The phytogeographical regions of Slovenia: a consequence of natural environmental variation or prehistoric human activity?

Abstract

1 Slovenia is a small but floristically diverse country with at least six distinctive phytogeographical regions. 2 The palaeoecological record was used to examine the vegetational history of this diverse landscape, using cores from four of the phytogeographical regions. 3 All contain records that extend back to at least 9000 cal. bp and indicate that the early Holocene vegetation of Slovenia was rather uniform and that broadleaved woodland containing Corylus, Quercus, Ulmus and Tilia prevailed throughout. 4 From 8800 cal. bp, however, distinctive regional differences became increasingly marked, with the onset of intensive forest clearance and burning from c. 3000 cal. bp. 5 The development of the present-day landscape in Slovenia varied considerably between phytogeographical regions and in some regions was a consequence not only of climatic variation but also of the intensity of prehistoric human activity.