Project Details
Projekt
SP6: Reconstruction of North Frisia’s human-ecosystem interactions on molecular level
Subject Area
Prehistory and World Archaeology
Term
since 2025
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 541064351
Advances in archaeology and geoscience have made it possible to reconstruct historical environments where traditional evidence is lacking. The TORF study area of North Frisia, which was severely affected of 1362 AD Grote Mandränke storm surge, is an example of this need. One approach to fill this gap is the analysis of faecal lipid markers (FLM) and ancient sedimentary DNA (sedDNA) as molecular traces of past human impact. Until now, these two independent approaches have rarely been combined, despite the many benefits they offer, which be less apparent when each is applied separately. The cross-validating and complementary character of both analytical approaches not only improves the quality of our reconstructions of past environments and societies but also offers more precise, quantitatively interpretable and reliable datasets. This synergy makes it possible to identified human-induced environmental changes in the past. Our preliminary work highlights the potential to shed new light on the TORF project areas that cannot be achieved through archaeological approaches alone: i) Evidence of faecal input from ruminants, indicating subsistence farming. (ii) Molecular markers showing terrestrial vegetation dominance and landscape drainage. (iii) Well-preserved sedDNA supporting detailed genetic analysis. In the frame of this proposal FOR 5837, we address in SP6 the analysis of FLM and sedDNA from sediments to identify human-induced impact (e.g., crop farming, livestock husbandry) on the medieval ecosystem caused by Frisian settlers. In the initial phase, we will and adapt our methodology to improve the efficiency and reproducibility of FLM and sedDNA analysis and to ensure high sample throughput. To this end, we will optimise extraction time, sample volume, size fractionation and inhibitor removal. For a comprehensive biodiversity analysis, Shotgun and Targeted will be combined. To evaluate their complementary and cross-validating character, the transport sensitivity of FLM and sedDNA in different soil textures is assessed by a column test. Analysis of a sediment core from Hallig Südfall provides unmistakable evidence of medieval cultivation and input of ruminant’s faeces. The next step is to validate this molecular marker signal from a punctual to a spatial scale by analysing further sediment cores. Finally, cores from Pellworm, Hallig Südfall and northern Hallig Hooge will be analysed to reconstruct the presence of domestic animals, crop types and soil improvement measures. The acquisition of new insights into land use and the productive capacity of the medieval land surface will facilitate an assessment of the historical context. SP6 can serve as a means of cross-checking, validating, and/or supplementing historical reports and archaeological evidence through the lens of natural science.
DFG Programme
Research Units
Co-Investigator
Dr. Sascha Scherer
