Natural vs anthropogenic constraints address changes of plant biodiversity in Italy during the Holocene

Cristiano Vignola, Alessia Masi, Laura Sadori

Abstract

This paper explores the contribution of palynology to the reconstruction of past biodiversity, landscape dynamics, and anthropogenic impact in Italy. Pollen analysis of sediment samples recovered at selected archaeological sites provide evidence of vegetation changes in response to both climatic fluctuations and land use. The occurrence of tree species, such as Fagus sylvatica (beech) and Quercus ilex (evergreen oaks) in unusual ecological conditions illustrates the response of plants to climatic constraints and (over)exploitation, impacting on local biodiversity and regional vegetation trends. This study demonstrates how the application of palynological data can provide crucial insights into past human-environment interaction, offering new perspectives on ecological resilience and supporting long-term strategies for biodiversity conservation. Such an interdisciplinary approach is being used for modelling future environmental scenarios by the National Biodiversity Future Centre funded by NRRP.

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IMEKO-Metroarchaeo-2025-068.pdf

DOI

10.21014/tc26-2025.068

IMEKO TC

TC26 - Metrology for Cultural Heritage

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