Neolithic pastoralism and plant community interactions at high altitudes of the Pyrenees, southern Europe
Abstract The Neolithization process introduced remarkable ecological impacts, especially in Mediterranean mountain areas. We generated a comprehensive sedimentary ancient DNA record from the central Pyrenees, spanning 12,200 to 1300 years before present, revealing the earliest continuous presence of...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02023-8 |
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| author | Irene Julián-Posada Graciela Gil-Romera Sandra Garcés-Pastor Peter D. Heintzman Daniel Gómez Federico Fillat Ana Moreno Javier Lara-Recuero Pere Bover Lourdes Montes Alejandro Sierra Blas Valero-Garcés Inger G. Alsos Penélope González-Sampériz |
| author_facet | Irene Julián-Posada Graciela Gil-Romera Sandra Garcés-Pastor Peter D. Heintzman Daniel Gómez Federico Fillat Ana Moreno Javier Lara-Recuero Pere Bover Lourdes Montes Alejandro Sierra Blas Valero-Garcés Inger G. Alsos Penélope González-Sampériz |
| author_sort | Irene Julián-Posada |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Neolithization process introduced remarkable ecological impacts, especially in Mediterranean mountain areas. We generated a comprehensive sedimentary ancient DNA record from the central Pyrenees, spanning 12,200 to 1300 years before present, revealing the earliest continuous presence of sheep (6500 years before present) and cattle (5900 years before present) in alpine southern Europe. This evidence suggests pastoralism nearly concurred with the Neolithic in the Iberian lowlands, challenging prior assumptions of only sporadic occurrence and confirming Neolithic pastoralist use of mountain ecosystems. A notable plant community shift arose at 6000 years before present, with deciduous forests transitioning into diverse open grasslands. This change became pronounced at 4200 years before present, aligning with continuous presence of domesticates and a regional cooling climate, suggesting a synergistic relationship between past climate change and human-induced plant community alteration. These findings highlight complex interactions between climate, human activities, and landscape dynamics during the Neolithic in Mediterranean mountains. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fe5a613c67ad425e9ba90bffa9b5ae1b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-fe5a613c67ad425e9ba90bffa9b5ae1b2025-01-26T12:54:03ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-01-016111010.1038/s43247-025-02023-8Neolithic pastoralism and plant community interactions at high altitudes of the Pyrenees, southern EuropeIrene Julián-Posada0Graciela Gil-Romera1Sandra Garcés-Pastor2Peter D. Heintzman3Daniel Gómez4Federico Fillat5Ana Moreno6Javier Lara-Recuero7Pere Bover8Lourdes Montes9Alejandro Sierra10Blas Valero-Garcés11Inger G. Alsos12Penélope González-Sampériz13Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)The Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT - The Arctic University of NorwayThe Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT - The Arctic University of NorwayInstituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)ARAID Foundation – IUCA, Universidad de ZaragozaÁrea de Prehistoria, P3A- IUCA, Universidad de ZaragozaLaboratori d’Arqueozoologia, Departament de Prehistòria, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaInstituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)The Arctic University Museum of Norway, UiT - The Arctic University of NorwayInstituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC)Abstract The Neolithization process introduced remarkable ecological impacts, especially in Mediterranean mountain areas. We generated a comprehensive sedimentary ancient DNA record from the central Pyrenees, spanning 12,200 to 1300 years before present, revealing the earliest continuous presence of sheep (6500 years before present) and cattle (5900 years before present) in alpine southern Europe. This evidence suggests pastoralism nearly concurred with the Neolithic in the Iberian lowlands, challenging prior assumptions of only sporadic occurrence and confirming Neolithic pastoralist use of mountain ecosystems. A notable plant community shift arose at 6000 years before present, with deciduous forests transitioning into diverse open grasslands. This change became pronounced at 4200 years before present, aligning with continuous presence of domesticates and a regional cooling climate, suggesting a synergistic relationship between past climate change and human-induced plant community alteration. These findings highlight complex interactions between climate, human activities, and landscape dynamics during the Neolithic in Mediterranean mountains.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02023-8 |
| spellingShingle | Irene Julián-Posada Graciela Gil-Romera Sandra Garcés-Pastor Peter D. Heintzman Daniel Gómez Federico Fillat Ana Moreno Javier Lara-Recuero Pere Bover Lourdes Montes Alejandro Sierra Blas Valero-Garcés Inger G. Alsos Penélope González-Sampériz Neolithic pastoralism and plant community interactions at high altitudes of the Pyrenees, southern Europe Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Neolithic pastoralism and plant community interactions at high altitudes of the Pyrenees, southern Europe |
| title_full | Neolithic pastoralism and plant community interactions at high altitudes of the Pyrenees, southern Europe |
| title_fullStr | Neolithic pastoralism and plant community interactions at high altitudes of the Pyrenees, southern Europe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neolithic pastoralism and plant community interactions at high altitudes of the Pyrenees, southern Europe |
| title_short | Neolithic pastoralism and plant community interactions at high altitudes of the Pyrenees, southern Europe |
| title_sort | neolithic pastoralism and plant community interactions at high altitudes of the pyrenees southern europe |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02023-8 |
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