[IF2019=3.17]},\n\tkeywords = {Bark beetles, Fire, Forest dynamics, Geochemistry, Pollen, Tree-rings, disturbance},\n\tpages = {118413},\n}\n\n

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\n Disentangling the long-term changes in forest disturbance dynamics provides a basis for predicting the forest responses to changing environmental conditions. The combination of multidisciplinary records can offer more robust reconstructions of past forest disturbance dynamics. Here we link disturbance histories of the central European mountain spruce forest obtained from dendrochronological and palaeoecological records (fossil pollen, sedimentary charcoal, bark beetle remains and geochemistry) using a small glacial lake and the surrounding forest in the Šumava National Park (Czech Republic). Dendrochronological reconstructions of disturbance were created for 300-year-long records from 6 study plots with a minimum of 35 trees analyzed for the abrupt growth increases (releases) and rapid early growth rates, both indicative of disturbance events. High-resolution analysis of lake sediments were used to reconstruct 800-year long changes in forest composition and landscape openness (fossil pollen), past fire events (micro- and macroscopic charcoal), bark beetle occurrence (fossil bark beetle remains), and erosion episodes (geochemical signals in the sediment) potentially resulting from disturbance events. Tree-ring data indicate that disturbances occurred regularly through the last three centuries and identify a most intensive period of disturbances between 1780 and 1830 CE. Geochemical erosion markers (e.g. K, Zr, % inorganic) show greater flux of catchment sediment and soils in the periods 1250–1400 and 1450–1500 CE, before a substantial shift to a more erosive regime 1600–1850 and 1900 CE onwards. Pollen records demonstrate relatively small changes in forest composition during the last 800 years until the beginning of the 20th century, when there was decrease in Picea. Fossil bark beetle remains indicate continuous presence of bark beetles from 1620s to 1800s, and charcoal records suggest that more frequent fires occurred during the 18th century. Each of the dendrochronological, palaeoecological and sedimentological records provide a unique perspective on forest disturbance dynamics, and combined offer a more robust and complete record of disturbance history. We demonstrate that sedimentary proxies originating from the lake catchment mirror the forest disturbance dynamics recorded in the tree-rings. The multidisciplinary records likely record forest disturbances at different spatial and temporal scales revealing different disturbance characteristics. Integrating these multidisciplinary datasets demonstrates a promising way to obtain more complete understanding of long-term disturbance dynamics. However, integrating datasets with variable spatial and temporal influence remains challenging. Our results indicated that multiple disturbance factors, such as windstorms, bark beetle outbeaks and fires, may occur simultaneously creating a complex disturbance regime in mountain forests, which should be considered in forest management and conservation strategies.\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Fire hazard modulation by long-term dynamics in land cover and dominant forest type in eastern and central Europe.\n \n \n \n \n\n\n \n Feurdean, A.; Vannière, B.; Finsinger, W.; Warren, D.; Connor, S. C.; Forrest, M.; Liakka, J.; Panait, A.; Werner, C.; Andrič, M.; Bobek, P.; Carter, V. A.; Davis, B.; Diaconu, A.; Dietze, E.; Feeser, I.; Florescu, G.; Gałka, M.; Giesecke, T.; Jahns, S.; Jamrichová, E.; Kajukało, K.; Kaplan, J.; Karpińska-Kołaczek, M.; Kołaczek, P.; Kuneš, P.; Kupriyanov, D.; Lamentowicz, M.; Lemmen, C.; Magyari, E. K.; Marcisz, K.; Marinova, E.; Niamir, A.; Novenko, E.; Obremska, M.; Pędziszewska, A.; Pfeiffer, M.; Poska, A.; Rösch, M.; Słowiński, M.; Stančikaitė, M.; Szal, M.; Święta-Musznicka, J.; Tanţău, I.; Theuerkauf, M.; Tonkov, S.; Valkó, O.; Vassiljev, J.; Veski, S.; Vincze, I.; Wacnik, A.; Wiethold, J.; and Hickler, T.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Biogeosciences, 17(5): 1213–1230. March 2020.\n [IF2019=3.48]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n \n $\"Fire$ Paper\n \n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{feurdean_fire_2020,\n\ttitle = {Fire hazard modulation by long-term dynamics in land cover and dominant forest type in eastern and central {Europe}},\n\tvolume = {17},\n\tissn = {1726-4170},\n\turl = {https://www.biogeosciences.net/17/1213/2020/},\n\tdoi = {10.5194/bg-17-1213-2020},\n\tabstract = {{\\textless}p{\\textgreater}{\\textless}strong{\\textgreater}Abstract.