Early and middle Holocene vegetational development in Kurarp (Scania, South Sweden)

Abstract

A 9 m core from Kurarp, northwest of Ystad, is investigated palynologically. It covers the early and middle part of the Holocene and has high resolution for the Atlantic and Early Subboreal allowing a detailed investigation of the vegetational development for the period. During the early Holocene the various trees of the mixed deciduous forest immigrated and during the Early Atlantic there was forest around the lake at Kurarp. During the Late Atlantic and Early Subboreal there are changes in the pollen values of various trees together with the occurrence of various herbs and it is suggested that there was a gradually increasing stress on the forest, induced, at least partly, by people's use of the area. Some aspects of mutual relationships etween human activity and vegetational development are outlined. Based on theoretical consideration possible reasons for subtle vegetational changes are put forward and brief discussions are given on early cultivation of cereals in Europe, fodder for domestic animals and the cause of the elm decline.