A recent Cannabis pollen increase on the Iberian Pyrenees
Valentí Rull1, Teresa Vegas-Vilarrúbia2
1Botanic Institute of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Pg. Midgia s/n, 08038 Barcelona, Spain; Catalan Institute of Paleontology Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ICTA-ICP Bld., C. Columnes s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
The Science of the Total Environment
|May 9, 2023
Summary
A 20th-century increase in Cannabis pollen (20C) in the Iberian Pyrenees was linked to shifts in hemp production and industry interest. This finding aids in understanding historical land use and the proposed Anthropocene epoch.
Area of Science:
- Paleoecology
- Environmental History
- Quaternary Geology
Background:
- Sedimentary records offer insights into past environmental changes and human activities.
- The Iberian Peninsula has a history of hemp cultivation, with potential shifts in production centers.
- Understanding historical pollen records is crucial for reconstructing past vegetation and land use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and analyze a distinct increase in Cannabis pollen in the 20th century within the Iberian Pyrenees.
- To correlate this pollen increase with historical changes in hemp cultivation and industry.
- To evaluate the suitability of Lake Montcortès sediments for defining the Anthropocene epoch.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a continuous, varved, and absolutely dated sedimentary record from Lake Montcortès.
- Palynological analysis to identify and quantify pollen types, specifically Cannabis.
- Correlation of pollen data with historical records of hemp production and agricultural policies.
Main Results:
- A significant and persistent increase in Cannabis pollen was observed, originating in the 1980s.
- This pollen increase coincided with a geographical shift of hemp production to northeastern Iberia and increased cultivation.
- Renewed interest from the paper industry and EU subsidies likely contributed to the trend.
Conclusions:
- The 20th-century Cannabis pollen increase in Lake Montcortès is strongly linked to intensified hemp cultivation in the region.
- Lake Montcortès varved sediments are a potential marker for the mid-20th century onset of the Anthropocene.
- Further research with higher-resolution records and pollen dispersal modeling is recommended.
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