Pollen record and dating of a sediment profile from Lake Voulkaria, Greece

A palynological investigation of a Holocene profile from Lake Voulkaria, western Greece, was carried out as a contribution to the environmental history of the coastal area of northwestern Acarnania and the Classical city of Palairos. It shows that deciduous oaks dominated the natural vegetation of the area throughout the Holocene. Until ca. 7000 B.C. Pistacia occurred abundantly, while other evergreen woody taxa were rare. At ca. 6300 B.C. an expansion of Carpinus orientalis/Ostrya can be observed. Around ca. 5300 B.C. spreading of Erica indicates a change to a drier climate and/or first human impact. Since ca. 3500 B.C. an increase of evergreen shrubs now clearly indicates land-use. The foundation of the Classical city of Palairos led to a temporary expansion of Phillyrea maquis. Within this period, molluscs of brackish water indicate the use of the lake as a harbour after the construction of a connection to the sea. The deciduous Quercus woodland recovered when human impact decreased in the area, and lasted until modern times.

针对希腊西部沃尔卡里亚湖（Lake Voulkaria）的全新世剖面开展的孢粉学研究，旨在为阿卡纳尼亚西北部沿海区域与古典时期帕莱罗斯城的环境历史提供科学支撑。研究结果显示，全新世时期该区域的自然植被始终以落叶栎类占绝对优势。约公元前7000年以前，黄连木属（Pistacia）植物分布极为繁盛，其余常绿木本类群则较为稀少。约公元前6300年，东方鹅耳枥/铁木属（Carpinus orientalis/Ostrya）的分布范围出现扩张。约公元前5300年前后，欧石楠属（Erica）植物的扩散现象表明区域气候向干旱化转变，或首次出现人类活动影响。自公元前3500年左右起，常绿灌木占比的上升清晰地反映出人类土地开发活动的存在。古典时期帕莱罗斯城的兴建，使得吉利草属灌丛（Phillyrea maquis）的分布出现暂时性扩张。在此期间，半咸水软体动物化石的出现表明，在该湖与海洋的连通工程完工后，沃尔卡里亚湖被用作港口。当该区域人类活动影响减弱后，落叶栎林得以恢复并持续至近现代。