why were the neolithic landscapes of bela krajina and

177

UDK 902.65(497.4) ''634''>56>581Documenta Praehistorica XXXIV (2007)

Why were the Neolithic landscapes of Bela krajina andLjubljana Marshes regions of Slovenia so dissimilar|

Maja Andri;Institute of Archaeology, ZRC SAZU, SI

[email protected]

Introduction

This paper aims to address the question of the diver-sity of the environment of the first farming commu-nities in the region of Bela krajina and the Ljublja-na Marshes area of Slovenia (Fig. 1). Differences inthe composition of vegetation detected in the pollenrecord will be analysed in order to estimate whetherthey were a consequence of specific natural charac-teristics of the regions studied, dissimilar land-use inthe past, or the size of the study sites.

In recent decades an extensive pollen analysis of se-dimentary cores and samples collected during archa-eological excavations was carried out on LjubljanaMarshes, so the general development of vegetationin the area is very well known (e.g. Culiberg 1991;πercelj 1996 and references cited there, Gardner

1999a; 1999b) and the results presented in thisstudy (a pollen analysis of ‘Na mahu 1’ core) accordwith previous research. The question of past hydro-logical conditions in the area was also addressed byseveral researchers using sedimentological, geomor-phological, archaeological and multidisciplinary pa-laeoecological data (e.g. Melik 1946; πercelj 1966;πifrer 1984; Budja 1995; Velu∏≠ek 2005; Gaspariand Eri≠ 2006; Verbi≠ 2006; Mleku∫ et al. 2006; An-dri≠ et al. in prep., and many others). This led tovarious interpretations of the complex hydrologicalconditions in the basin (most complex in the Neoli-thic; many researchers would probably agree that inthe early Holocene the area was covered by a fresh-water lake, whereas later it became a floodplain andin some parts a peat bog). In contrast to Ljubljana

ABSTRACT – This paper compares the development of Holocene vegetation in Bela krajina and Ljub-ljana Marshes (Ljubljansko barje) regions of Slovenia. The results of pollen analysis suggest that inBela krajina the human impact on the environment (forest clearance and burning) was very inten-sive throughout the Holocene and led to changes in forest composition, increased biodiversity, andthe formation of a mosaic landscape. In the Ljubljana Marshes, forest burning and clearance seemless intensive, although changes in forest composition and ‘anthropogenic indicator’ pollen typeswere detected. These differences between study regions are presumably a consequence of various cli-mates, hydrology, bedrock and land-use in the past.

IZVLE∞EK – V ≠lanku je predstavljena primerjava razvoja holocenske vegetacije v Beli krajini in naLjubljanskem barju. Rezultati pelodne analize ka∫ejo, da je bil ≠lovekov vpliv na okolje (sekanje inpo∫iganje gozda) v Beli krajini zelo intenziven, kar je povzro≠ilo pove≠anje biodiverzitete in spre-membe v sestavi gozda, oblikovala se je mozai≠na pokrajina. Na Ljubljanskem barju je sekanje inpo∫iganje gozda sicer res videti nekoliko manj intenzivno, kljub temu pa na pelodnem diagramu lah-ko opazimo spremembe v sestavi gozda in pojav 'antropogenih indikatorjev'. Te razlike med regija-ma so verjetno posledica razli≠ne klime, hidrologije, geolo∏ke podlage in razli≠ne izrabe pokrajine vpreteklosti.

KEY WORDS – palynology; Neolithic archaeology; Bela krajina; Ljubljana Marshes

Maja Andri;

178

Marshes palynological, researchin Bela krajina was less exten-sive, and both palynologically in-vestigated sites in the area (Mla-ka and Griblje, Andri≠ 2001; An-dri≠ in press) are presented inthis paper. To date, no studies ofpast hydrology have been carriedout in the area. Therefore, sincehydrological conditions on Ljub-ljana Marshes were very complex,whereas (presumably much sim-pler) hydrological conditions inBela krajina have not been inves-tigated at all, more (detailed) re-search is needed in both regionsin the future. Palynological rese-arch was much more intensive,and for that reason this paperwill focus on only one aspect ofboth Neolithic landscapes: thecomposition of vegetation as re-vealed by palynological studies.

