Home Literary Studies Natürliches Holzangebot und historische Nutzung. Heutige Vegetation und historische Holzkohle als wertvolle Quellen
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Natürliches Holzangebot und historische Nutzung. Heutige Vegetation und historische Holzkohle als wertvolle Quellen

  • Thomas Ludemann
Published/Copyright: September 25, 2009
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Abstract

Forests are the natural vegetation of large areas of Europe. For millennia and up to the comprehensive usage of fossil fuel since the 19th century, forest exploitation and natural wood supply played an important role in the development of human society, culture and economy. From present-day vegetation and ecological site conditions on the one hand and historical macroremains on the other we can obtain valuable detailed information on the historical conditions and processes, especially on the tree species composition and wood supply of former forest stands and on the anthropogenic influences thereto. Here primarily the scientific value of anthracological investigations (charcoal analyses) has been highlighted, with special regard to (1) the fuel wood economy of historical mining and charcoal production and (2) the temporal differentiation and development of the fuel wood used. Example is given by the results of two important historical mining areas in the western part of the Black Forest, SW Germany. The material analysed spreads over a time scale of more than 2000 years. Most samples have been selected from medieval silver mining. All of the tree species to be expected for the natural conditions were found in the material analysed. Considering the individual charcoal samples, comprehensive qualitative and quantitative differences in taxon composition can be established for the historical wood use depending on the time, site and purpose of the corresponding human activities.

Published Online: 2009-09-25
Published in Print: 2008-12

© by Akademie Verlag, Berlin, Germany

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