The spatial and temporal reconstruction of a medieval moat ecosystem
Abstract Moats and other historical water features had great importance for past societies. The functioning of these ecosystems can now only be retrieved through palaeoecological studies. Here we aimed to reconstruct the history of a stronghold’s moat during its period of operation. Our spatio-tempo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24762-w |
| _version_ | 1811190456126537728 |
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| author | Olga Antczak-Orlewska Daniel Okupny Andrzej Kruk Richard Ian Bailey Mateusz Płóciennik Jerzy Sikora Marek Krąpiec Piotr Kittel |
| author_facet | Olga Antczak-Orlewska Daniel Okupny Andrzej Kruk Richard Ian Bailey Mateusz Płóciennik Jerzy Sikora Marek Krąpiec Piotr Kittel |
| author_sort | Olga Antczak-Orlewska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Moats and other historical water features had great importance for past societies. The functioning of these ecosystems can now only be retrieved through palaeoecological studies. Here we aimed to reconstruct the history of a stronghold’s moat during its period of operation. Our spatio-temporal approach allowed mapping of the habitat changes within a medieval moat for the first time. Using data from four cores of organic deposits taken within the moat system, we describe ecological states of the moat based on subfossil Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae assemblages. We found that over half (57%) of the identified dipteran taxa were indicative of one of the following ecological states: limnetic conditions with or without periodic water inflow, or marshy conditions. Samples representing conditions unfavourable for aquatic insects were grouped in a separate cluster. Analyses revealed that the spatio-temporal distribution of midge assemblages depended mostly on depth differences and freshwater supply from an artificial channel. Paludification and terrestrialization did not happen simultaneously across the moat system, being greatly influenced by human activity. The results presented here demonstrate the importance of a multi-aspect approach in environmental archaeology, focusing not only on the human environment, but also on the complex ecology of the past ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:51:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2ac92e3f5f2e4082812eef88491afce5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:51:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-2ac92e3f5f2e4082812eef88491afce52022-12-22T04:17:26ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-11-0112111710.1038/s41598-022-24762-wThe spatial and temporal reconstruction of a medieval moat ecosystemOlga Antczak-Orlewska0Daniel Okupny1Andrzej Kruk2Richard Ian Bailey3Mateusz Płóciennik4Jerzy Sikora5Marek Krąpiec6Piotr Kittel7Laboratory of Palaeoecology and Archaeobotany, Department of Plant Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of GdanskInstitute of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of SzczecinDepartment of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of LodzDepartment of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of LodzDepartment of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of LodzDepartment of Historical Archaeology and Weapon Studies, Institute of Archaeology, University of LodzFaculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, AGH University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Geology and Geomorphology, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University of LodzAbstract Moats and other historical water features had great importance for past societies. The functioning of these ecosystems can now only be retrieved through palaeoecological studies. Here we aimed to reconstruct the history of a stronghold’s moat during its period of operation. Our spatio-temporal approach allowed mapping of the habitat changes within a medieval moat for the first time. Using data from four cores of organic deposits taken within the moat system, we describe ecological states of the moat based on subfossil Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae assemblages. We found that over half (57%) of the identified dipteran taxa were indicative of one of the following ecological states: limnetic conditions with or without periodic water inflow, or marshy conditions. Samples representing conditions unfavourable for aquatic insects were grouped in a separate cluster. Analyses revealed that the spatio-temporal distribution of midge assemblages depended mostly on depth differences and freshwater supply from an artificial channel. Paludification and terrestrialization did not happen simultaneously across the moat system, being greatly influenced by human activity. The results presented here demonstrate the importance of a multi-aspect approach in environmental archaeology, focusing not only on the human environment, but also on the complex ecology of the past ecosystems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24762-w |
| spellingShingle | Olga Antczak-Orlewska Daniel Okupny Andrzej Kruk Richard Ian Bailey Mateusz Płóciennik Jerzy Sikora Marek Krąpiec Piotr Kittel The spatial and temporal reconstruction of a medieval moat ecosystem Scientific Reports |
| title | The spatial and temporal reconstruction of a medieval moat ecosystem |
| title_full | The spatial and temporal reconstruction of a medieval moat ecosystem |
| title_fullStr | The spatial and temporal reconstruction of a medieval moat ecosystem |
| title_full_unstemmed | The spatial and temporal reconstruction of a medieval moat ecosystem |
| title_short | The spatial and temporal reconstruction of a medieval moat ecosystem |
| title_sort | spatial and temporal reconstruction of a medieval moat ecosystem |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24762-w |
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