Multi-proxy palaeoecological studies from peatlands: a comprehensive review of recent advances and future developments

Abstract

Multi-proxy approaches in palaeoecological studies have gained prominence due to their ability to provide comprehensive insights into palaeoenvironmental changes. This method enhances the complexity and richness of environmental reconstructions by integrating various proxies, such as testate amoebae, pollen, plant macrofossils, charcoal, and stable isotopes. While synthesising these records can be challenging, due both to their complexity and varying journal guidelines for publication, it remains essential for a more precise understanding of past ecosystems. Multi-proxy studies are invaluable for cross-referencing local to extra-local data with proxies from nearby areas, thus validating palaeoclimatic records and minimising speculative conclusions. The approach reveals significant human impacts on ecosystems, particularly peatlands, serving as natural archives for historical environmental and anthropogenic activities. Integrating diverse methodologies from ecology, palaeoecology, archaeology, and history with high-resolution palaeoecological data offers profound insights into settlement patterns, economic development, and historical demography. Despite the challenges of handling extensive datasets, advanced statistical methods enable meaningful interpretations while maintaining the integrity of the data. Historical records enrich the understanding of human and climatic impacts upon a range of peatland ecosystems. By reconstructing long-term changes in food webs through peat records, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of past ecosystem structures and functions, thereby paving the way for future ecological advances. Though underutilised in archaeological and historical contexts, this interdisciplinary approach has significant potential across various academic fields, emphasising the importance of integrating comprehensive datasets to approach complex ecological questions and inform ecological restoration. This review presents the potential of high-resolution, multi-proxy studies of peatlands, shows examples of such studies and summarises best practices and key considerations for conducting such research.