Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T20:40:48.377Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Impacts and Timing of the First Human Settlement on Vegetation of the Faroe Islands

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Gina E. Hannon  and
Richard H. W. Bradshaw
Gina E. Hannon
Affiliation:
Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 49, S-230 53, Alnarp, Sweden
Richard H. W. Bradshaw
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental History and Climate Change, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Thoravej 8, DK-2400, Copenhagen, NV, Denmark
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Stratigraphically precise AMS-radiocarbon-dated plant remains, pollen, charcoal, and microtephra analyses from the Faroe Islands were used to establish the timing and effects of the first human settlement. The first occurrence of cultivated crops from three locations dated from as early as the sixth century A.D. and was older than implied from previous archaeological and historical studies, but consistent with earlier palaeoecological investigations. The effects of settlement on the vegetation were rapid and widespread. The transformation of the flora of this fragile ecosystem was best expressed by the large assemblage of ruderal, postsettlement plants recorded as macrofossils. The earliest known introduction of domestic animals (sheep/goat) was ca. A.D. 700. Their arrival on these relatively small islands probably contributed to the widespread change in vegetation and the loss of restricted native woody cover. Settlement was the critical disturbance that transformed an ecosystem that was already stressed by climatic change, as sensed by regional marine sediments. The settlement dates conform to a pattern of older dates developing from throughout the north Atlantic region.

Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 54 , Issue 3 , November 2000 , pp. 404 - 413
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andersen, S.T.. Identification of wild grass and cereal pollen. Danmarks Geologiske [R2] Undersøgelse Årbog, 1978, (1979). 68–92.Google Scholar
Andersen, S.T.. History of vegetation and agriculture. Journal of Danish Archaeology, 11, (1993). 57–79.Google Scholar
Arge, S.V.. The Landnam in the Faroes. Arctic Anthropology, 28, (1991). 101–120.Google Scholar
Bennett, K.D., Boreham, S., Sharp, M.J., Switsur, V.R.. Holocene history of environment, vegetation and human settlement on Catta Ness, Lunnasting, Shetland. Journal of Ecology, 80, (1992). 241–273.Google Scholar
Berglund, B.E.. Handbook of Holocene Palaeoecology and Palaeohydrology. (1986). Wiley, Chichester.Google Scholar
Birks, H.J.B.. Contributions of Quaternary palaeoecology to nature conservation. Journal of Vegetation Science, 7, (1996). 89–98.Google Scholar
Birks, H.J.B., Madsen, B.J.. Flandrian vegetational history of Little Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Journal of Ecology, 67, (1979). 825–842.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bradshaw, R.H.W., Hannon, G.E.. Climatic change, human influence and disturbance regime in the control of vegetation dynamics within Fiby forest, Sweden. Journal of Ecology, 80, (1992). 625–632.Google Scholar
Bradshaw, R.H.W., Hansen, J.M., Møller, P.F.. Om begrebet natur. Årsberetning. Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse, 1997, (1998). 88–97.Google Scholar
Buckland, P.C.. Insects, Man and the Earliest Settlement of the Faroe Islands: A case not proven. Fró∂skaparrit, 39, (1990). 107–113.Google Scholar
Dahl, S., Rasmussen, J.. Vı́kingaaldargrøv ı́ Tjørnuvı́k. Fró∂skaparrit, 5, (1956). 153–167.Google Scholar
Dodson, J.R., Intoh, M.. Prehistory and palaeoecology of Yap, federated states of Micronesia. Quaternary International, 59, (1999). 17–26.Google Scholar
Dugmore, A.J., Larsen, G., Newton, A.J.. Seven tephra isochrones in Scotland. The Holocene, 5, (1995). 257–266.Google Scholar
Dwyer, R.B., Mitchell, F.J.G.. Investigation of the environmental impact of remote volcanic activity on north Mayo, Ireland, during the mid-Holocene. The Holocene, 7, (1997). 113–118.Google Scholar
Edwards, K.J., Ralston, I.B.. Environment and Archaeology in Scotland: Some observations. Edwards, K.J., Ralston, I.B.. Scotland: Environment and Archaeology, 8000 BC–AD 1000. (1997). Wiley, New York., 255–266.Google Scholar
Einarsson, P.. Pollen-analytical studies on vegetation and climate history of Iceland in late and post-glacial times. Löve, , Löve, . North Atlantic Biota and Their History. (1963). Pergamon Press, Oxford., 355–365.Google Scholar
Grant, S.A., Torvell, L., Smith, H.K., Forbes, T.D.A., Hodgson, J.. Comparative studies of diet selection by sheep and cattle: The hill grasslands. Journal of Ecology, 73, (1985). 987–1004.Google Scholar
