A Contribution to the Late Holocene Vegetation History of the Northwestern Rila Mountain, Bulgaria: the Pollen Record of Lake Skakavitsa

Pollen analysis was conducted on a Late Holocene sediment core obtained from the peaty shore of Lake Skakavitsa (2170 m) in the Northwestern Rila Mountain. The vegetation reconstruction supported by detailed radiocarbon chronology revealed new information about the forest development and human impact in the study area for the last 4000 years. Dense coniferous forests dominated by Pinus sylvestris, Abies alba, Pinus peuce and some Picea abies were distributed between 4000 and 3000 years ago and below them thrived isolated stands of Fagus. The subsequent transformations in the forest cover include the invasion of spruce in the coniferous belt between 2500 and 800 years ago and the enlargement of beech communities since 1500 years ago. Evidence of intensive human activities related to livestock-grazing and crop cultivation is registered for the last 700 years.