Krzysztof Szewczyk

Abstract

Agriculture has been the major driver of deforestation in Europe in the last 1000 years. In the past, forests were also exploited for charcoal production; however, the spatial scale/extent of this activity and its impact are unknown. LIDAR data can be used as a noninvasive tool to investigate the small-scale diversity of the land relief, including forested areas. These data can reveal the extent anthropogenic modifications of topography present-day as well as in the past. One of the activities that can be analyzed based on LIDAR data is spatial distribution of charcoal production. A preliminary LIDAR data analysis indicated the intensity of this practice and its potential impact on the natural environment. This prompted us to analyze the environmental impact of charcoal hearths in northern Poland. As it turned out, this topic exceeded the scope of earth sciences and became a transdisciplinary one. In this work, we will use the research methods typical of biogeography, dendroecology, paleoecology, soil science, biology, botany, history, onomastics, as well as art history, in order to thoroughly understand not only the natural consequences but also the social and economic consequences of charcoal production. This paper presents the assumptions of our project, the research methodology, and the preliminary results. We have identified using LIDAR data more than 73 thousand relief forms which can be remnants of charcoal hearths. Our preliminary results confirmed large scale impact of past human activity related to charcoal production and suitability of the methods used for detecting and reconstructing charcoal hearths as well as determining the distribution and magnitude of past forest use for charcoal production in NW Poland.

Keywords: anthropopression, relict charcoal hearths, legacy effects, deforestation, LIDAR, multiproxy, Central Europe

Michał Słowiński [michal.slowinski@geopan.torun.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Kopernika 19, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
Krzysztof Szewczyk, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw: Poland
Jerzy Jonczak, Department of Soil Science Warsaw University of Life Sciences Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw: Poland
Tomasz Związek [tzwiazek@twarda.pan.pl], Instytut Geografii i Przestrzennego Zagospodarowania im. Stanisława Leszczyckiego PAN
Dominika Łuców, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw: Poland
Agnieszka Halaś [aj.halas@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw: Poland
Milena Obremska, Institute of Geological Sciences Polish Academy of Sciences Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw: Poland
Sandra Słowińska, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw: Poland
Dominik Róg, Institute of History The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin: Poland
Agnieszka Mroczkowska, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw: Poland
Agnieszka Maria Noryśkiewicz, Institute of Archaeology Nicolaus Copernicus University Szosa Bydgoska 44/48, 87-100 Toruń: Poland
Aleksandra Chojnacka, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology Warsaw University of Life Sciences Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw: Poland
Tomasz Ważny, Centre for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Nicolaus Copernicus University Sienkiewicza 30/32, 87-100 Toruń: Poland
Barbara Gmińska-Nowak, Centre for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Nicolaus Copernicus University Sienkiewicza 30/32, 87-100 Toruń: Poland
Mateusz Kramkowski [mkramkowski@geopan.torun.pl], Instytut Geografii i Przestrzennego Zagospodarowania PAN
Vincenzo Barbarino, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment University of Pisa, Italy
Sebastian Tyszkowski [sebtys@wp.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Kopernika 19, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
Bogusława Kruczkowska [boguslawa_kruczkowska@sggw.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland
Anna Kowalska [aniak@twarda.pan.pl], Department of Geoecology Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw: Poland
Ewa Kołaczkowska [ekolaczk@twarda.pan.pl], Department of Geoecology Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw: Poland
Paweł Swoboda, Institute of Polish Language Polish Academy of Sciences al. Mickiewicza 31, 31-120 Kraków: Poland
Cezary Kardasz, Faculty of History Nicolaus Copernicus University ul. Bojarskiego 1, 87-100 Toruń: Poland
Michał Niedzielski [m.niedzielski@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw: Poland
Michał Konopski [konopski@twarda.pan.pl], Instytut Geografii i Przestrzennego Zagospodarowania im. S. Leszczyckiego PAN
Dariusz Brykała [darek@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Kopernika 19, 87-100 Toruń, Poland