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Abstract
The Ranviken area is situated on the southern margin of the oligotrophic Southern Swedish Uplands. The soils originate from the acid Archaean bedrock, and are characterized by paucity of lime and basic mineral nutrients.
Phytogeographically, the Ranviken area is situated immediately north of the boundary between the southern coniferous and the southern deciduous forest region. The southern limit of indigenous Picea runs immediately south of the area.
The investigation of the history of the regional vegetation is based on pollen analysis of a main profile from the central part of the bay and also of a shorter complementary profile. An attempt has been made to apply the principles of dynamic plant sociology in the interpretation of the vegetational history. The human influence on the vegetation is considered. However, as concerns settlement, the Ranviken area has always constituted a marginal region, and the human influence indicated in the pollen diagrams is throughout rather slight.
The cronology is based on C14 dating. Thanks to the large number of datings, it has been possible to determine also the rate of sediment deposition.
The investigation of the water-level changes is based on macrofossil analysis and pollen analysis of three profiles situated in a section outwards from the shore. An early lowering, culminating during the earlier part of the Early Boreal period, and a later lowering, culminating around the boundary between the Early and Late Sub-Boreal periods, have been established. Each lowering was succeeded by a rise of the water level.
The palaeolimnology of the Ranviken bay vill be treated in a later paper.
