Ice Age Terrestrial and Freshwater Gastropod Refugia in the Carpathian Basin, Central Europe

Thanks to its unique microclimatic, geomorphological , hydrological conditions forming a mosaic-like environment present at all scales, numerous Late Tertiary and Pleistocene warmth-loving gastropod taxa managed to find refugee within the Carpathian Basin during the major-minor cold spells of the Ice Age. This complex system of refugia have been continuously functioning and evolving since the Late Tertiary through the entire Pleistocene and the Holocene. To understand the spatial and temporal evolution of refugia, detailed paleoecological investigations have been implemented, results of which are summed here. The high-grade fractal-like complexity of the environment led to the emergence of a so-called dual refugia, which is a unique feature of the Carpathian Basin. This temporally parallel but spatially differing presence of habitats for taxa of contrasting ecological needs was noted for paleotemperature gradients and temperate woodland and steppe habitat types as well. Furthermore, detailed geological and paleoecological analysis of a small Pleistocene hot-spring fed pond revealed information about the evolution of endemic thermophylous freshwater gastropod taxa within this microrefugia. This chapter is aimed to give an overview of the nature, evolution of temperate terrestrial and freshwater gastropod refugia present in the Carpathian Basin during the Ice Age

Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the Milna valley on the island of Vis (Central Adriatic) during the late Holocene.

This study provides a reconstruction of the 1.5 ka palaeoenvironmental evolution of the small, and presently dry, Milna valley on the island of Vis. Sediments from the valley were studied using multi-proxy approach, applying sedimentological, mineralogical, petrological, anthracological, malacological, 14C and land cover analyses, in regard to climatic, vegetation, and hydrological changes. The mineral composition of the siliciclastic detritus from the Milna valley points to the Dinaride Ophiolite Zone in Bosnia as its dominant source of origin, eroded by the Neretva River, and deposited in the form of alluvial sediments in the Central Adriatic area. However, Cetina and Drin Rivers may have also contributed some of the sediments. Regional aeolian resedimentation of the material occurred during Pleistocene, which later accumulated and became preserved in the Milna valley. Beside the Dinaride Ophiolite Zone, part of the mineral composition is influenced by minerals from the Alpine region and by neutral to basic volcanism, probably of Italian origin. During the Dark Age Cold Period (DACP) the Milna valley was covered by forests of the Pinus sylvestris group, within which cold-resistant and closed forest habitat preferring species (molluscs) lived. This forested environment probably lasted until the Little Ice Age (LIA) period when fires occurred in the 15th and 16th centuries. The opening of the landscape corresponded to the resettling of the population from the interior to the coast and to the expansion of vineyards on the island. The deforestation enabled the formation of torrential flows and deposition of unsorted sediments. Most of the pebbles are rounded clasts of the Middle Cretaceous (Cenomanian) dolomite in which the valley is formed. However, pebbles which are not present in outcrops of the Milna valley have also been identified. After the LIA, the valley became dry again and has been continuously under anthropogenic impact ever since. Different cartographic sources enable the further tracing of land cover changes from the beginning of the 19th century to present day. The analysis revealed that the highest anthropogenic impact on the landscape occurred in the second part of the 19th century, after which afforestation started. Moreover, the major issue today relates to changes influenced by the current relative sea level rise. This study adds to the knowledge on coastal fluviokarst valley evolution in typical Mediterranean conditions, relating our understanding of Holocene deposition, human activity, and land cover changes on the island of Vis

Middle Bronze Age humidity and temperature variations, and societal changes in East-Central Europe

Archaeological evidence points to substantial changes in Bronze Age societies in the European-Mediterranean region. Isotope geochemical proxies have been compiled to provide independent ancillary data to improve the paleoenvironmental history for the period of interest and support the interpretation of the archaeological observations. In addition to published compositions, in this study we gathered new H isotope data from fluid inclusion hosted water from a stalagmite of the Trió Cave, Southern Hungary, and compared the H isotope data with existing stable isotope and trace element compositions reported for the stalagmite. Additionally, animal bones and freshwater bivalve shells (Unio sp.) were collected from Bronze Age archaeological excavations around Lake Balaton and their stable C and O isotope compositions were measured in order to investigate climate changes and lake evolution processes during this period. The data indicate warm and humid conditions with elevated summer precipitation around 3.7 cal ka BP (Before Present, where present is 1950 CE), followed by a short-term deterioration in environmental conditions at about 3.5 cal ka BP. The environment became humid and cold with winter precipitation dominance around 3.5 to 3.4 cal ka BP, then gradually changed to drier conditions at ∼3.2 cal ka BP. Significant cultural changes have been inferred for this period on the basis of observations during archaeological excavations. The most straightforward consequences of environmental variations have been found in changes of settlement structure. The paleoclimatological picture is well in line with other East-Central European climate records, indicating that the climate fluctuations took place on a regional scale

Evolution and environment of the eastern linear pottery culture: A case study in the site of Polgár-Piócási-Dűlő

A salvage excavation preceding a major investment project was conducted in 2006–2007, during which associated settlement features of a Middle Neolithic, Eastern Linear Pottery Culture (Alföld Linearbandkeramik – ALBK) were uncovered in an area called Piócási-dűlő on the eastern outskirts of Polgár. The features of the ALBK settlement date from two periods. The cluster of multi-functional pits yielding a rich assortment of finds, the handful of post-holes and an unusual ritual well found in the southern part of the investigated area formed one unit from the earliest phase of the Middle Neolithic (ALBK I). The settlement’s other occupation can be assigned to the late phase of the Middle Neolithic (ALBK IV). Five houseplans representing the remains of timber-framed buildings outlined a distinct area with three multi-functional pits. Associated with the above features were 8 burials. The preliminary archaeobotanical results from Polgár–Piócási-dűlő are based on the plant material found within the sediments of 11 archaeological structures, which mainly represent pits and a welI. It can be stated that the natural environment offered habitats in which oak trees dominated in the local vegetation, forming floodplain forests and wooded steppes. They also provided food in the form of fruits and formed an optimal habitat for domestic animals. Arable fields were probably also established in the vicinity of the settlements, suggested by findings of macroscopic plant remains that represented cultivated species. In both settlement phases lithic production activities are manifested both by the local on-site lithic production and – most importantly – by the presence of imported, mainly mesolocal, raw materials that point to contacts with deposit areas, or off-site preliminary working of obsidian and limnoquartzites. The kit of harvesting tools and a large number of grinding stones – especially in the younger phase – for the preparation of plant food suggest a major role of plant cultivation