The main reasons for the varietyof flora in Slovenia include itsgeographical position, diverse cli-mate, relief and bedrock (Wraber1969; Kladnik 1996; Ogrin 1996;Perko 1998). The distinctive vegetation of Slovenia’sphyto-geographic regions became apparent after c.8800 calBP, whereas the onset of an intensive, large-scale forest clearance, burning and the formation ofthe present-day landscape is dated between lateprehistory and the medieval period (c. 3000 calBP –1000 calBP). Palynological research also suggeststhat the human impact on the vegetation was impor-tant and contributed to increasing biodiversity (An-dri≠ and Willis 2003). Neolithic/Eneolithic farmingcommunities (c. 7000–5000 calBP) lived in an envi-ronment where differences between regions had al-ready become apparent, but large-scale forest clea-rances had not yet occurred. In such environmentsit is very difficult to distinguish the natural from theanthropogenic causes of environmental change. The-refore, in order to better understand the human im-pact on the vegetation, the vegetation history in thevicinity of archaeological sites was studied in detail.Sedimentary cores for pollen analysis (Fig. 1) werecollected at Mlaka (Bela krajina) and ‘Na mahu 1’(Ljubljana Marshes) coring locations in order to esti-mate the similarity/dissimilarity of vegetation deve-lopment during the Holocene in both study regions.In addition to this, the vegetation history at Griblje

was investigated and compared with Mlaka to assessalso the intra-regional variability of Bela krajina ve-getation.

The Bela krajina study area

Bela krajina (Fig. 1) is located in south-eastern Slo-venia, between high Dinaric Plateaus in the westand the Kolpa River and Pannonian Plain in the east.More than half of its territory lies below 400 m a.s.l.,on predominantly Mesozoic limestone and dolomitebedrock (Gams 1961; 1984; Buser 1984). The cli-mate of Bela krajina is moderate continental-sub-Pan-nonian, with a sub-Mediterranean precipitation re-gime (primary precipitation is highest in autumn),and hot, dry summers. The annual amount of preci-pitation is between 1200 and 1300 mm in westernparts. The average temperatures of the warmestmonth are between 15 °C and 20 °C, and of the col-dest month, between –3 °C and 0 °C (Bernot 1984;Ogrin 1996; Plut 1985).

The composition of Bela krajina forests varies accor-ding to altitude, land-use and soil type. Predomi-nantly beech forests are characteristic of higher alti-

Fig. 1. Bela krajina and Ljubljana Marshes study regions and the po-sition of palynological cores.

Why were the Neolithic landscapes of Bela krajina and Ljubljana Marshes regions of Slovenia so dissimilar|

179

tudes, whereas patchy oak-hornbeam forests growin the lowlands (Miklav∫i≠ 1965; Wraber 1956; Ma-rin≠ek and ∞arni 2002; ∞arni et al. 2003). Mea-dows, fields, pastures and human-managed birch(Betula pendula) forests (‘steljniki’), which wereoriginally used as spring/summer grazing areas,spread into the lowlands due to intensive human im-pact in the last centuries.

Both palaeo-ecological study sites presented in thisstudy (Mlaka and Griblje) are small lowland marshyareas with diameters of c. 30 m and without inflo-wing/outflowing streams (Fig. 1). Numerous archaeo-logical sites, including Neolithic/Eneolithic settle-ments, are located close to Mlaka and Griblje (e.g.Pusti Gradac and Griblje, Arheolo∏ka najdi∏≠a Slo-venije 1975; Dular 1985; Mason 2001; Phil Mason,personal communication 2005).