{\\textless}/strong{\\textgreater} Wildfire occurrence is influenced by climate, vegetation and human activities. A key challenge for understanding the risk of fires is quantifying the mediating effect of vegetation on fire regimes. Here, we explore the relative importance of Holocene land cover, land use, dominant functional forest type, and climate dynamics on biomass burning in temperate and boreo-nemoral regions of central and eastern Europe over the past 12\\&thinsp;kyr. We used an extensive data set of Holocene pollen and sedimentary charcoal records, in combination with climate simulations and statistical modelling. Biomass burning was highest during the early Holocene and lowest during the mid-Holocene in all three ecoregions (Atlantic, continental and boreo-nemoral) but was more spatially variable over the past 3–4\\&thinsp;kyr. Although climate explained a significant variance in biomass burning during the early Holocene, tree cover was consistently the highest predictor of past biomass burning over the past 8\\&thinsp;kyr. In temperate forests, biomass burning was high at {\\textless}span class="inline-formula"{\\textgreater}∼45{\\textless}/span{\\textgreater}\\&thinsp;\\% tree cover and decreased to a minimum at between 60\\&thinsp;\\% and 70\\&thinsp;\\% tree cover. In needleleaf-dominated forests, biomass burning was highest at {\\textless}span class="inline-formula"{\\textgreater}∼{\\textless}/span{\\textgreater}\\&thinsp;60\\&thinsp;\\%–65\\&thinsp;\\% tree cover and steeply declined at {\\textless}span class="inline-formula"{\\textgreater}\\&gt;65{\\textless}/span{\\textgreater}\\&thinsp;\\% tree cover. Biomass burning also increased when arable lands and grasslands reached {\\textless}span class="inline-formula"{\\textgreater}∼{\\textless}/span{\\textgreater}\\&thinsp;15\\&thinsp;\\%–20\\&thinsp;\\%, although this relationship was variable depending on land use practice via ignition sources, fuel type and quantities. Higher tree cover reduced the amount of solar radiation reaching the forest floor and could provide moister, more wind-protected microclimates underneath canopies, thereby decreasing fuel flammability. Tree cover at which biomass burning increased appears to be driven by warmer and drier summer conditions during the early Holocene and by increasing human influence on land cover during the late Holocene. We suggest that long-term fire hazard may be effectively reduced through land cover management, given that land cover has controlled fire regimes under the dynamic climates of the Holocene.{\\textless}/p{\\textgreater}},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\tnumber = {5},\n\turldate = {2020-03-05},\n\tjournal = {Biogeosciences},\n\tauthor = {Feurdean, Angelica and Vannière, Boris and Finsinger, Walter and Warren, Dan and Connor, Simon C. and Forrest, Matthew and Liakka, Johan and Panait, Andrei and Werner, Christian and Andrič, Maja and Bobek, Premysl and Carter, Vachel A. and Davis, Basil and Diaconu, Andrei-Cosmin and Dietze, Elisabeth and Feeser, Ingo and Florescu, Gabriela and Gałka, Mariusz and Giesecke, Thomas and Jahns, Susanne and Jamrichová, Eva and Kajukało, Katarzyna and Kaplan, Jed and Karpińska-Kołaczek, Monika and Kołaczek, Piotr and Kuneš, Petr and Kupriyanov, Dimitry and Lamentowicz, Mariusz and Lemmen, Carsten and Magyari, Enikö K. and Marcisz, Katarzyna and Marinova, Elena and Niamir, Aidin and Novenko, Elena and Obremska, Milena and Pędziszewska, Anna and Pfeiffer, Mirjam and Poska, Anneli and Rösch, Manfred and Słowiński, Michal and Stančikaitė, Miglė and Szal, Marta and Święta-Musznicka, Joanna and Tanţău, Ioan and Theuerkauf, Martin and Tonkov, Spassimir and Valkó, Orsolya and Vassiljev, Jüri and Veski, Siim and Vincze, Ildiko and Wacnik, Agnieszka and Wiethold, Julian and Hickler, Thomas},\n\tmonth = mar,\n\tyear = {2020},\n\tnote = {[IF2019=3.48]},\n\tkeywords = {disturbance},\n\tpages = {1213--1230},\n}\n\n

