The Holocene History of the Great Alvar of Öland

Beskrivning:

ABSTRACT

This study presents an outline of the Holocene history of the Great Alvar on the island of Öland in the Baltic. The Great Alvar is an almost tree and bushless area, about 300 km2, which has a very thin soil cover or no soil at all upon the bedrock. The description of the area is based upon a physiognomic map, surveyed by the author. A description of soil types and a classification of the morphology and stratigraphy of the fens and Alvar lakes is also given.
By means of pollen analysis the vegetational history is outlined and discussed in comparison with the archaeologic succession on the Island. A comparative study of two fens in the deciduous wood area of middle Öland, which also includes notes on these fens' local development is reported on.
The Great Alvar is shown to have had a "forest" period with an open tree/bush wood from the later part of Preboreal to the transition between the Atlantic and Subboreal periods. In the mentioned zone transition a climatic change has been proved. The continued development of the Alvar shows a very high human influence upon the landscape during the Roman Iron Age, which corresponds to the Roman (Florida) emergence (Fairbridge 1962), and which has been interpreted as a climatic period of increased moisture. Around 500 AD an overgrowth period with decreased human influence is seen on the Alvar. The influence increases again during the later part of the Vendel period or in the Viking Age and the human influence upon the landscape and its variations is considered to be largely due to climatic oscillations.
The establishment of a research team for combined investigations in Archaeology, Human Geography and Pleistocene / Holocene Geology, the Ölands Stora Alvar team, is reported on.

Arkeologi Botanik Växtgeografi Öland Historia Sverige