Fresh insights into long-term changes in flora, vegetation, land use and soil erosion in the karstic environment of the burren, western ireland

P> The study focuses on species-rich, upland, heathy vegetation with arctic-alpine floristic affinities and Sesleria grasslands in the karstic Burren region, western Ireland. The investigations aimed at reconstructing the long-term development of these high conservation-value communities and the role of farming in their formation and long-term survival. The methods used included pollen analysis and (14)C-dating of short monoliths and investigation of grykes (fissures in karstic limestone) for evidence of soil erosion. Special attention was paid to fossil, coprophilous fungal spores as indic... Mehr ...