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\n \\textlessp\\textgreater\\textlessstrong\\textgreaterAbstract.\\textless/strong\\textgreater Wildfire occurrence is influenced by climate, vegetation and human activities. A key challenge for understanding the risk of fires is quantifying the mediating effect of vegetation on fire regimes. Here, we explore the relative importance of Holocene land cover, land use, dominant functional forest type, and climate dynamics on biomass burning in temperate and boreo-nemoral regions of central and eastern Europe over the past 12 kyr. We used an extensive data set of Holocene pollen and sedimentary charcoal records, in combination with climate simulations and statistical modelling. Biomass burning was highest during the early Holocene and lowest during the mid-Holocene in all three ecoregions (Atlantic, continental and boreo-nemoral) but was more spatially variable over the past 3–4 kyr. Although climate explained a significant variance in biomass burning during the early Holocene, tree cover was consistently the highest predictor of past biomass burning over the past 8 kyr. In temperate forests, biomass burning was high at \\textlessspan class=\"inline-formula\"\\textgreater∼45\\textless/span\\textgreater % tree cover and decreased to a minimum at between 60 % and 70 % tree cover. In needleleaf-dominated forests, biomass burning was highest at \\textlessspan class=\"inline-formula\"\\textgreater∼\\textless/span\\textgreater 60 %–65 % tree cover and steeply declined at \\textlessspan class=\"inline-formula\"\\textgreater>65\\textless/span\\textgreater % tree cover. Biomass burning also increased when arable lands and grasslands reached \\textlessspan class=\"inline-formula\"\\textgreater∼\\textless/span\\textgreater 15 %–20 %, although this relationship was variable depending on land use practice via ignition sources, fuel type and quantities. Higher tree cover reduced the amount of solar radiation reaching the forest floor and could provide moister, more wind-protected microclimates underneath canopies, thereby decreasing fuel flammability. Tree cover at which biomass burning increased appears to be driven by warmer and drier summer conditions during the early Holocene and by increasing human influence on land cover during the late Holocene. We suggest that long-term fire hazard may be effectively reduced through land cover management, given that land cover has controlled fire regimes under the dynamic climates of the Holocene.\\textless/p\\textgreater\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Human-induced changes in fire regime and subsequent alteration of the sandstone landscape of Northern Bohemia (Czech Republic).\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Bobek, P.; Svitavská Svobodová, H.; Werchan, B.; Švarcová, M. G.; and Kuneš, P.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n The Holocene, 28(3): 427–443. March 2018.\n [IF2017=2.419]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{bobek_human-induced_2018,\n\ttitle = {Human-induced changes in fire regime and subsequent alteration of the sandstone landscape of {Northern} {Bohemia} ({Czech} {Republic})},\n\tvolume = {28},\n\tissn = {0959-6836},\n\tdoi = {10.1177/0959683617729443},\n\tabstract = {Multiproxy palaeoecological evidence from a sandstone region in northern Czech Republic was collected to explore the impact of fire disturbances on the decline of the broadleaved forests during the Late Bronze Age (3250–3050 cal. BP). It has been hypothesized that human-accelerated soil leaching affected the nutrient availability in the sandstone area, thus promoting the expansion of oligotrophic-adapted plant communities in the late-Holocene. Little is known about the mechanisms which induced such large-scale vegetation transformation. We sought to determine which driving forces were involved using independent proxy records – soil and sedimentary charcoal, pollen and fungal spores. Local fire history was derived from the variation in charcoal accumulation rates (CHAR) preserved in Eustach peatbog. The fire frequency (FF) estimation over the past {\\textasciitilde}7500 years revealed distinct phases of increased burning between 3100 and 2120 cal. BP (3.0 fires 1000 yr−1) and 1400–600 cal. BP (4.3 fires 1000 yr−1). Rapid compositional changes in the pollen assemblage were documented during the Late Bronze Age period, suggesting vegetation responded to increased fire disturbances. The human influence on the fire regime is implied by the short-term increase in cereal pollen concurrent with a major fire event, indicating possible use of slash-and-burn cultivation by Late Bronze societies. This type of human subsistence strategy practised in the sandstone landscape further evolved to pastoralism as suggested by continuous presence of coprophilous fungi Sporormiella and Sordaria, which occurred since the Hallstatt/La Tène period (2750–1950 cal. BP). Our study documents, for the first time, the intentional, human-caused biomass burning from densely forested areas of Northern Bohemian sandstone region. Our results imply that increased rate of fire disturbances contributed to the Late Bronze Age transformation of broadleaved forests to oligotrophic forest communities of late-Holocene.