Vegetation history since the mid-Holocene in northeastern Iceland

Roy, Natasha; Bhiry, Najat; Woollett, James; Fréchette, Bianca

doi:10.1080/11956860.2018.1443419

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The gradual decline in the colony population as a result of hunting led to a decrease in avian influence on vegetation over time. Anthropogenic settlement notably influenced the vegetation of other oceanic islands (Bennett et al., 1997 ; Hannon & Bradshaw, 2000 ; Roy et al., 2018 ). Strongly pronounced ornithogenic vegetation formation probably did not form on Carlisle Island due to the fact that humans colonized the eastern part of the Bering Sea earlier and also began to reduce seabird colonies around 7,000 years ago (Kuzmicheva et al., 2019 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ornithogenic vegetation: How significant has the seabird influence been on the Aleutian Island vegetation during the Holocene?

Smyshlyaeva

Severova

Krylovich

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Availability Statement) Pollen Influx In Mcdonaldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ornithogenic vegetation: How significant has the seabird influence been on the Aleutian Island vegetation during the Holocene?

Smyshlyaeva

Severova

Krylovich

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Landnám is characterised by a rapid decline in birch pollen, especially in the lowlands (Erlendsson, 2007;Hallsdóttir, 1987;Hallsdóttir and Caseldine, 2005). This pattern is also found in the less studied highlands (Eddudóttir et al, 2020), although some northeastern sites show decrease in birch prior to Landnám (Roy et al, 2018). Following settlement, the vegetation changed due to introduced plant species, habitat diversification as a result of land-use (mainly grazing), soil erosion and increased landscape openness, and diminished competition from dominant species (mainly birch).…”

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confidence: 90%

Ancient sedimentary DNA shows rapid post-glacial colonisation of Iceland followed by relatively stable vegetation until Landnám

Alsos

Lammers

Kjellman

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Understanding patterns of colonisation is important for explaining both the distribution of single species and anticipating how ecosystems may respond to global warming. Insular flora may be especially vulnerable because oceans represent severe dispersal barriers. Here we analyse two lake sediment cores from Iceland for ancient sedimentary DNA to infer patterns of colonisation and Holocene vegetation development. Our cores from lakes Torfdalsvatn and Nykurvatn span the last c. 12,000 cal. yr BP and c. 8600 cal. yr BP, respectively. With near-centennial resolution, we identified a total of 191 plant taxa, with 152 taxa identified in the sedimentary record of Torfdalsvatn and 172 plant taxa in the sedimentary record of Nykurvatn. The terrestrial vegetation at Torfdalsvatn was first dominated by bryophytes, arctic herbs such as Saxifraga spp. and grasses. Around 10,100 cal. yr BP, a massive immigration of new taxa was observed, and shrubs and dwarf shrubs became common whereas aquatic macrophytes became dominant. At Nykurvatn, all dominant taxa occurred already in the earliest samples; shrubs and dwarf shrubs were more abundant at this site than at Torfdalsvatn. There was an overall steep increase both in the local and regional species pool until 8000 cal. yr BP, by which time ¾ of all taxa identified had arrived. In the period 4500-1000 cal. yr BP, a few new taxa of bryophytes, graminoids and forbs are identified. The last millennium, after human settlement of the island (Landnám), is characterised by a sudden disappearance of Juniperus communis, but also reappearance of some high arctic forbs and dwarf shrubs. Notable immigration during the Holocene coincides with periods of dense sea-ice cover, and we hypothesise that this may have acted as a dispersal vector. Thus, although ongoing climate change might provide a suitable habitat in Iceland for a large range of species only found in the neighbouring regions today, the reduction of sea ice may in fact limit the natural colonisation of new plant species.

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“…Although fieldwork and historical evidence from the 18th century indicate the existence of fields that were destroyed by debris-flow activity [25,26], it is not clear how this affected land management. This study is part of a large multidisciplinary program that aims to increase our archeological, paleoeconomic and palaeoenvironmental knowledge in the Svalbarðstunga study region (valleys of Svalbarðsá and Sandá rivers) at the local and regional scales (e.g., [24,[27][28][29]). The project examines many factors that could be linked to farm occupation/abandonment and land management, such as: social, economic, and agricultural practices, climate change, natural hazards, epidemics, and disease.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Slope Dynamics in Relation to the Occupation and Abandonment of a Mountain Farm in Þistilfjörður, Northeast Iceland

et al. 2023

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Extreme weather events such as storms, heavy snow accumulation, rapid snowmelt, and heavy rain have been closely related to slope instability in arctic and subarctic regions. In this paper, we investigate the historical activity of slope processes such as snow avalanches and debris flows in Þistilfjörður, northeastern Iceland, and examine their possible role in the occupation and abandonment of three archaeological sites located on slopes of Mt. Flautafell. The study combines geomorphological and stratigraphical surveys with historical records, notably Jarðabók Árna Magnússonar og Páls Vídalíns and Sýslu og sóknarlýsingar Bókmenntafélagsins Svalbarðssókn. Geomorphological surveys show numerous features that are indicative of active slope movement processes in and around the investigated sites. Our results suggest that the slopes experienced periods of instability during the occupation of these sites. The burial or destruction of some parts of the homefield at the Flautafell farm reveals slope activity, which may also be related, at least indirectly, to the abandonment of the farm at Norður Hús sometime before A.D. 1300. Nearby auxiliary farm installations of Stekkur remained untouched by slope processes even though they are situated in a vulnerable area. Further study and dating of slope processes and farm occupation could allow them to be used as proxies for deteriorating environmental conditions affecting the region.

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Vegetation history since the mid-Holocene in northeastern Iceland

Cited by 9 publications

References 40 publications

Ornithogenic vegetation: How significant has the seabird influence been on the Aleutian Island vegetation during the Holocene?

Ornithogenic vegetation: How significant has the seabird influence been on the Aleutian Island vegetation during the Holocene?

Ancient sedimentary DNA shows rapid post-glacial colonisation of Iceland followed by relatively stable vegetation until Landnám

Slope Dynamics in Relation to the Occupation and Abandonment of a Mountain Farm in Þistilfjörður, Northeast Iceland

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