Late holocene history and vegetation dynamics of a floodplain alder carr: A case study from eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic

The Origin and Development of the Central European Man-made Landscape, Habitat and Species Diversity as Affected by Climate and its Changes – a Review

“…Until recently, most studies on central Europe claimed that there was already a closed forest cover everywhere below the timberline (Firbas 1949;1952;Lang 1994; maps of the natural landscape: Schwickerath 1954; Hueck, Behrmann 1962), except in certain specific habitats such as: gravel (Osborne 1972;Ellenberg 1996;Gao et al 2000); rock formations (Meusel 1935;1939;Gradmann 1950;Müller 1980); "beaver meadows" (Wells et al 2000;Schneider 1996;Harthun 1998;; open stages during autogenous cyclic succession in alder carrs (Pokorný et al 2000;Sádlo 2000); and mires (particularly percolation mires; Succow, Jeschke 1986). In contrast to this hypothesis, Vera (2000) claimed that the forests were partly open.…”

Structural diversity and production of alder stands on former agricultural land at high altitudes

“…Unlike other types of alluvial forests, rather little attention has been paid to the structure and development of alder stands so far, although they are highly endangered in Europe (Ellenberg, 1996). Both autogenous influences (Pokorný et al, 2000) and various external factors, such as water-table fluctuations (Brock et al, 1989), the effect of wind disturbances (Wolf et al, 2004) and pathogens (Cech, 1998), have been described as important for the dynamics of alder stands. For example, the negative impact of ivy (Hedera helix L.) on the radial growth and on some anatomical char-acteristics of black alder wood was shown by Yaman (2009).…”

The Prehistoric Wetland Site of Náklo (Moravia, Czech Republic) – a Unique Piece of History

“…During this time, the erosion of fine material from the unprotected surface and the accumulation of colluvial and fluvial sediments took place (Mackel 2003). The Alnus decline is obvious in zone N2, which could be connected either with human activity or with the natural cycle of alder carr (Pokorný et al 2000). Even though no direct archaeological evidence of human presence was found during the excavation of the sediment, seeds of weeds and crops -Chenopodium sp., Polygonum persicaria, Fallopia convolvulus, Papaver somniferum or Triticum spelta point to nearby arable land.…”