Holocene development of the vertebrate fauna and the related environmental change in the south-western Baltic area with special emphasis on the Mecklenburg Bay

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Dirk Heinrich
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: from 2006 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 28525995

• Final Report Year: 2008

Final Report Abstract

The Baltic Sea originated between 7000 and 6000 calBC, when the ocean eroded the old land bridge between Central Europe and Scandinavia and flooded the Baltic basin. This was a dramatic and in some cases catastrophic process for vertebrate animals. For species which cannot swim it was impossible from this time onward to immigrate to the Scandinavian Peninsula. That is why the present distribution area of several small species adjoins to the coast-line of the southern Baltic Sea. Additionally, the succession from a terrestrial or freshwater ecosystem to a marine one also changed the fauna completely in huge areas, where many species gave way to the rising marine water. Populations were isolated from each other on the remaining islands and became highly vulnerable to extinction there. Particularily big game species such as aurochs and moose became extinct on the islands millennia before they also disappeared from the surrounding mainland caused by human influence. At the same time, marine species immigrated, and the young Baltic Sea developed towards a highly productive ecosystem. The humans had to adapt continually to the new environmental conditions and possibilities. Additionally, it seems to be evident now, that livestock husbandry began in the area of the Mecklenburg Bay with the transition to the Neolithic Funnel Beaker Culture about 4100 calBC. The earliest direct proof of Neolithic cattle descended from the near East subpopulation of aurochs.

Publications

• (2006): Archaeozoological records and distribution history of the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in Central Europe. Journal of Ornithology 147, 565-568
  Zachos, F. E., Schmölcke, U.
  
• (2006): Auf den Spuren der frühsten Landwirtschaft an der Ostsee Schleswig-Holsteins. Archäologie in Deutschland 3/2006, 36f.
  Hartz, S., Schmölcke, U.
  
• (2006): Changes of sea level, landscape and culture: The south-western Baltic area between 8800 and 4000 BC. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 240, 423-438
  Schmölcke, U., Endtmann, E., Klooss, S., Meyer, M., Michaelis, D., Rickert, B.-H., Rößler, D.
  
• (2006): Holocene Vertebrate Palaeontology of the Baltic Sea area. Meyniana 58, 191-204
  Schmölcke, U.
  
• (2007): Holocene recolonization and extinction of the pond turtle, Emys orbicularis (L., 1758), in Europe. Quaternary Science Reviews 26, 3099-3107
  Sommer, R. S., Persson, A., Wieseke, N., Fritz, U.
  
• (2007): Mitochondrial DNA analysis shows a Near Eastern Neolithic origin for domestic cattle and no indication of domestication of European aurochs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 274, 1377-1385
  Edwards, C., Bollongino, R., Scheu, A., Chamberlain, A., Tresset, A., Larson, G., Czerwinski, P., Arbogast, R.-M., Arndt, B., Baird, J.F., Bartosiewicz, L., Benecke, N., Budja, M., Chaix, L., Choyke, A.M., Coqueeugiot, E., Döhle, H.-J., Göldner, H., Hartz, S., Helmer, D., Herzig, B., Hongo, H., Mashkou, M., Özdogan, M., Pucher, E., Roth, G., Schade-Lindig, S., Schmölcke, U., Schulting, R., Stephan, E., Uerpmann, H.-P., Vörös, I., Vigne, J.-D., Bradley, D.G, Burger, J.
  
• (2007): Pelikane, Schildkröten, Störe und Sattelrobben: Exotik an der steinzeitlichen Ostsee. Schriften des Naturwissenschaften Vereins für Schleswig-Holstein 64, 41-52
  Schmölcke, U., Glykou, A.
  
• (2007): Some remarks on the postglacial immigration of catfish (Silurus glanis), pikeperch (Stizostedion lucioperca), asp {Aspius aspius) and other species into Scandinavia and northwestern Central Europe with special emphasis on Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. In: Hüster-Plogmann (ed.), The Role of Fish in Ancient Time, 77-84, Rahden/Westf.
  Heinrich, D.
  
• (2007): The Baltic Sea Coast - a Model of Interrelations between Geosphere, Climate and Anthroposhere. In: J. Harff, W.W. Hay, D. Tetzlaff (eds.), Coastline Change - Interrelation of Climate and Geological Processes. Geological Society of America Special Paper 426, pp. 133-143, New York
  Harff, J., Lemke, W., Lampe, R., Lüth, F., Lübke, H., Meyer, M., Tauber, F., Schmölcke, U.
  
• (2008): Ancient DNA provides no evidence for independent domestication of cattle in Mesolithic Rosenhof, Northern Germany. Journal of Archaeological Science 35, 1257-1264
  Scheu, A., Hartz, S., Schmölcke, U., Tresset, A., Burger, J., Bollongino, R.
  
• (2008): Detecting the medieval cod trade: a new method and first results. Journal of Archaeological Science 35, 850-861
  Barrett, J., Johnstone, C., Harland, J., Van Neer, W., Ervynck, A., Makowiecki, D., Heinrich. D., Hufthammer, A. K., Bødker Enghoff, I., Amundsen, C., Schou Christiansen, J., Jones, A. K. G., Alison Locker, A., Hamilton-Dyer, S., Jonsson, L., Lougas, L., Roberts, C., Richards, M.
  
• (2008): Holocene environmental changes and the seal (Phocidae) fauna of the Baltic Sea: Coming, going and staying. Mammal Review
  Schmölcke, U.
  
• (2008): Past distributions of the European freshwater eel from archaeological and palaeontological evidence. Quaternary Science Reviews 27, 1309-1334
  Kettle A. J., Heinrich. D., Barrett, J. H., Benecke, N., Locker, A.
  
• (2008): Post-Glacial immigration of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) into the Baltic Sea. Boreas 37, 458-464
  Sommer, R. S., Pasold, J., Schmölcke, U.