Abstract
In the Central German Uplands, Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies have been particularly affected by climate change. With the establishment of beech forests about 3000 years ago and pure spruce stands 500 years ago, they might be regarded as ‘neophytes’ in the Hessian forests. Palaeoecological investigations at wetland sites in the low mountain ranges and intramontane basins point to an asynchronous vegetation evolution in a comparatively small but heterogenous region. On the other hand, palynological data prove that sustainably managed woodlands with high proportions of Tilia have been persisting for several millennia, before the spread of beech took place as a result of a cooler and wetter climate and changes in land management. In view of increasingly warmer and drier conditions, Tilia cordata appears especially qualified to be an important silvicultural constituent of the future, not only due to its tolerance towards drought, but also its resistance to browsing, and the ability to reproduce vegetatively. Forest managers should be encouraged to actively promote the return to more stress-tolerant lime-dominated woodlands, similar to those that existed in the Subboreal chronozone.
Highlights
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Palaeoecological methods open a window into the past by providing a possibility to study the long-term dynamics of tree populations, which cannot be recorded through experiments or observations due to their long lifespan and reproduction periods
Rarely rise above 20% between 6000 and 1000 cal
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The alarming state of Central European forests against the background of a higher frequency of drought periods has received increasing public attention and is being discussed intensively by experts. With regard to scientific research and the implementation of new concepts, palaeoecology [1] is one important resource that, to date, has not been considered sufficiently. Palaeoecological methods open a window into the past by providing a possibility to study the long-term dynamics of tree populations, which cannot be recorded through experiments or observations due to their long lifespan and reproduction periods
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