Recent dynamics of vegetation and landscape in the Minho region (Portugal) in relation to human occupation of the territory

Abstract

New pollinical data from the area surrounding the city of Braga (NW Portugal), and linked to the construction of Bracara Augusta, have allowed us to obtain an image of the landscape and vegetation of this area during the Iron Age and Romanization, continuing through the Middle Ages and all the way to the present time. The new data was compared with existing data from the Minho region. This revealed a regional sequence of landscape modifications, in which one can appreciate the increasing incidence of various human activities on land configuration. The new data revealed similar dynamics in both territories, with small differences based on latitudinal position and topographic characteristics.