European-scale regression models for reconstructing forest proximity and moisture based on Holocene fossil molluscs
| Autoři | |
|---|---|
| Rok publikování | 2025 |
| Druh | Článek v odborném periodiku |
| Časopis / Zdroj | Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |
| Fakulta / Pracoviště MU | |
| Citace | |
| www | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2025.113154 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2025.113154 |
| Klíčová slova | Ecological groups; Forest proximity; Fossil molluscs; Moisture; Mineral-rich fens; Holocene record; Quantitative reconstruction; Regression models |
| Přiložené soubory | |
| Popis | Fossil molluscs serve as a valuable palaeoecological proxy for reconstructing past environmental conditions due to their high indication value and excellent preservation in calcareous sediments. This study explores the potential of mollusc assemblages to provide quantitative reconstructions of forest proximity and local hydrology, using a continental-scale dataset of contemporary mineral-rich fens from southern to arctic Europe. By classifying mollusc species into ecological groups, we developed simple regression models for palaeoecological application. Forest proximity can be reconstructed using the ratio of forest land snails to all land snails in a quantile regression. Moisture, expressed on the scale of Ellenberg-like Plant Indicator Values, can be reconstructed using the ratio of aquatic and hygrophilous species to the total number of mollusc species in a linear regression. To test the resulting models, we applied them on two Holocene fossil profiles from the Western Carpathians (Slovakia), spanning from present to the Late Glacial period. The models yielded a quantification of local moisture and forest proximity, consistent with records of independent proxies from the same sediment layers, offering novel insights into Holocene landscape dynamics. Our approach demonstrates that molluscs can be effectively utilized for fine-scale palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, complementing multi-proxy studies but also providing uniquely detailed evidence that is difficult or impossible to obtain using other biotic and abiotic proxies, chiefly in calcium-rich sediments. These findings underscore the potential of molluscs in deciphering past hydrological regimes and forest dynamics, and facilitate the understanding of long-term ecosystem changes in response to climatic and anthropogenic influences. |
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