Untersuchungen zur nacheiszeitlichen Vegetationsgeschichte des Meißners (Nordhessen)

Abstract

Summary Palynological investigations from the Meisner-mountain give complete view of the postglacial vegetation history of this region. The profile of the Seewiese (560 m a.s.l) displays the zones IV—X (Firbas 1949), whereas the profile of the Weiberhemd peat-bog (710 m a.s.l) represents zones VIIIb to X. The Seewiese was a small pond formed by a landslide on the southern slope of the Meisner. It was filled in by the end of Subboreal times and is now covered by reeds. The Weiberhemd peat-bog developped on clays and sands impermeable to water. The Meisner is — and was always — situated outside the natural range of distribution of Picea and Abies. Contrary to the investigations in the adjacent mountainous areas the results from the Meisner seem to indicate the presence of Pinus until the Subboreal period in the eastern foothills of the Meisner. During the Atlanticum period Tilia expanded significantly over the Meisner area. Whilst this time, about 80 % of the Tilia pollen came from the T. cordata-type. During the Subboreal period, however, the share of the T. platyphyllos-type increased distinctly. According to the finds of anthropogenic indicators a colonisation started in the adjacent environs of the Meisner at the end of the Bronze Age. Pasture farming and perhaps to a less degree arable farming took place during the pre-Roman und Roman Iron Age. A decrease of the anthropogenic indicators gives knowledge of a declining settlement during the migration period. The forest clearances during high mediaeval times started in the 10th century and came to an end in the 13th century. On the Meisner plateau meadows and pastures were formed by forest clearing after the late mediaeval desertation. In 1876, this process of deforestation stopped when the Meisner was afforested with conifers (especially with Picea).