The Ljubljana Marshes study area

Ljubljana Marshes lies in central Slovenia (Fig. 1) atabout 289 m a.s.l., on predominantly carbonate bed-rock, with Triassic and Jurassic limestones and dolo-mites in southern and western parts of the basin,whereas Palaeozoic sandstones, conglomerates, sha-les and limestones prevail in the north and east(Mencej 1989). The bottom of the basin is covered bythick layers of Pleistocene and Holocene alluvial andlacustrine sediments (Mencej 1989; Grim∏i≠ar andOcepek 1967; Tancik 1965; πercelj 1965; 1967).The climate on Ljubljana Marshes is temperate-conti-nental, with a sub- continental precipitation regime(precipitation highest in the summer) and annualprecipitation between 1000 and 1300 mm. The ave-rage temperatures of the coldest month are between–3 °C and 0 °C, and in the warmest month the ave-rage is between 15 °C and 20 °C (Ogrin 1996).

Ljubljana Marsh is currently covered by meadows,fields and patchy woodlands of pine (Pinus), birch(Betula), alder (Alnus) and oak (Quercus robur).Only very small peat-bogs with ombrotrophic spe-cies have remained (Martin≠i≠ 1987). Predominantlybeech (Fagus) forests grow on the hills surroundingthe area (∞arni et al. 2003). In the 18th century it wasmuch wetter than today, and mostly covered by peat-bogs, smaller ‘puddles’ and springs (Melik 1927) anddrier heather lands, with spruce (Picea), pine, alderand birch trees. However, in the second half of the18th century, the first drainage works in the areastarted, and by the end of 19th century almost all thepeat had been burnt or cut in order to obtain dryland needed for agriculture (Melik 1927).

The sedimentary core presented in this study (‘Namahu 1’) was collected in the eastern part of the Lju-bljana Marsh basin (Fig. 1). Archaeological sites, mo-stly dated to the 7th and 6th millennium calBP, werediscovered in the vicinity of the coring location (e.g.Resnikov prekop and Maharski prekop, Dimitrijevi≤1997; Budja 1995; ∞ufar and Koren≠i≠ 2006; Ve-lu∏≠ek 2006; ∞ufar and Velu∏≠ek 2004; Bregant1974; 1975)

Methodology

The pollen record of three study sites, Mlaka andGriblje (G3) in Bela krajina, and ‘Na mahu 1’ in Lju-bljana Marshes (Fig. 1) is presented and comparedin this study. The detailed methodology and resultsfor individual study sites have been published (forMlaka and Griblje see Andri≠ in press) or are cur-rently in preparation (‘Na mahu 1’, Andri≠ et al. inprep.), therefore only selected data will be presen-ted in this paper.

All sedimentary sequences were collected by Living-stone piston corer, and standard laboratory proce-dures (Bennett and Willis 2002) were used for pol-len analysis. The age was determined by AMS radio-carbon dating of organic carbon extracted from thesediment. The radiocarbon dates at Mlaka and Grib-lje were calibrated by the BCal program (hosted bythe Department of Probability and Statistics at theUniversity of Sheffield, Buck et al. on-line), whichincorporates the IntCal 04 calibration dataset (Rei-mer et al. 2004), and these results were used forage-depth modelling in PSIMPOLL (general linearline-fitting by singular value decomposition for Grib-lje, and a combination of general linear line-fittingby singular value decomposition and linear interpo-lation for Mlaka). The conventional radiocarbondates used for age-depth modelling are marked oneach diagram. The age-depth modelling for ‘Na ma-hu 1’ core was a linear interpolation between themedian values of 14C dates (the lower two dateswere excluded from the age-depth modelling due toan error, presumably caused by the reservoir effect).The percentage pollen diagrams of selected taxawere plotted by PSIMPOLL 3.00, 4.25 and PSCOMB3.01, C programs (Bennett 1998; Bennett on-line).They were divided into zones using binary splittingby sum of squares, and the number of significant zo-nes was determined by the broken-stick model (Ben-nett 1996; 1998). Dots on the pollen diagram indi-cate values lower than 0.5 %. Palynological richness(rarefraction analysis) was also calculated by PSIM-POLL. Microscopic charcoal (in two size classes:

Maja Andri;

180

<40 µm and >40 µm) was counted with the pollen(‘Na mahu 1’ and Griblje cores) and, in addition tothis, the concentration of microscopic charcoal wasdetermined according to Clark’s (1982) point countmethod at both Mlaka and Griblje.

