Grazing dynamics at different spatial and temporal scales: examples from the Swedish historical record AD 1620-1850

The aim of this paper is to discuss implications of different resolution scales of both time and space in studies of past land use and past vegetation, both historical and palaeoecological. The paper gives examples of short term-variation, long-term changes, small spatial scale differences and regional differences in land use, studied through historical sources in four regions in south central Sweden. It also discusses the difficulty of interpretation of forest vegetation in old cadastral maps. Historical sources can show dynamics on the fine temporal and spatial scales that are difficult to capture with pollen analysis. On the other hand, pollen analysis has unique possibilities for the study of time periods where historical records are lacking. Therefore the combination of several disciplines is likely to be productive in aiding understanding past land use and vegetation. However, there are important limitations in using the information in cadastral maps and other historical sources to interpret and quantify past vegetation.