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\tnumber = {3},\n\turldate = {2018-03-31},\n\tjournal = {The Holocene},\n\tauthor = {Bobek, Přemysl and Svitavská Svobodová, Helena and Werchan, Barbora and Švarcová, Markéta Gabriela and Kuneš, Petr},\n\tmonth = mar,\n\tyear = {2018},\n\tnote = {[IF2017=2.419]},\n\tkeywords = {disturbance},\n\tpages = {427--443},\n}\n\n

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\n Multiproxy palaeoecological evidence from a sandstone region in northern Czech Republic was collected to explore the impact of fire disturbances on the decline of the broadleaved forests during the Late Bronze Age (3250–3050 cal. BP). It has been hypothesized that human-accelerated soil leaching affected the nutrient availability in the sandstone area, thus promoting the expansion of oligotrophic-adapted plant communities in the late-Holocene. Little is known about the mechanisms which induced such large-scale vegetation transformation. We sought to determine which driving forces were involved using independent proxy records – soil and sedimentary charcoal, pollen and fungal spores. Local fire history was derived from the variation in charcoal accumulation rates (CHAR) preserved in Eustach peatbog. The fire frequency (FF) estimation over the past ~7500 years revealed distinct phases of increased burning between 3100 and 2120 cal. BP (3.0 fires 1000 yr−1) and 1400–600 cal. BP (4.3 fires 1000 yr−1). Rapid compositional changes in the pollen assemblage were documented during the Late Bronze Age period, suggesting vegetation responded to increased fire disturbances. The human influence on the fire regime is implied by the short-term increase in cereal pollen concurrent with a major fire event, indicating possible use of slash-and-burn cultivation by Late Bronze societies. This type of human subsistence strategy practised in the sandstone landscape further evolved to pastoralism as suggested by continuous presence of coprophilous fungi Sporormiella and Sordaria, which occurred since the Hallstatt/La Tène period (2750–1950 cal. BP). Our study documents, for the first time, the intentional, human-caused biomass burning from densely forested areas of Northern Bohemian sandstone region. Our results imply that increased rate of fire disturbances contributed to the Late Bronze Age transformation of broadleaved forests to oligotrophic forest communities of late-Holocene.\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Holocene-scale fire dynamics of central European temperate spruce-beech forests.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Carter, V. A.; Moravcová, A.; Chiverrell, R. C.; Clear, J. L.; Finsinger, W.; Dreslerová, D.; Halsall, K.; and Kuneš, P.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Quaternary Science Reviews, 191: 15–30. July 2018.\n [IF2017=4.334]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n \n \n 2 downloads\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{carter_holocene-scale_2018,\n\ttitle = {Holocene-scale fire dynamics of central {European} temperate spruce-beech forests},\n\tvolume = {191},\n\tissn = {0277-3791},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.05.001},\n\tabstract = {This study investigated the long-term role and drivers of fire in the central European temperate spruce-beech forests from Prášilské jezero, Czech Republic. The results illustrate the complex relationship between broad-scale climate, vegetation composition, and local human activities on fire throughout the Holocene. Biomass burning was the highest (average 3 fires/1000 years) and most severe during the early Holocene when fire resistant taxa (Pinus, Corylus and Betula) dominated. Using a Generalized Additive Model to assess the response of dominant canopy taxa to changes in biomass burning and fire severity, response curves demonstrate a positive relationship (p \\&lt; 0.01) between fire resistant taxa and increases in biomass burning. Norway spruce (Picea abies) established ∼10,000 cal yr BP and