Mid-Holocene palaeoenvironmental change at the Yeonsan-dong, Gwangju

홀로신 중기 광주광역시 연산동 일대의 고식생 및 고기후 변화

  • Park, Jung-Jae (Department of Geography, Seoul National University) ;
  • Kim, Min-Koo (Department of Anthropology, Chonnam National University)
  • Received : 2011.06.27
  • Accepted : 2011.08.25
  • Published : 2011.08.31

Abstract

The aim of this research is to infer paleovegetation and paleoclimate in the Hwajeon archeological site of Gwangju city during mid-Holocene through the analysis of pollen, waterlogged woods, and sediments. Between 8200 ~ 6800 years ago, relatively dry climate resulted in a weakened dominance of oak and high diversity of tree genus. During the Holocene climatic optimum period (6800 ~ 5900 years ago), oak forests expanded while wetland areas diminished as warm/humid climate intensified. Between 5900 ~ 4700 years ago, the entire forest area as well as oak climax forests was reduced due to a relatively cool/dry climate. However at the end of this period, oak forests expanded since a favorable climate condition temporarily resumed. Lastly, between 4700 ~ 3300 years ago, oaks dominated but alders were weakened. The density of forest was low because of a relatively dry climate in this period.

광주광역시 화전 유적지의 습지 퇴적물에 화분분석, 수침목재 동정, 그리고 기초적인 퇴적물 분석 등을 수행하여 얻은 결과를 토대로 이 지역의 홀로신 중기 고식생 및 고기후를 유추해 보았다. 약 8200 ~ 6800년 전에는 홀로신 기후최적기에 비해 기후가 다소 건조하여, 참나무 개체수는 상대적으로 적었고 다양한 수목들이 함께 서식했다. 약 6800 ~ 5900 년 전은 홀로신 기후최적기로 온난 습윤한 기후가 강화되면서 참나무속에 유리한 환경이 조성되었으며 저습지의 면적이 감소하였다. 6100 년 전 경에는 한반도 남동부에서 홀로신 기후최적기의 지속으로 극상림에 가까운 삼림이 형성되었다. 약 5900 ~ 4700 년 전에는 기후가 냉량건조해지면서 극상림인 참나무숲의 면적뿐 아니라 전체 삼림 면적이 감소하였다. 이 시기 말미에는 기후의 일시적인 호전으로 오리나무숲이 팽창하였다. 마지막으로 약 4700 ~ 3300 년 전에는 오리나무의 세력이 감소하고 참나무가 우점했으며 상대적으로 건조한 기후가 지속되면서 삼림의 밀도는 낮았다.

Keywords

References

  1. An, Z., Porter, S.C., Kutzbach, J.E., Wu, X., Wang, Su., Liu, X., Li, X., and Zhou, W., 2000, Asynchronous Holocene optimum of the East Asian monsoon, Quaternary Science Reviews, 19, 743-762. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-3791(99)00031-1
  2. Bond, G., Kromer, B., Beer, J., Muscheler, R., Evans, M., Showers, W., Hoffmann, S., Lotti-Bond, R., Hajdas, I., and Bonani, G., 2001, Persistent solar influence on North Atlantic climate during the Holocene, Science, 294, 2130-2136. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1065680
  3. Chang, C.-H. and Kim, C.-M., 1982, Late-Quaternary vegetation in the lake of Korea, Korean Journal of Botany, 25(1), 37-53.
  4. Chang, N.-K. and Rim, Y.-D., 1979, Morphological studies on the pollen of flowering plants in Korea, Seoul National University Press. (장남기.임영득, 1979, 한국화분도감, 서울대학교 출판부, 서울)
  5. Choi, K.-R., 1998, Review: the post - glacial vegetation history of the lowland in Korean peninsula, Korean Journal of Ecology, 21, 169-174.
  6. Choi, K.-R., Kim, K-H., Kim, J.-W., Kim, J.-C., Lee, G.-K., Yang, D.-Y., and Nahm, W.-H., 2005, Vegetation history since the mid-lateglacial from Yeongsan River basin, southwestern Korea, Korean Journal of Ecology, 28, 37-43. (in Korean with English abstract)
  7. Denton, G.H. and Karlen, W., 1973, Holocene climatic variations: their pattern and possible cause, Quaternary Research, 3, 155-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/0033-5894(73)90040-9
  8. Domestic Climate Data. Korea Meteorological Administration. n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2011.
  9. Enzel, Y. L., Ely, L., Mishra, S., Ramesh, R., Amit, R., Lazar, B., Rajaguru, S.N., Baker, V., and Sandler, A., 1999, High-resolution Holocene environmental changes in the Thar Desert Northwestern India, Science, 284, 125-128. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.284.5411.125
  10. Faegri, K. and Iversen, J., 1989, Textbook of Pollen Analysis, Blackwell Scientific Publications, London.
  11. Fujiki, T. and Yasuda, Y., 2004, Vegetation history during the Holocene from Lake Hyangho, northeastern Korea, Quaternary International, 123-125, 63-69.
  12. Gasse, F., 2000, Hydrological changes in the African tropics since the Last Glacial Maximum, Quaternary Science Reviews, 19, 189-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-3791(99)00061-X
  13. Gasse, F., 2001, Hydrological changes in Africa, Science, 292, 2259-2260. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1061940
  14. Honam Cultural Property Research Center, 2011, The site at Hwajeon, Gwangju, Honam Cultural Property Research Center. (호남문화재연구원, 2011, 광주 화전 유적, 호남문화재연구원, 담양)
  15. Jang. B.-O., Yang, D.-Y., Kim, J.-Y., and Choi, K.-R., 2006, Postglacial Vegetation History of the Central Western Region of the Korean Peninsula, Korean Journal of Ecology 29, 573-580. (in Korean with English abstract)
  16. Jo, W.-R., 1979, Palynological studies on postglacial age in eastern coastal region, Korean peninsula, Tohoku-Chiri, 31, 23-35. (in Japanese with English abstract)
  17. Lim, H. S., Chung, C.-H., Kim, C.-B., Lee, Y. I., Lee, H. J., and Lee, Y. C., 2007, Late-Holocene palaeoclimatic change at the Dongnimdong archaeological site, Gwangju, SW Korea, The Holocene, 17, 665-672. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683607078997
  18. Stockmarr, J., 1971, Tablets with spores used in absolute pollen analysis, Pollen et Spores, 13, 614-621.
  19. Stuiver, M. and Reimer, P. J., 1993, Extended 14C database and revised CALIB radiocarbon calibration program, Radiocarbon, 35, 215-230.
  20. Yang, D.-Y., Kim, J.-Y., Nahm, W.-H., Ruy, E., Yi, S., Kim J. C., Lee J.-Y., Kim J.-K., 2008, Holocene wetland environmental change based on major element concentrations and organic contents from the Cheollipo coast, Korea, Quaternary International, 176-177, 143-155.
  21. Yasuda, Y., Kim, C.-M., Lee, S.-T., and Yim, Y.-J., 1979, Environmental changes and agricultural origin in Korea, in Overseas Research Report, pp.1-19, Japanese Ministry of Education. (in Japanese)
  22. Yoon, S.-O., Moon, Y.-R., and Hwang, S., 2008, Pollen analysis from the Holocene sediemtns of Lake Gyeongpo, Korea and its environmental implications, Journal of the Geological Society of Korea, 44, 781-794. (in Korean with English Abstract)