Reconstructing long-term human impacts on plant communities: an ecological approach based on lake sediment DNA

Molecular Ecology
Johan PansuPhilippe Choler

Abstract

Paleoenvironmental studies are essential to understand biodiversity changes over long timescales and to assess the relative importance of anthropogenic and environmental factors. Sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) is an emerging tool in the field of paleoecology and has proven to be a complementary approach to the use of pollen and macroremains for investigating past community changes. SedaDNA-based reconstructions of ancient environments often rely on indicator taxa or expert knowledge, but quantitative ecological analyses might provide more objective information. Here, we analysed sedaDNA to investigate plant community trajectories in the catchment of a high-elevation lake in the Alps over the last 6400 years. We combined data on past and present plant species assemblages along with sedimentological and geochemical records to assess the relative impact of human activities through pastoralism, and abiotic factors (temperature and soil evolution). Over the last 6400 years, we identified significant variation in plant communities, mostly related to soil evolution and pastoral activities. An abrupt vegetational change corresponding to the establishment of an agropastoral landscape was detected during the Late Holocene, approximate...Continue Reading

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Apr 4, 2017·The New Phytologist·Laura ParducciMikkel Winther Pedersen
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Feb 13, 2018·Ecology and Evolution·Miklós BálintHans-Peter Grossart

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