Results

The results are presented on percentage pollen dia-grams of selected taxa (Fig. 2) and compared in Ta-ble 1. Landscape openness, the microcharcoal recordand palynological richness of all three study sites arealso compared (Fig. 3). More detailed results are be-ing published in separate publications (Andri≠ inpress, Andri≠ et al. in prep.). The mismatch of Mlakaand Griblje pollen diagrams (compare Fagus curves)for levels older than c. 6000 calBP are most proba-bly a consequence of problematic radiocarbon datingat Griblje, where levels between 50 and 61 cm seemto be up to c. 900 years ‘too old’ (Andri≠ in press).

Early HoloceneAt the beginning of the Holocene (between c. 11 500and 9000–8750 calBP) an open, predominantly broad-leaved woodland with oak (Quercus), hazel (Cory-lus), lime (Tilia), elm (Ulmus), pine (Pinus), birch(Betula) and spruce (Picea mostly around LjubljanaMarshes) was growing in both study regions (Fig. 2,Tab. 1). The increased concentration of microscopiccharcoal suggests that forest fires were common, pro-bably due to the arid early Holocene climate (e.g.Kutzbach and Guetter 1986; COHMAP Members1988).

Later (at c. 9000 – 8750 calBP) the forest composi-tion suddenly changed, and thick, mostly beech (Fa-gus) forest started to grow in Bela krajina and Lju-bljana Marshes (Fig. 2, Tab. 1). In Ljubljana Marshesthis beech forest persisted until c. 6750 calBP, whe-reas in Bela krajina the development was much moredynamic. Slight fluctuations in beech pollen curves(some of them coincide with charcoal peaks and evenwith Cerealia-type pollen grain at Griblje) suggestthat the forest in Bela krajina was less dense than inthe Ljubljana Marshes region, and occasional small-scale landscape fires probably caused minor open-ings in the canopy. After c. 7800 calBP beech (Fagus)at the Mlaka site started to decline, and by c. 7300calBP the percentage of tree pollen had significantlydeclined (with the exception of lime (Tilia), whichincreased), whereas herbs and monolete fern spores(Filicales) increased, suggesting the opening of thelandscape (Fig. 2a). A similar change in vegetationwas also detected at Griblje (Fig. 2b), where beech

forest was replaced by a more open landscape, withhigher percentages of pine (Pinus) and Trilete spo-res than at Mlaka. In contrast to Bela krajina, the hillssurrounding Ljubljana Marshes basin remained verymuch forested with beech (Fagus), and after 7600calBP also fir (Abies) (Fig. 2c). No such increase infir (Abies) was detected in Bela krajina, although theforest started to regenerate at the beginning of the7th millennium calBP.

After c. 7000 calBP, hazel (Corylus) and oak (Quer-cus) at Mlaka, increased and between c. 6700–6100calBP hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) woodland wasgrowing around the coring location. The Griblje fo-rest also regenerated, and beech (Fagus), alder (Al-nus) and hazel (Corylus) started to increase again,but in contrast to Mlaka, there was no hornbeam(Carpinus b.) phase. The human impact on the envi-ronment around both study sites was significant andcan be associated with the Neolithic/Eneolithic sitesat Pusti gradac and Griblje. Small-scale forest burning(increased micro-charcoal concentration), agricultureand grazing (anthropogenic indicator taxa: Cerealia-type, Centaurea, Plantago l., Chenopodiaceae, Arte-misia, Compositae lig. and Compositae tub.) wasmost intensive at c. 6100 calBP (Fig. 2a, 2b).

