Oxford Centre for Early Medieval Britain & Ireland
Molecular Ecology of Medieval European Landscapes (MEMELAND)
Helena Hamerow
The Molecular Ecology of Medieval European Landscapes project will investigate the impact of the agricultural transformation that took place during the Middle Ages on northern Europe's landscapes and biodiversity. The team will analyse sedimentary DNA found at the bottom of lakes, which can preserve traces of human activity and reveal how the vegetation and animals present around the lake changed over time. The results will be used together with archaeological remains to examine the impact on biodiversity and land use of the spread of the mouldboard plough and crop rotation, the introduction of new plant and animal species, epidemics, and climate change.