expanded during peak biomass burning. Response curves show a slight negative relationship with Picea and increasing biomass burning, and a positive relationship with increasing fire severity. This suggests that central European spruce forests may not be significantly impacted by fire. Regional biomass burning dramatically decreased with the expansion of fire sensitive taxa (e.g. Fagus sylvatica) ∼6500 cal yr BP, yet no dramatic reduction in local fire frequency occurred. This suggests either human activities or rare fire-promoting climatic events were important in shaping local fire regimes. Fire activity peaked (6 fires/1000 years) ∼2500 cal yr BP and paralleled increases in anthropogenic pollen indicators. Fagus response curves illustrates a negative (p \\&lt; 0.01) relationship with increasing biomass burning and fire severity suggesting that natural Fagus forests may be increasingly vulnerable to projected increases in wildfire occurrence.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2018-05-26},\n\tjournal = {Quaternary Science Reviews},\n\tauthor = {Carter, Vachel A. and Moravcová, Alice and Chiverrell, Richard C. and Clear, Jennifer L. and Finsinger, Walter and Dreslerová, Dagmar and Halsall, Karen and Kuneš, Petr},\n\tmonth = jul,\n\tyear = {2018},\n\tnote = {[IF2017=4.334]},\n\tkeywords = {Climate, Fire, Holocene, Macrofossils, Paleoecology, Pollen, Sedimentary charcoal, disturbance},\n\tpages = {15--30},\n}\n\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Divergent fire history trajectories in Central European temperate forests revealed a pronounced influence of broadleaved trees on fire dynamics.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Bobek, P.; Svobodová-Svitavská, H.; Pokorný, P.; Šamonil, P.; Kuneš, P.; Kozáková, R.; Abraham, V.; Klinerová, T.; Švarcová, M. G.; Jamrichová, E.; Krauseová, E.; and Wild, J.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Quaternary Science Reviews, 222: 105865. October 2019.\n [IF2018=4.641]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n \n \n 1 download\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{bobek_divergent_2019,\n\ttitle = {Divergent fire history trajectories in {Central} {European} temperate forests revealed a pronounced influence of broadleaved trees on fire dynamics},\n\tvolume = {222},\n\tissn = {0277-3791},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.105865},\n\tabstract = {Fire occurrence is driven by a complex interplay between vegetation, climatic, landform and human factors making it challenging to separate the individual effect of each variable. Here we present a reconstruction of the Holocene biomass burning history of two regions located in the Central European temperate zone that differ in the timing of the Middle Holocene expansion of broadleaf-dominated forest communities. This allowed us to investigate the effect of biotic changes on past fire activity. Multiple-site charcoal accumulation records were used to estimate regional-scale trends in biomass burning and to compare them with major trajectories of vegetation development. Extensive 14C-dated soil charcoal records collected within both regions were amalgamated using a cumulative probability function to identify a stand-scale proxy of past fire occurrence. Our results suggest that rising vegetation productivity driven by rapid Early Holocene climate amelioration enhanced biomass burning. The increased fire activity during this period was driven by both a drier- and warmer-than-present climate and easily flammable fuels produced by conifer-dominated vegetation. We identified an inhibiting effect of the concomitant Fagus sylvatica expansion on levels of biomass burning that occurred asynchronously between our mountain and mid-elevation sandstone regions 6500 cal yr BP and 4900 cal yr BP, respectively. The amount of compositional change in plant communities was more related to the transformation of major vegetation types than to fluctuations in fire activity levels. The divergent timing of the fire decline in response to the Fagus sylvatica expansion implies biotic control over biomass burning that is independent of a direct climatic influence.