Brunschön, C.; Haberzettl, T. & Behling, H. (2010): <b>High-resolution studies on vegetation succession, hydrological variations, anthropogenic impact and genesis of a subrecent lake in southern Ecuador</b>. <i>Vegetation History and Archaeobotany</i> <b>19</b>, 191-206.
Resource Description
Title:
High-resolution studies on vegetation succession, hydrological variations, anthropogenic impact and genesis of a subrecent lake in southern Ecuador
FOR816dw ID:
713
Publication Date:
2010-01-01
License and Usage Rights:
Resource Owner(s):
Individual:
Corinna Brunschön
Contact:
email:
Corinna.Brunschoen <at> biologie.uni-goettingen.de
A.v.H.-Inst. für Pflanzenwiss., Abt. Palynologie u. Klimadynamik, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen
37073 Göttingen
Individual:
Torsten Haberzettl
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> tropicalmountainforest.com
Individual:
Hermann Behling
Contact:
email:
Hermann.Behling <at> bio.uni-goettingen.de
Department of Palynology and Climate Dynamics
Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences
University of Göttingen
Untere Karspüle 2
37073 Göttingen
Germany
Abstract:
A lake sediment record from Laguna Campana at 2,488 m a.s.l. in the eastern Ecuadorian Andes allows the reconstruction of local environmental conditions over the past 500 years. A high-resolution multi-proxy approach using pollen, spore, charcoal and XRF analyses provides information about lake genesis, hydrological variations and the development of the surrounding vegetation. Results suggest that Laguna Campana originated from a landslide, which are naturally common and anthropogenically promoted in the study area. Human activities, e.g. deforestation or slash and burn cultivation, impacted the local vegetation development and biodiversity during the recorded period. After a first dense layer of pioneer grasses developed on open soil around the small lake, successional stages of secondary upper mountain rainforest forest mainly composed of Alnus and Weinmannia were observed. The record shows no signs of dense forest regeneration but rather open vegetation with trees and a grassy understory. Especially since ca. A.D. 1980, the proportion of forest in the area was reduced, most probably by fire use for pastures, cultivation and wood extraction. Hydrological variability was derived from differences in minerogenic input and variations in Botryococcus braunii and Sphagnum occurrence. After wettest conditions at the study site, probably triggering the landslide, humid conditions persisted until a time of drier conditions between A.D. 1900 and 1960. A subsequent return to wetter conditions was observed over the last decades. XRF analyses suggest an increase in deposition of atmospherically derived lead since the formation of the lake.
Keywords:
| Ecuador | Andes | pollen | multi-proxy | vegetation history | anthropogenic impact | lead | hydrological variability |
