Jahns, Susanne: Palynological investigations on Holocene sediments in Greece [dataset bundled publication]. PANGAEA, https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.951317 (dataset in review)

A pollen diagram Katouna Fen from the northern part of the Greek province Akarnania, show that deciduous oak species dominated the natural vegetation in the Holocene. A distinct period of prevailing Phillyrea maquis can be attributed to human impact in the Classical period. The deciduous Quercus woodland recovered as human impact decreased in the area and prevailed until the large deforestation in modern times. A pollen diagram from Lake Ozeros gives information on the vegetation cover of central Akarnania in Medieval times. Obviously, the lake existed only since c. A.D. 900, or if earlier, it was of much smaller size. This result suggests quite a different picture of the central Akarnanian landscape in prehistorc times, than today. In the lower part of the core pollen preservation was good. The pollen diagram of this section is characterised by a dominance of deciduous oak forest. Other deciduous trees are also present. Evergreen woody taxa occur more rarely. Olea is well represented, which indicates olive cultivation. The upper part of the core shows strong periodical water input from the River Acheloos and thus was not suitable for a vegetation reconstruction. A pollen diagram from Lake Lysimachia shows the middle and late Holocene development of the vegetation in the lowlands of the Greek province of Aetolia. The landscape was covered by deciduous oak woodland. No extended opening of the vegetation happened until the end of the Roman period. The time-span from the beginning of the Byzantine period to modern times is included in the heaviest sediment layers of Lake Lysimachia. After a first period of forest clearance a reforestation with deciduous oaks occurred around 700 A.D. The uppermost pollen spectra show the development in modern times, with larger deforestation and an expansion of pines A late Holocene pollen profile from the Megaris on the eastern Gulf of Corinth shows a vegetation which was strongly influenced by human impact throughout. A Pistacia-Phillyrea maquis, which is reflected in the older parts of the profile, changed later to a more degraded vegetation type. In the uppermost part Pinus dominates the pollen spectrum. A continuous record of Ceratonia siliqua pollen older than cal A.D. 100 is of special interest.