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2019-09-16},\n\tjournal = {Quaternary Science Reviews},\n\tauthor = {Bobek, Přemysl and Svobodová-Svitavská, Helena and Pokorný, Petr and Šamonil, Pavel and Kuneš, Petr and Kozáková, Radka and Abraham, Vojtěch and Klinerová, Tereza and Švarcová, Markéta Gabriela and Jamrichová, Eva and Krauseová, Eva and Wild, Jan},\n\tmonth = oct,\n\tyear = {2019},\n\tnote = {[IF2018=4.641]},\n\tkeywords = {Fire history, Holocene, Human impact, Sedimentary charcoal, Species turnover, Vegetation dynamics, disturbance},\n\tpages = {105865},\n}\n\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Changing disturbance-diversity relationships in temperate ecosystems over the past 12000 years.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Kuneš, P.; Abraham, V.; and Herben, T.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Journal of Ecology, 107(4): 1678–1688. 2019.\n [IF2018=5.687]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n \n \n 4 downloads\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{kunes_changing_2019,\n\ttitle = {Changing disturbance-diversity relationships in temperate ecosystems over the past 12000 years},\n\tvolume = {107},\n\tcopyright = {© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Ecology © 2019 British Ecological Society},\n\tissn = {1365-2745},\n\tdoi = {10.1111/1365-2745.13136},\n\tabstract = {Disturbances such as fires and grazing have major impacts on biodiversity. While it has been suggested that species richness is highest with intermediate levels of disturbance, currently there is no consensus due to an absence of data covering large temporal and spatial scales. We developed a new method to examine disturbance-diversity relationships (DDR) using sedimentary pollen data linked with species’ disturbance ecology. We reconstructed disturbance and diversity dynamics in the region of the European temperate zone over the last 12,000 years and calculated DDR for 900-year sequential temporal windows. Disturbance frequency was highest in the early and late Holocene, while remaining low in the mid-Holocene. Diversity increased continuously from the start of the Holocene. Our results demonstrate that over the past 12,000 years DDR changed from hump-shaped into monotonic increasing pattern. While both highly disturbed and undisturbed sites were strongly impoverished in the early Holocene, as species migrated, biodiversity levels have subsequently affected disturbance regimes with highly disturbed sites now being the highest in species richness. Synthesis. Land-use changes in the last 4,000 years created an increasingly patchy landscape, allowing invasive species adapted to high-frequency disturbance to migrate across the landscape. The link between high diversity and disturbed areas is relatively recent and may anticipate even greater disturbance frequencies in future. Our findings also support a hypothesis that species migration, and the structure of the species pool critically determines the response of biota to external factors such as disturbance.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\tnumber = {4},\n\turldate = {2019-06-28},\n\tjournal = {Journal of Ecology},\n\tauthor = {Kuneš, Petr and Abraham, Vojtěch and Herben, Tomáš},\n\tyear = {2019},\n\tnote = {[IF2018=5.687]},\n\tkeywords = {Central Europe, Holocene, disturbance, disturbance frequency, pollen, richness, vegetation},\n\tpages = {1678--1688},\n}\n\n

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\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n Holocene rapid climate changes and ice-rafting debris events reflected in high-resolution European charcoal records.\n \n \n \n\n\n \n Florescu, G.; Brown, K. J.; Carter, V. A.; Kuneš, P.; Veski, S.; and Feurdean, A.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n Quaternary Science Reviews, 222: 105877. October 2019.\n [IF2018=4.641]\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n \n\n \n \n doi\n \n \n\n \n link\n \n \n\n bibtex\n \n\n \n \n \n abstract \n \n\n \n \n \n 1 download\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n

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@article{florescu_holocene_2019,\n\ttitle = {Holocene rapid climate changes and ice-rafting debris events reflected in high-resolution {European} charcoal records},\n\tvolume = {222},\n\tissn = {0277-3791},\n\tdoi = {10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.105877},\n\tabstract = {In contrast to marked climate change across glacial-interglacial cycles, the Holocene epoch represents a relatively warm, stable interval. However, on finer temporal scales, it too has experienced both gradual and rapid changes in climate. In the North Atlantic region, many rapid climate changes (RCCs) coincide with ice-rafted