What happened at the same time on Ljubljana Mar-shes? A major change in the composition of vegeta-tion occurred between 6750 and 5600 calBP (roug-hly at the same time as Carpinus b. phase at Mlaka),when beech (Fagus) and fir (Abies) declined, whe-reas oak (Quercus), alder (Alnus) and hazel (Cory-lus) increased (Fig. 2c), but an increase in hornbeam(Carpinus betulus, best seen at Podpe∏ko jezero,Gardner 1999b) was less significant than at Mlaka.An increased percentage of herb pollen after 6600calBP and anthropogenic/grazing indicators (Plan-tago l.) suggest that the landscape became slightlymore open, which can be associated with human ac-tivity at the Resnikov prekop settlement, located c.1.5 km south of the coring location.

Middle HoloceneIn the second half of the Holocene, shade-toleranttree taxa started to increase in both study regions.In Bela krajina, beech (Fagus) forest spread againafter 5700 calBP, but forest composition changed atc. 4800 calBP, when beech was replaced by fir (Abies)(Fig. 2a). Similarly, an increase in beech on Ljublja-na Marshes is dated after c. 6000 calBP, but this wasvery soon replaced by fir, which remained the mostimportant tree taxon until c. 4500 calBP, when spruce(Picea) and alder (Alnus) increased (Fig. 2c). The de-


181

Tab.

1. C

ompa

riso

n of

veg

etat

ion

deve

lopm

ent

in B

ela

kraj

ina

and

Ljub

ljana

Mar

shes

reg

ions

of

Slov

enia

.

Age

(cal

BP)

Vege

tatio

n de

velo

pmen

t in

Vege

tatio

n de

velo

pmen

t in

Arch

aeol

ogic

al s

ites

in th

e vi

cini

ty o

f cor

ing

Bela

kra

jina

Bela

kra

jina

(Mla

ka, G

riblje

)Lj

ublja

nsko

bar

je (‘

na m

ahu

1’)

loca

tions

and

thei

r im

pact

on

the

vege

tatio

n(L

jubl

jans

ko b

arje

)M

iddl

e H

oloc

ene

c.48

00-4

500

calB

PFo

rest

com

posi

tion

chan

ges>

bee

ch (

Fagu

s)Fi

r (A

bies

) re

mai

ns h

igh

and

only

dec

lines

|de

clin

es a

nd fi

r (A

bies

) in

crea

ses

at M

laka

afte

r c.

4500

cal

BP, w

hen

spru

ce (

Pice

a)an

d al

der

(Aln

us)

incr

ease

c.57

00-4

800

calB

PBe

ech

(Fag

us)

fore

st a

nd d

ecre

ased

hum

anFi

r (

Abie

s) in

crea

ses

Hum

an im

pact

Bela

kra

jina>

Neo

lithi

c\En

eolit

hic

site

s ne

ar M

laka

(Pus

ti G

rada

c)im

pact

on

the

envi

ronm

ent

cont

inue

s, b

ut w

ithou

t lar

ge-s

cale

fore

stan

d G

riblje

| s

mal

l sca

le fo

rest

cle

aran

ce\b

urni

ng, a

gric

ultu

recl

eara

nce

and

graz

ing

Ljub

ljans

ko b

arje

> Mah

arsk

i pre

kop

(c.5

500-

5000

cal

BP|)

smal

l-sca

le fo

rest

cle

aran

ce, a

gric

ultu

re a

nd g

razi

ng

Early

Hol

ocen

ec.

6700

-570

0 ca

lBP

Hor

nbea

m (

Carp

inus

bet

ulus

) ph

ase

at M

laka

Fir

(Abi

es)

and

beec

h (F

agus

) de

clin

e,Be

la k

rajin

a> N

eolit

hic\

Eneo

lithi

c si

tes

near

Mla

ka (P

usti

Gra

dac)

