Wood charcoal from an inland dune complex at Joldelund (Northern Germany). Information on Holocene vegetation and landscape changes

The charcoal content of an inland dune complex close to Joldelund in Northern Germany was analysed as part of a project which aims to reconstruct Holocene aeolian activity in high spatial and temporal resolution. The eleven investigated profiles contained numerous charcoal-enriched layers, providing evidence for the potential of inland dunes as palaeoarchives for anthracology. Earlier studies have found Late Roman Iron Age settlement activity and iron ore productions in the research area and in its vicinity. Charcoal assemblages date to Roman Iron Age as well as Early, High and Late Medieval Times, according to radiocarbon dating of single, species-identified charcoal fragments and the stratigraphic correlation of sedimentary units. The dominance of Quercus (oak) and significant proportions of Ericaceae-charcoal (probably Calluna vulgaris, heather) especially in the Early and High Medieval samples indicate the presence of a heathland with Quercus trees, which was managed by fire. In the younger layers of sand, a greater diversity of taxa were found, including the dominant Quercus, Fagus (beech), Alnus (alder), Betula (birch), Corylus (hazel), Fraxinus (ash), Salix (willow), Populus-Salix (poplar-willow-type), Acer (maple), Pinus (pine), Maloideae (apple subfamily), Tilia (lime), as well as some Ericaceae. The diversity of species indicates that some charcoals were transported by wind together with the sand from the surrounding areas, and do not represent the local vegetation on the dunes, but rather a nonspecific regional input. The differences in the charcoal assemblages and thus the possible correlation of aeolian units support the stratigraphic correlation of the sedimentary aeolian units. The comparison with the available pollen data from nearby mires showed a good agreement of the proportions of woody taxa, with only few exceptions.