debris (IRD) or Bond events, which are associated with cooling and suggested to occur with periodicities of 1370 ± 500 years. Given that climate is a dominant control of fire activity, regulating both vegetation productivity and fuel moisture, this study investigated the linkage between Holocene fire, IRD episodes and associated RCCs in seven high-resolution charcoal records distributed across Europe. Results show low-frequency fire periodicities of 500–600 years, 900–1400 and 2400 years that occurred simultaneously across northern and mid-latitude Europe, suggesting that regional fire disturbance responded to large-scale climate drivers. The 900–1400 year periodicity is most common among sites and of similar frequency to IRD episodes, potentially reflecting a connection between mechanisms regulating IRD flux in the North Atlantic and wildfire activity in Europe. Although the data indicate some spatial variability in fire induced by local drivers (such as vegetation and human impact) during RCC events associated with IRD peaks, broad-scale patterns are discernible. Specifically, Northern Europe burned more during the 10.2, 9.4, 8.2, 5.9 and 4.2 kiloannum before present (ka) RCC events when climate was drier, and less during the 2.9 and 1.4 ka events when climate was moister. In contrast, in mid-latitude Europe, a higher incidence of fire is documented at 8.2 and 1.4 ka when climate was drier and a lower incidence of fire is associated with moister conditions at 10.2, 9.4 and 2.9 ka. Spatial heterogeneity is evident in mid-latitude Europe during the 5.9, 4.2 and 0.4 ka events. These spatially explicit sub-continental scale differences in fire activity may be related to differences in moisture availability resulting from shifts in associated atmospheric circulation patterns.},\n\tlanguage = {English},\n\turldate = {2019-09-08},\n\tjournal = {Quaternary Science Reviews},\n\tauthor = {Florescu, Gabriela and Brown, Kendrick J. and Carter, Vachel A. and Kuneš, Petr and Veski, Siim and Feurdean, Angelica},\n\tmonth = oct,\n\tyear = {2019},\n\tnote = {[IF2018=4.641]},\n\tkeywords = {Europe, Fire cycles, Holocene, Ice rafted debris events, Macroscopic charcoal, Rapid climate change, disturbance},\n\tpages = {105877},\n}\n\n

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\n In contrast to marked climate change across glacial-interglacial cycles, the Holocene epoch represents a relatively warm, stable interval. However, on finer temporal scales, it too has experienced both gradual and rapid changes in climate. In the North Atlantic region, many rapid climate changes (RCCs) coincide with ice-rafted debris (IRD) or Bond events, which are associated with cooling and suggested to occur with periodicities of 1370 ± 500 years. Given that climate is a dominant control of fire activity, regulating both vegetation productivity and fuel moisture, this study investigated the linkage between Holocene fire, IRD episodes and associated RCCs in seven high-resolution charcoal records distributed across Europe. Results show low-frequency fire periodicities of 500–600 years, 900–1400 and 2400 years that occurred simultaneously across northern and mid-latitude Europe, suggesting that regional fire disturbance responded to large-scale climate drivers. The 900–1400 year periodicity is most common among sites and of similar frequency to IRD episodes, potentially reflecting a connection between mechanisms regulating IRD flux in the North Atlantic and wildfire activity in Europe. Although the data indicate some spatial variability in fire induced by local drivers (such as vegetation and human impact) during RCC events associated with IRD peaks, broad-scale patterns are discernible. Specifically, Northern Europe burned more during the 10.2, 9.4, 8.2, 5.9 and 4.2 kiloannum before present (ka) RCC events when climate was drier, and less during the 2.9 and 1.4 ka events when climate was moister. In contrast, in mid-latitude Europe, a higher incidence of fire is documented at 8.2 and 1.4 ka when climate was drier and a lower incidence of fire is associated with moister conditions at 10.2, 9.4 and 2.9 ka. Spatial heterogeneity is evident in mid-latitude Europe during the 5.9, 4.2 and 0.4 ka events. These spatially explicit sub-continental scale differences in fire activity may be related to differences in moisture availability resulting from shifts in associated atmospheric circulation patterns.\n

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