Hum

an im

pact

on

envi

ronm

ent (

smal

l-sca

lew

here

as o

ak (

Que

rcus

), a

lder

(Al

nus)

and

and

Grib

lje, s

mal

l sca

le fo

rest

cle

aran

ce\b

urni

ng,

fore

st b

urni

ng, a

gric

ultu

re a

nd g

razi

ng),

haze

l (Co

rylu

s) in

crea

se a

t 675

0 ca

lBP,

copp

icin

g, a

gric

ultu

re a

nd g

razi

ngm

ost i

nten

sive

at c

.610

0 ca

lBP,

Hum

an im

pact

(ag

ricul

ture

and

gra

zing

)Lj

ublja

nsko

bar

je> R

esni

kov

prek

op (

c.66

00-6

500

calB

P), s

mal

l-w

hen

horn

beam

woo

dlan

d w

as b

urnt

\cut

.Be

ech

(Fag

us)

incr

ease

s ag

ain

afte

rsc

ale

fore

st c

lear

ance

, agr

icul

ture

and

gra

zing

c.60

00 c

alBP

c.70

00-6

700

calB

PFo

rest

reg

row

th th

roug

h a

phas

eBe

ech-

fir (

Fagu

s-Ab

ies)

fore

stBe

la k

rajin

a> N

eolit

hic\

Eneo

lithi

c si

tes

near

Mla

ka (P

usti

Gra

dac)

of h

azel

(Co

rylu

s) a

nd o

ak (

Que

rcus

)an

d G

riblje

|c.

7500

-700

0 ca

lBP

Beec

h (F

agus

) de

clin

e an

d m

ore

open

|la

ndsc

ape

at M

laka

and

Grib

lje(w

ith s

light

diff

eren

ces

betw

een

stud

y si

tes)

c.90

00 (

8750

) -

Pred

omin

antly

bee

ch (

Fagu

s) fo

rest

Beec

h (F

agus

) fo

rest

, fir

(Abi

es)

|75

00 (

7600

) ca

lBP

(with

occ

asio

nal s

mal

l-sca

le o

peni

ngs

star

ts to

incr

ease

afte

r 76

00 c

alBP

of th

e ca

nopy

due

to b

urni

ng),

gra

dual

lyop

enin

g up

, firs

t ‘C

erae

alia

-type

‘ pol

len

grai

noc

curs

at G

riblje

befo

re c

.900

0W

oodl

and

with

lim

e (T

ilia)

, oak

(Q

uerc

us),

Woo

dlan

d w

ith s

pruc

e (P

icea

), e

lm|

(875

0) c

alBP

elm

(U

lmus

), h

azel

(Co

rylu

s), s

pruc

e (P

icea

),(U

lmus

), li

me

(Tili

a), o

ak (

Que

rcus

) an

din

crea

sed

mic

roch

arco

al c

once

ntra

tion,

mor

eha

zel (

Cory

lus)

, inc

reas

ed m

icro

char

coal

pine

(Pi

nus)

and

birc

h (B

etul

a) a

t Grib

lje th

anco

ncen

trat

ion

at M

laka

Maja Andri;

182


183

velopment of vegetation on Ljubljana Marshes in sub-sequent millennia cannot be reconstructed, since theyounger sediment was destroyed by peat cutting andburning in the 18th/19th century.

Discussion

The human impact on the environmentAfter comparing the pollen record from both studyregions, it appears that the intensity of human im-pact on the environment in Bela krajina was veryconsiderable. Constant small-scale forest burningand cutting associated with the appearance of an-thropogenic indicator taxa and increased biodiver-sity (palynological richness, Fig. 3) was detected fromat least c. 6000 calBP, which led to changes in forestcomposition, increasing differences between the Mla-ka and Griblje study sites and the formation of mo-saic landscape (Andri≠ in press).

The human impact on the environment on LjubljanaMarshes seems much less intensive; here, thick beechand beech-fir forest persisted until c. 6750 calBP. Atc. 6600 calBP a minor forest clearance (Fig. 2c, 3)and anthropogenic indicator taxa were detected, but

the landscape remained very much forested (as al-ready demonstrated by previous research, Gardner1999a; 1999b) and the development of vegetationmuch less dynamic than in Bela krajina. Does thismean that in Bela krajina, Neolithic/Eneolithic settle-ments were more numerous and farming activitiesmore intensive (or earlier) than on Ljubljana Mar-shes? Not necessarily. The differences between Belakrajina and Ljubljana Marshes could be a conse-quence of the natural features of the study sites (Fig.1). Both sites in Bela krajina, Mlaka and Griblje, aresmall basins with diameters of c. 30 m and withoutinflowing or outflowing streams. In such small ba-sins, which receive pollen deriving mainly from lo-cal vegetation, small-scale local changes in vegetationare very visible (Jacobson and Bradshaw 1981). Inbigger basins with complex hydrology, such as Ljub-ljana Marshes, regional pollen prevails (Jacobsonand Bradshaw 1981), so local, small-scale forestclearance is less visible in the pollen record. Consi-dering palynological theory, therefore, these resultswere expected.

