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BalTic Sea sediments as Archives of late Holocene enviRonmental chanGes and human settlEment developmenT in Central Europe
(TARGET)

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Projects

Project TARGET

The main aim of the proposed research project is to investigate the late Holocene historical and environmental changes in the Central Europe region using the southern Baltic Sea (Gulf of Gdansk; Fig. 1) sediment. We will employ a combination of palynological (pollen), sedimentological, geochemical, and molecular analyses to describe the major environmental transitions and events in Central Europe's environmental history. More importantly, pollen and microcharcoal analyses will be the key focus of this research project, as such analyses to understand changing environments and human settlement are rare in the Baltic Sea and absent, especially in the Gulf of Gdansk. Pollen and microcharcoal as paleoenvironmental proxies provide immense knowledge about terrestrial environmental changes in the Vistula catchment area during the past.

Pollen and microcharcoal records will be used to track deforestation and agricultural activities, both of which were influenced by human settlements, whereas analyses of sedimentology, element geochemistry, and stable isotopes enabled us to track depositional processes that responded to changing climate and human impact. This will help us understand how human activity (e.g., agriculture, deforestation), climatic shifts, and other factors have influenced the region's evolution over the past few thousand years. By delving into these sedimentary archives, we seek to provide insights that could improve our understanding of broader environmental patterns and guide future research on climate change and history on a regional scale. It is important to mention that this project will introduce a new research technique to the Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAS): the analysis of pollen in marine sediments. This method has not been previously conducted at IOPAS. In addition to novel reconstructions, this project aims to transfer knowledge and techniques of pollen analyses to the host institute (IOPAN), thereby enhancing its research capabilities.

 

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Project NEEDED

In this research project, we embark on a scientifically rigorous expedition into the Nordic Seas' historical past, employing a cutting-edge amalgamation of classical paleoceanographic proxies and sedimentary DNA analyses. The focal point of our investigation spans the last 20,000 years, and we draw insights from meticulously selected and well-dated sediment cores procured from Svalbard, Greenland, and the Jan Mayen Shelf.

Through the deployment of multiple genetic markers, we delve into the intricate dynamics of various organisms, ranging from microalgae to single-cell protozoans and metazoans. This approach enables us to discern and document the organismal composition changes across epochs, offering valuable glimpses into how marine life responded to the fluctuations in climatic conditions during this extensive time frame.

A pivotal epoch of our analysis revolves around the mid-Holocene Thermal Maximum, spanning 5,000 to 9,000 years in the past. With rigorous scrutiny, we investigate the potential impact of this warming event on biodiversity and its implications for ecosystem productivity and carbon burial patterns. Additionally, we diligently compare these past ecological responses to the current scenario of global warming, seeking to establish any notable parallels or disparities.

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