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The onset of the palaeoanthropocene in Iceland : changes in complex natural systems

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Date
10/2015
Author
Streeter, Richard Thomas
Dugmore, Andrew
Lawson, Ian Thomas
Erlendsson, Egill
Edwards, Kevin
Keywords
Betula
Colonization
Erosion
Landnám
Pollen analysis
Soil erosion
Tephra
GE Environmental Sciences
3rd-DAS
BDC
R2C
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Abstract
Pre-industrial human impacts on the past environment are apparent in different proxy records at different times in different places. Recognizing environmentally transformative human impacts in palaeoenvironmental archives, as opposed to natural variability, is a key challenge in understanding the nature of the transition to the Earth’s current ‘Anthropocene’ condition. Here, we consider the palaeoenvironmental record for Iceland over the past 2.5 ka, both before and after the late ninth century human settlement (landnám). The Scandinavian colonization of the island was essentially abrupt, involving thousands of people over a short period. The colonization triggered extensive changes in Icelandic ecosystems and landscapes. A volcanic ash known as the Landnám tephra was deposited over most of Iceland immediately before the settlement began. The Landnám tephra layer thus provides a uniquely precise litho-chrono-stratigraphic marker of colonization. We utilize this marker horizon as an independent definition of the effective onset of the local palaeoanthropocene (which is conceptually related to, but distinct from, the global Anthropocene). This allows us to evaluate proxy records for human impact on the Icelandic environment and to assess how and when they show transformative impact. Based on this analysis, we consider the implications for understanding and defining the Anthropocene in those areas of the Earth where such a clear independent marker of the onset of significant human impacts is lacking.
Citation
Streeter , R T , Dugmore , A , Lawson , I T , Erlendsson , E & Edwards , K 2015 , ' The onset of the palaeoanthropocene in Iceland : changes in complex natural systems ' , The Holocene , vol. 25 , no. 10 , pp. 1662-1675 . https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683615594468
Publication
The Holocene
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683615594468
ISSN
0959-6836
Type
Journal article
Rights
© The Author(s) 2015. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959683615594468
Description
This study was financially supported by the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, the National Science Foundation of America (through grant 1202692 ‘Comparative Island Ecodynamics in the North Atlantic’ and grant 1249313 ‘Tephra layers and early warning signals for critical transitions’) and the Leverhulme Trust (Study Abroad Fellowship to AJD).
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  • University of St Andrews Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7388

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