Natural Vegetation Recovery on Excavated Archaeological Sites: A Case Study of Ancient Burial Mounds in Bulgaria

Iva Apostolova, Magdalena Valcheva, Desislava Sopotlieva, Nikolay Velev, Anna Ganeva and Georgi Nekhrizov
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Iva Apostolova: Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Magdalena Valcheva: Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Desislava Sopotlieva: Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Nikolay Velev: Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Anna Ganeva: Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Georgi Nekhrizov: National Archaeological Institute with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Saborna Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: As a distinctive component of the cultural landscape in Eurasia, burial mounds are well known for their historical value. Recently their role as biodiversity hotspots, especially in the homogenous agricultural landscape, has become particularly important. Archaeological excavations, although necessary, are destructive to the natural elements on the mounds. Restoration and vegetation recovery after such disturbances are needed for the preservation of biodiversity and for the cultural landscape integrity. In this study, we aimed to find out how effective is the natural vegetation recovery on the mounds after archaeological excavations. Successional stages between 2- and 30-years post-excavations have been studied. Vegetation sampling was performed on 15 mounds within 300 plots (1 × 1 m). Spontaneous succession was found to start immediately, and during the first decade, anthropophytes prevailed. In the subsequent years, their cover significantly decreased at the expense of species typical for the natural communities in the surroundings. Total species richness increased with the successional age and the vegetation composition became more similar to the semi-natural communities commonly established on mounds in Bulgaria. In the advanced successional stages, we registered a high rate of heterogeneity on the mounds, facilitated by the establishment of target plant species with different ecological requirements, including bryophytes. Provided the obtained results, we conclude that the natural vegetation recovery on the excavated and subsequently recovered mounds were very successful, and the current practice must continue in the future.

Keywords: anthropophytes; disturbance; ecological restoration; kurgans; revegetation; spontaneous succession (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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