Szymon Czyzewski

Stories

Europe's ancient vegetation was a woodland-grassland mosaic, study finds

Lead author of the 2026 review

European countries pay landowners to plant dense forests for carbon storage and biodiversity. A review of 23 million years of fossil pollen, charcoal, teeth and ancient DNA says that baseline is wrong. Before large herbivores declined, much of Europe was a mix of open woodland, meadow and grass.

Updated 2 hours ago

Notable Quotes

Each type of proxy offers its own perspective, but together they let us see whether the landscapes were covered by dense forests, open grasslands, or a mix of the two.

from Europe's ancient vegetation was a woodland-grassland mosaic, study finds · Updated 2 hours ago

The most dramatic shift has largely taken place within the last hundred years, when traditional extensive grazing disappeared from large parts of the landscape.

from Europe's ancient vegetation was a woodland-grassland mosaic, study finds · Updated 2 hours ago