Despite all these differences between Bela krajina andLjubljana Marshes, there is one similarity: an increase

Figs. 2a and 2b (on previous page) and 2c (up). Mlaka, Griblje (G3) and ‘Na mahu 1’ percentage pollendiagrams of selected taxa. * hiatus due to peat cutting/burning on Ljubljansko barje.

Maja Andri;

184

Fig. 3. Landscape openness, microcharcoal record and palynological richness at Mlaka, Griblje (G3) and‘Na mahu 1’ study sites. * hiatus due to peat cutting/burning on Ljubljana Marshes.


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in biodiversity (palynological richness, Fig. 3) at thebeginning of the 7th millennium calBP (c. 7000 calBPat Mlaka and 6700 calBP at ‘Na mahu 1’ core), al-though no major landscape forest clearance has beendetected on pollen diagrams. This could probably beassociated with small-scale forest clearance and theactivities of early farming communities.

Human impact versus climateChanges in forest composition and differences be-tween the study regions can be a consequence of cli-matic fluctuations and/or human impact. Today, sum-mers in Bela krajina are warmer and drier than onLjubljana Marshes, and it is possible that a similarcontrast existed in the past. Therefore, less fir (Abies),which needs a humid climate (Ellenberg 1988) wasgrowing in Bela krajina than on Ljubljana Marshes.However, fir is susceptible to fire (Tinner et al. 1999),and it is possible that in Bela krajina it was suppres-sed by anthropogenic burning of the landscape. Thecharcoal record suggests that the vegetation aroundLjubljana Marshes was not burnt so often. Why not –because the lake/marshy landscape of Ljubljana Mar-shes was more difficult to burn, and this landscapewas used instead for hunting, fishing and gathering?Due to the complex hydrological conditions, moreopen land probably already existed (or was regu-larly formed) near the edge of the lake and/or alongfloodplains, and very extensive forest clearance foragriculture was not needed (Willis 1995)?

Palynological research also demonstrated that diffe-rences in the composition of vegetation occurred notonly between the phytogeographic regions of Slove-nia, but also within each individual region. This canbest be demonstrated by the differences betweenMlaka and Griblje, where, although the study sitesare located only c. 10 km apart, the vegetation his-tory was very dissimilar. While at Mlaka (located onpredominantly limestone bedrock) human pressureon the environment was intensive throughout theHolocene, and the present-day open landscape hadformed by the medieval period at c. 1000 calBP, thelandscape at Griblje (on sand and clay) remainedpredominantly forested up to the present. This sug-gests that areas more suitable for agriculture wereprobably most intensively used.

ClimateTo date no studies of local (regional) climate havebeen carried out, therefore changes in vegetation(e.g. forest composition) can be only compared withthe global (Northern Hemisphere) climate. In bothstudy regions beech (Fagus) establishment at the be-

ginning of the 9th millennium calBP was presumablyassociated with climatic change – an increase in pre-cipitation. A similar increase in shade-tolerant treetaxa also occurred in other regions of Slovenia (An-dri≠ and Willis 2003) and neighbouring countries(Abies expansion in the lowlands of the southernAlps, Tinner et al. 1999; Gobet et al. 2000; Tinnerand Lotter 2006; and Fagus increase in Dalmatia,Schmidt et al. 2000) and it seems that this palaeo-environmental change was of regional extent. It waslimited to the areas south of the Alps, where a conti-nental climate regime had already been replaced byan Atlantic climate regime at about 9100 calBP, whe-reas north of the Alps, the Atlantic climate is associa-ted with the 8.2 ky BP event (Tinner and Ammann2001).

