“Late Hallstatt” hillforts in the Western Carpathians : new contribution to an old discussion

The article presents new research on fortified settlements from the Early Iron Age in the Orava and Dunajec river valleys. Based on the characteristics of the construction of the fortifications and similarities in terms of material culture, we propose recognizing the hillforts discovered here as a manifestation of one cultural and settlement horizon related to the so-called Pre-Púchov stage. The radiocarbon determinations obtained for the contexts stratigraphically related to the ramparts from the Nižná-Ostražica, Zabrzeż-Babia Góra, and Maszkowice-Góra Zyndrama sites are already located on the calibration curve after the so-called Hallstatt plateau and allow this horizon to be dated to the 4th century BC, i.e. to the times corresponding to the La Tène B1–B2 phases. Our observations confirm the opinions appearing in more recent literature about the need to date the Pre-Púchov stage in Slovakia earlier, and discuss the thesis about the continuation of settlement at the beginning of the La Tène period. With regard to the Polish Carpathian zone, arguments indicating the possibility of the survival of settlements with Early Iron Age traditions up to the 4th century BC are presented for the first time. This allows us to assume that the process of the formation of the cultural tradition of the La Tène period here progressed in a similar manner to Slovakia, and it was not solely the result of migration from the latter.Príspevok prezentuje nové výskumy na opevnených sídliskách z doby halštatskej v doline Oravy a Dunajca. Na základe charakteristiky výstavby opevnení a podobností z pohľadu hmotnej kultúry, považujeme prezentované hradiská za prejav jedného kultúrneho a sídliskového horizontu (tzv. predpúchovský horizont). Analyzované radiokarbónové vzorky získané z kontextov stratigraficky súvisiacych s valmi z lokalít Nižná-Ostražica, Zabrzeż-Babia Góra a Maszkowice-Góra Zyndrama, sa nachádzajú na kalibračnej krivke už po tzv. halštatskom plató a umožňujú tento horizont datovať. do 4. storočia pred Kristom, teda do čias zodpovedajúcich laténskej fáze LT B1–B2. Výsledky potvrdzujú názory objavujúce sa v novšej literatúre o potrebe skoršieho datovania predpúchovského horizontu na Slovensku a tiež o pokračovaní osídlenia na začiatku doby laténskej. V súvislosti s karpatskou oblasťou na území Poľska sú po prvýkrát prezentované argumenty naznačujúce možnosť prežívania osád s tradíciami v staršej doby železnej až do 4. storočia pred Kristom. To umožňuje predpokladať, že proces formovania kultúrnej tradície doby laténskej tu prebiehal podobne ako na Slovensku a nebol len dôsledkom neskoršej migrácie.The article presents new research on fortified settlements from the Early Iron Age in the Orava and Dunajec river valleys. Based on the characteristics of the construction of the fortifications and similarities in terms of material culture, we propose recognizing the hillforts discovered here as a manifestation of one cultural and settlement horizon related to the so-called Pre-Púchov stage. The radiocarbon determinations obtained for the contexts stratigraphically related to the ramparts from the Nižná-Ostražica, Zabrzeż-Babia Góra, and Maszkowice-Góra Zyndrama sites are already located on the calibration curve after the so-called Hallstatt plateau and allow this horizon to be dated to the 4th century BC, i.e. to the times corresponding to the La Tène B1–B2 phases. Our observations confirm the opinions appearing in more recent literature about the need to date the Pre-Púchov stage in Slovakia earlier, and discuss the thesis about the continuation of settlement at the beginning of the La Tène period. With regard to the Polish Carpathian zone, arguments indicating the possibility of the survival of settlements with Early Iron Age traditions up to the 4th century BC are presented for the first time. This allows us to assume that the process of the formation of the cultural tradition of the La Tène period here progressed in a similar manner to Slovakia, and it was not solely the result of migration from the latter

The results of archaeological research in the eastern zone of the site 1 in Maszkowice, Nowy Sącz district, on the example of the analysis of ceramic material from trenches IV - VIII/1960.

Przedmiotem niniejszej pracy są materiały ceramiczne pozyskane podczas badań archeologicznych w miejscowości Maszkowice, gmina Łącko, pow. Nowy Sącz, w sezonie 1960. Prowadzącą badania była Maria Cabalska z ówczesnej Katedry Archeologii Polski Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego. Opracowane materiały pochodzą z wykopów IV–VIII/60 usytuowanych we wschodniej części stanowiska. Poza samymi artefaktami analizie poddano również zachowaną dokumentację. Dodatkowo w procesie formułowania wniosków posłużono się metodyką i porównaniem wyników pochodzących z obecnych badań prowadzonych w Maszkowicach. W rezultacie przeprowadzonego opracowania udało się wyróżnić w obrębie omówionego fragmentu osady warstwy powstałe podczas trzech epizodów zasiedlenia stanowiska. Działo się to na przestrzeni od wczesnej epoki brązu do młodszej części okresu lateńskiego, z pewną przerwą w okresie od około 1500–900 BC.The subject of this thesis are ceramic materials obtained during archaeological research in the village of Maszkowice, Łącko commune, Nowy Sącz district, in the 1960 season. The leader of the research was Maria Cabalska from the then Chair of Polish Archeology at the Jagiellonian University. The studied materials originate from trenches IV–VIII/60 located in the eastern part of the site. In addition to the artifacts themselves, the preserved documentation was also analyzed. Additionally, in the process of formulating conclusions, the methodology and comparison of results of current research carried out in Maszkowice were used. As a result of the study, it was possible to distinguish within the discussed part of the site the layers formed during three episodes of occupancy. This was happening from the Early Bronze Age to the younger part of the La Tène period, with a gap around 1500–900 BC

