IN THE PICTURE
Wandering trees
Graphic: What pollen tells us about alpine vegetation over 14,000 years of history
Until 6,500 years ago, trees still dominated at 2,000 metres above sea level. | Graphic: L. Dziomber et al. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology (2023)
When the Earth warmed up at the end of the last Ice Age, 11,700 years ago, trees soon began growing at higher altitudes, even up to 2,000 metres above sea level. This has been revealed by pollen and plant remains in the sediment of the lake Lai da Vons in the Rhaetian Alps. Shrubs and herbs replaced the trees during the Neolithic period, 6,500 years ago, presumably due to livestock grazing. Where such grazing does not take place today, the Bernese researchers expect another rapid shift of the treeline to higher altitudes as the climate warms up.
L. Dziomber et al.: Palaeoecological multiproxy reconstruction captures long-term climatic and anthropogenic impacts on vegetation dynamics in the Rhaetian Alps. Review of Palaeobotany and
Palynology (2023)
