DISTURBANCE HISTORY OF A SWAMP FOREST REFUGE IN NORTHERN SWEDEN

Swedish swamp forests have a considerable conservation value because of their rich biodiversity which includes many threatened species. They have been interpreted as refugia from fire with long histories of forest continuity. Palaeoecological investigation of a small swamp forest in northern Sweden shows that the forested area was under cultivation 500 years ago. The present forest has only developed during the last 300 years as a consequence of changes in land-use. Palaeoecology can be used to test assumptions about stability, disturbance and 'natural' vegetation. Results from such studies suggest that communities are highly dynamic, and conservation policy should create a framework within which dynamic processes can operate, in addition to species preservation. Our method is a potentially valuable tool in the formulation of future nature conservation policy.