The Holocene at Lac de Creno, Corsica, France: a key site for the whole island

Two Holocene lake sequences from Lac de Creno, Corsica were analysed on the basis of 119 pollen spectra and with the support of 13 ¹⁴C-calibrated dates. The lower part of one of these sequences, corresponding to the late- glacial period, has been published previously. The first third of the Post-glacial is characterized by very particular forest dynamics, namely the absence of a role for deciduous Quercus and Corylus , the presence of mesophilous vegetation types dominated by Taxus , and the major forest role of Erica arborea at lower and mean altitude. At about 7440 cal BP, the occurrence of a major anthropogenic action brought about significant changes in the vegetation, notably an increase of deciduous Quercus and the expansion of Quercus ilex . Later, three major human-induced events are identified: the first, at about 2290 cal BP, is the cause of a short local expansion of Abies ; the second, at about 1150 cal BP, is the degradation of deciduous forests to the benefit of Fagus ; the third, at about 310 cal BP, corresponds to the disappearance of Fagus and its replacement by Pinus . Pollen data indicate that Q. ilex , Abies and Fagus are not indigenous in Corsica but spread there during the Postglacial ; this probably took place at about 6980 cal BP for Q. ilex .