“Late Hallstatt” hillforts in the Western Carpathians : new contribution to an old discussion

The article presents new research on fortified settlements from the Early Iron Age in the Orava and Dunajec river valleys. Based on the characteristics of the construction of the fortifications and similarities in terms of material culture, we propose recognizing the hillforts discovered here as a manifestation of one cultural and settlement horizon related to the so-called Pre-Púchov stage. The radiocarbon determinations obtained for the contexts stratigraphically related to the ramparts from the Nižná-Ostražica, Zabrzeż-Babia Góra, and Maszkowice-Góra Zyndrama sites are already located on the calibration curve after the so-called Hallstatt plateau and allow this horizon to be dated to the 4th century BC, i.e. to the times corresponding to the La Tène B1–B2 phases. Our observations confirm the opinions appearing in more recent literature about the need to date the Pre-Púchov stage in Slovakia earlier, and discuss the thesis about the continuation of settlement at the beginning of the La Tène period. With regard to the Polish Carpathian zone, arguments indicating the possibility of the survival of settlements with Early Iron Age traditions up to the 4th century BC are presented for the first time. This allows us to assume that the process of the formation of the cultural tradition of the La Tène period here progressed in a similar manner to Slovakia, and it was not solely the result of migration from the latter

Data from: Rare events of massive plant reproductive investment lead to long-term density-dependent reproductive success

1. The level of reproductive investment and density and distance dependent (DDD) processes are major determinants of plant reproductive output. The reproductive investment of a plant population varies temporally, but whether and how density- and distance-dependent processes are affected by population-level reproductive investment is a puzzle. 2. We used a spatially explicit approach in order to examine DDD effects on Sorbus acuparia crop sizes for a continuous period of 16 years. Our special interest was to investigate whether and how DDD processes affect long-term individual plant reproductive success (PRS) and whether such processes vary between years of relatively high and low population-level reproductive investment, measured as fruit crop size. 3. Our study revealed that DDD processes of fruit crop relate to population level reproductive investment. In most years, including all years with low and most years with moderate reproductive investment, no positive or negative DDD was found for PRS. However, significant negative density-dependent effects were found during most years of high and some years of moderate reproductive investment. During these years, the individual reproductive success decreased with increasing density of conspecifics. 4. The overall accumulated long-term negative density-dependent pattern of PRS was determined by few sporadic years of high reproductive investment, rather than by the most frequent years of low or moderate reproductive investment, when the DDD effects were usually weak. 5. Synthesis. Our study highlights the ecological relevance of relatively infrequent processes which affect PRS, stressing thus the importance of long-term ecological research

Stand Composition, Tree-Related Microhabitats and Birds—A Network of Relationships in a Managed Forest

Forest ecosystems contain many tree-related microhabitats (TreMs), which are used by various groups of organisms. Birds use TreMs for shelter, foraging and breeding. The abundance and variability of TreMs is related to tree stand composition and age. Over the last few centuries there has been a drastic decline in the structural and biological diversity of temperate forests over large areas of the Northern Hemisphere. These changes have reduced the diversity and quantity of TreMs. In this study we showed the relationships between stand composition, the abundance of TreMs, and the species richness of birds in a managed forest. We focused on TreMs that are important to birds: woodpecker breeding cavities, rot holes, dead branches, broken treetops, and perennial polypores. Our study was performed in a managed lowland temperate forest. In 94 plots (10 ha each) we made bird surveys and inventoried the stand composition and TreMs. Our results show that the tree stand composition of a managed forest affects the abundance of TreMs. The share of deciduous trees in the stand favors the occurrence of such TreMs as dead branches, rot holes and perennial polypores. The overall richness of bird species and the species richness of primary cavity nesters depended on the total basal area of oak, hornbeam and birch, whereas the species richness of secondary cavity nesters increased with the total basal area of birch and oak

Stand Composition, Tree-Related Microhabitats and Birds—A Network of Relationships in a Managed Forest

Forest ecosystems contain many tree-related microhabitats (TreMs), which are used by various groups of organisms. Birds use TreMs for shelter, foraging and breeding. The abundance and variability of TreMs is related to tree stand composition and age. Over the last few centuries there has been a drastic decline in the structural and biological diversity of temperate forests over large areas of the Northern Hemisphere. These changes have reduced the diversity and quantity of TreMs. In this study we showed the relationships between stand composition, the abundance of TreMs, and the species richness of birds in a managed forest. We focused on TreMs that are important to birds: woodpecker breeding cavities, rot holes, dead branches, broken treetops, and perennial polypores. Our study was performed in a managed lowland temperate forest. In 94 plots (10 ha each) we made bird surveys and inventoried the stand composition and TreMs. Our results show that the tree stand composition of a managed forest affects the abundance of TreMs. The share of deciduous trees in the stand favors the occurrence of such TreMs as dead branches, rot holes and perennial polypores. The overall richness of bird species and the species richness of primary cavity nesters depended on the total basal area of oak, hornbeam and birch, whereas the species richness of secondary cavity nesters increased with the total basal area of birch and oak

Fruit production

The study was done in a subalpine old-growth spruce forest in Babia Góra National Park in the Western Carpathians (southern Poland). We established a 27-hectare plot representing subalpine spruce forest on the north slope of the Babia Góra massif. From 2000 to 2015, all reproductive trees (n = 242-367) were searched for fruits at the beginning of September