At the beginning of the 8th millennium calBP, beech(Fagus) in Bela krajina started to decline, and by c.7300 calBP, the beech forest had been replaced bya more open landscape. Fagus decline is limited onlyto Bela krajina (the Ljubljana Marshes region remai-ned very much forested), so it seems unlikely that itwould have been triggered by cold global climaticfluctuations, such as the 8.2 ky BP event (Alley et al.1993; Meese et al. 1994; Stager and Mayewski 1997;Haas et al. 1998; Alley and Ágústsdóttir 2005). How-ever, the impact of precipitation fluctuations mighthave been more important than the temperature, es-pecially since the 8.2 ky event is assumed to havebeen dry in the lowlands (Haas et al. 1998), with lo-wer lake levels north and south of 50°N and 43°Nrespectively (Magny and Begeot 2004). It is possiblethat in the 8th millennium calBP climatic differencesbetween Bela krajina and the Ljubljana Marshes weremore pronounced than today, and forest compositionin Bela krajina was affected by warm and dry sum-mers, whereas at the same time no major change inforest composition took place on the Ljubljana Mar-shes.

Is it possible that Fagus decline was caused by theimpact of hunter-gatherers and/or farmers on thelandscape? Yes. Admittedly, no archaeological sitesreliably dated before c. 7000 calBP have been disco-vered in Bela krajina, but this option cannot be com-pletely ruled out, and further archaeological andmulti-proxy palaeo-ecological research of the regio-nal climate is needed.

After c. 6700 calBP, the percentage of beech (Fagus)and fir (Abies) was low in both study regions. Thisis most probably a consequence of significant humanimpact (forest clearance and burning), and coincides

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with a major climatic reversal after 8.2 ka calBP (Sta-ger and Mayewski 1997; Alley and Ágústsdóttir2005), when the oceanic early Holocene climate withenhanced westerly airflow was presumably replacedby a more meridional flow pattern, with anti-cyclonicsummer conditions, and thus a dry climate and lo-wer lake levels in the period between c. 6800–5700 calBP (Seppä and Birks 2001).

After c. 6000–5700 calBP, beech (Fagus), and lateralso fir (Abies), increase in both regions, with a sli-ghtly decreased human impact on the environment.This could have been associated with the cold andwet climate in the 6th millennium calBP (Mayewskiet al. 2004; Haas et al. 1998; Magny 2004; Magnyand Haas 2004; Denton and Karlén 1973; Seppäand Birks 2001; O’Brien et al. 1995; Bond et al.1997).

Conclusions

The above described differences between Bela kraji-na and the Ljubljana Marshes are presumably a con-sequence of different climates (wetter/colder in theLjubljana Marshes region?), hydrology, topographyand bedrock, as well as archaeological settlementpatterns and land-use (more frequent landscape bur-ning in Bela krajina) in the past. However, differentnatural characteristics and thus the pollen sourcearea of individual study sites should not be ignored.

While at Bela krajina, where all the study sites aresmall marshes without inflowing/outflowing streams,the local Neolithic impact on the landscape is veryvisible, the Ljubljana Marshes study site is much big-ger and has a more complex and changeable hydro-logy, which affected the pollen source area. Here, aweak local human impact on the vegetation is moredifficult to detect.

How to proceed: more archaeological research is ne-eded in both regions in order to better understandthe economy of past societies and their impact onthe vegetation. Especially in Bela krajina, where na-tural conditions are not very favourable for the pre-servation of archaeological sites or animal and plantremains, more information about archaeological set-tlement patterns and the economy during the transi-tion from hunting-gathering to the first farming com-munities would be very valuable. More multi-proxypalaeo-ecological (palaeo-climatological and palaeo-hydrological) research is also needed, since the im-pact of climate fluctuations on the vegetation andhydrology was significant.

This research was funded by the Slovenian ResearchAgency, project no. Z6–4074–0618–03. I am very gra-teful to Mateja Belak, who prepared the figures.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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