Botanický ústav AV ČR, v. v. i. > Department of Vegetation Ecology > Finished projects > Pollen-based land-cover reconstruction – model testing and its implications for Holocene environmental change studies

Department of Vegetation Ecology

Pollen-based land-cover reconstruction – model testing and its implications for Holocene environmental change studies

Principal investigator:

Co-investigator:

Funding:

  • Czech Science Foundation

Time-frame:

  • 2012–2015

Project description:

This project aims to reconstruct land cover during the past 200 years in model areas of Central Europe in order to test the landscape reconstruction algorithm (LRA) with high-resolution historical data. After successfully tested and parameterized, the LRA can reconstruct the key stages of postglacial landscape and vegetation development with higher significance, and thus circumvent biases created by the direct interpretation of palynological records. We will collect high-resolution palynological data for model areas for the past 200 years, estimate vegetation cover with the LRA and compare this with historical records. To enhance estimations, we will study pollen productivity for important regional plant taxa. We will then apply the LRA on key stages of the Holocene to address questions concerning fluctuations of forest/open land ratio, human induced disturbance and ecosystem diversity changes. Results can improve our understanding of climate/vegetation interactions and human responses in the past as well as our ability to predict the functioning of future ecosystems.

Participants