Grimm, E.C.. Ash layers from Iceland in the Greenland GRIP ice core correlated with oceanic and land sediments. TILIA and TILIA GRAPH. (1991). p. 149–155Google Scholar
Guttesen, R. (Ed.),(1996). Atlas of Denmark: The Færoe Islands Topographical Atlas, Series II. Vol, 5, Det Kongelige Danske Geografiske Selskab,C. A. Reitzels Forlag, København, Danmark.Google Scholar
Hafli∂ason, H., Larsen, G., Olafsson, G.. The recent sedimentation history of Thingvallavatn, Iceland. Oikos, 64, (1992). 80–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hall, V.A., Pilcher, J.R., McCormac, F.G.. Icelandic volcanic ash and the mid-Holocene Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) decline in the north of Ireland: No correlation. The Holocene, 4, (1994). 79–83.Google Scholar
Hallsdóttir, M.. Pollen Analytical Studies of Human Influence on Vegetation in Relation to the Landnam Tephra Layer in Southwest Iceland. (1987). University of Lund, Google Scholar
Hannon, G. E. (1998). Environmental Change in the Faroe Islands. Pages Open Science Meeting, London, April.Google Scholar
Hannon, G.E., Hermanns-Au∂ardóttir, M., Wastegård, S.. Human impact at Tjørnuvı́k on the Faroe Islands. Fró∂skaparrit, 46, (1998). 215–228.Google Scholar
Hansen, K., Jóhansen, J.. Højere planter. Færøernes Natur(1982). 65–79.Google Scholar
Hansom, J.D., Briggs, D.J.. Pre-Landnám Plantago lanceolata in North-West Iceland. Fró∂skaparrit, 39, (1990). 69–75.Google Scholar
Head, L.. Holocene human impacts in Australia and the Western Pacific. Quaternary International, 59, (1999). 1–3.Google Scholar
Humlum, O., Christiansen, H.H.. Late Holocene climatic forcing of geomorphic activity in the Faroe Islands, North Atlantic Ocean. Fró∂skaparrit, 46, (1998). 119–140.Google Scholar
Humphrey, J., Gill, R., Claridge, J.. Grazing as a management tool in European forest ecosystems. Forestry Commission Technical Paper, 25, (1998). Google Scholar
Jóhansen, J.. Studies in the vegetational history of the Faroe and Shetland Islands. (1985). Føroya Fró∂skaparfelag, Tórshavn.Google Scholar
Jóhansen, J.. Survey of geology, climate and vegetational history. Højgaard, A., Jóhansen, J., Odum, S.. A Century of Tree-Planting in the Faroe Islands. (1989). Føroya Fró∂skaparfelag, Tórshavn., 11–15.Google Scholar
Kullman, L.. The occurrence of thermophilous trees in the Scandes Mountains during the early Holocene: Evidence for a diverse tree flora from macroscopic remains. Journal of Ecology, 86, (1998). 421–428.Google Scholar
Koç, N., Jansen, E., Hald, M., Labeyrie, L.. Late glacial-Holocene sea surface temperatures and gradients between the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea: Implications for the Nordic heat pump. Andrews, J.T., Austin, W.E.N., Bergsten, H., Jennings, A.E.. Late Quaternary Palaeoceanography of the North Atlantic Margins. (1996). 177–185.Google Scholar
Kuijpers, A., Troelstra, S.R., Wisse, M., Heier Nielsen, S., van Weering, T.C.E.. Norwegian Sea overflow variability and NE Atlantic surface hydrography during the past 150,000 years. Marine Geology, 152, (1998). 75–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lagerås, P.. Vegetation and Land-Use in the Smålands Uplands, Southern Sweden, during the Last 6000 Years. (1996). University of Lund, Google Scholar
Leivsson, T.G.. Areas laid out for afforestation 1885–1985 in the Faroe Islands. Højgaard, A., Jóhansen, J., Odum, S.. A Century of Tree-Planting in the Faroe Islands. (1989). Føroya Fró∂skaparfelag, Tórshavn., 35–50.Google Scholar
Malmros, C.. Exploitation of Local, Drifted and Imported Wood by the Vikings on the Faroe Islands. Botanical Journal of Scotland, 46, (1994). 552–558.Google Scholar
Matras, C.. Korkadalur. Fró∂skaparrit, 29, (1980). 78–80.Google Scholar
Moore, P.D., Webb, J.A., Collinson, M.E.. Pollen Analysis. (1991). Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.Google Scholar
Reinert, A.. Højere dyr på land. Nørrevang, A., Lundø, J.. Danmarks Natur 12. Færøerne. (1982). Politikens forlag, København., 115–122.Google Scholar
Rose, J., Whiteman, C.A., Lee, J., Branch, N.P., Harkness, D.D., Walden, J.. Mid- and late-Holocene vegetation, surface weathering and glaciation, Fjallsjökull, southeast Iceland. The Holocene, 7, (1997). 457–471.Google Scholar
Turney, C.S.M.. Extraction of Rhyolitic Component of Vedde Microtephra from Minerogenic Lake Sediments. Journal of Palaeolimnology, 19, (1998). 199–206.Google Scholar
Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M., Webb, D. A. (1964–80). Flora Europaea. Vols., 1–5, .Cambridge Univ. Press, London.Google Scholar
Wastegård, S., Björck, S., Grauert, M., Hannon, G. E. in press. The Mjáuvøtn Tephra and other Holocene tephra horizons from the Faroe Islands: A potential link between the Icelandic source region, the Nordic Seas, and the European continent. The Holocene.Google Scholar