Kelemen Imola (szerk.): A Csíki Székely Múzeum Évkönyve 8. (Csíkszereda, 2012)
Régészet - Tibor-Tamás Daróczi: Environmental Changes During the Holocene in Transylvania
TIBOR-TAMÁS DARÓCZI Climate At the beginning of the Holocene, the temperatures generally increased. Winter temperatures (MTC) were significantly higher (~15 °C), while summer temperatures (MTW) only changed mildly, by ~2 °C. Based on this, the mean annual temperature (MAT) was ~7 °C higher than in the Late Pleistocene. This meant a reduction in the seasonality in the region. There was a slight increase in humidity of ~200 mm (Fig. 9). Shortly after this there was a further increase in temperature (~7 °C MAT, ~-2 °C MTC, ~ 16—17 °C MTW) although winters were slightly colder. Humidity levels further increased by ~ 700-950 mm until the end of the phase.80 81 Temperature Humidity Transylvania Holocene BCE BP SW NW SW NW pbai warm? wetter Subatlantic 100 2100 warm dry 1500 3500 cool summers wetter Subboreal 2000 4000 mild winters 2800 4800 dry (wetter than SW) 3000 5000 rapid warm ,. dry 3500 5500 cooling Atlantic 3700 5700 6000 8000 rapid cooling driest 6200 8200 high summer temperatures 6600 8600 warm (rapid cooling event) . Boreal 7200 9200 warm (rapid cooling event) .icuac in uiuKjiuic 8300 10300 drv summers 8600 10600 high summei tempeiatuics lower precipitation 8700 10700 warmer wet Preboreal 9300 11300 warm (+10 °C) 9500 11500 Fig. 9. Climate and humidity changes in the Holocene in Transylvania (after Feurdean 2004, 37-38; Feurdean et al. 2008, fig. 3-4; Feurdean et al. 2010, 2204,2205) In the Early Boreal, there was a small decrease in temperature (~-2 °C MAT, ~-2,5°C MTC) as it was in humidity as well, of about ~ 100 mm. In the Early Atlantic, the temperature dropped further (—1.5—2 °C MAT, ~-2-4 °C MTC) and the climate became slightly drier, by ~200 mm (Fig. 9).81 Shorter and colder phases have been documented in the Apuseni Mountains between 10,500-10,200 BP, around 9300 BP and between 7800-7600 B.P.82 In the northwestern part of Transylvania during the Atlantic period, the MTC and MAT were lower than today. There was a slight decline in the MTC by ~-2 °C, while MTW had an increasing trend in the second half of the period. It should be noted that between 6900/6800- 6700/6400 BP there was a fast and short decline in temperature (Fig. 9).83 In the southwestern part of Transylvania, there was a minor warming event around the turning of the previous period to the Subboreal.84 85 In contrast to this, there were no major changes in the northwest of region, only an increase of ~2 °C in the MTW. Despite this minor warming, several shorter intervals between 5100/4900-4800/4700 BP and 4100/4000-3700/3600 BP had a fast cooling. The coolest period was between 3200-3000 BP, where MAT dropped ~-2 °C, MTC ~-4 °C and MTW by ~-l °C, while precipitation increased by ~ 100mm (Fig. 9).85 The difference between the climate in northwestern and southwestern region can be explained by the different types of climatic influences over the areas. The southern region was mostly influenced by warm Sub-Mediterranean air masses, and the northern one by oceanic climate from the Northern Atlantic.86 80 Feurdean et al. 2008, 498. 81 Feurdean et al. 2008, 500. 82 TĂMAŞ ET AL. 2005, 191-193. 83 Feurdean et al. 2008, 500. 84 Magyari ET AL. 2009b, 243-244. 85 Feurdean et al. 2008, 500. 86 Feurdean 2004, 38. 40
