Climate fluctuations in the Carpathians during the Little Ice Age

Abstract

The Carpathian region is of particular interest due to the geographical position and geometry of the mountains. Given these features, the climate of the Carpathians is the result of dynamic interaction and transformation of North Atlantic, continental, and Mediterranean atmospheric circulation over diversely stretched and distributed mountain ridges of Eastern, Western and Southern Carpathians. The growing evidence on the past climate of the Carpathian-Balkan area contributes to distinguishing regional and temporal patterns (Kern et al., 2016). Accordingly, the study provides insight on the LIA climate variability in the Carpathians based on the generalised set of proxy data (historical evidence, tree ring data, ice cores, lake and peat bog sediments, and borehole). The statements of wet/dry and cold/warm phases of fluctuations are made in response to present climatological norms. Historical climatology for the last millennium based on agricultural phenology and economic conditions is the richest and interpreted for Western Carpathians, while tree ring data (Fagus silvatica, Pinus cembra, Picea abies) of different chronology spans are available for all the Carpathian regions showing the best correlation with the temperature model data in the warm season (Kern et al., 2016; Roibu et al., 2022). The millennium climate proxy data for the area represent foreland highlands and mountains up to 1850 m.