quaternary Opinion Anticipation, Discovery and Serendipity in Quaternary Paleoecology: Personal Experiences from the Iberian Pyrenees Valentí Rull 1,2 1 Botanic Institute of Barcelona, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Pg. Midgia s/n, 08038 Barcelona, Spain; vrull@csic.es 2 Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ICTA-ICP Bld., C. Columnes s/n, 08193 Barcelona, Spain Abstract: This essay is a personal insight based on my own experience in the Iberian Pyrenees, which addresses three situations common in paleoecological research, such as the verification of previously devised hypotheses (anticipation), the finding on unknown events in unstudied sites (discovery) and the finding of unexpected outputs in already known areas (serendipity). The account is concentrated on the value of the coring sites by themselves as generators of paleoecological knowledge, rather than on the actual findings, which are presented and discussed in the corresponding data papers. The main aim is to show that there is still much room for new findings, even in areas that have been surveyed for a long time and are supposed to be well known, from a paleoecological perspective. Finally, some general lessons are derived and conceptualized. Keywords: Pyrenees; paleoecology; hypothesis testing; discovery; serendipity; Quaternary; Late Glacial; Holocene; last millennia 1. Introduction A fundamental conceptual difference between experimental and observational re- search is that the former uses controlled experiments to test previously defined hypotheses, Citation: Rull, V. Anticipation, whereas the latter relies on the findings of empirical evidence from the observation of Discovery and Serendipity in natural phenomena. Quaternary paleoecology has part of both, although the observational Quaternary Paleoecology: Personal component is of paramount importance. In Quaternary study, the initial hypotheses help Experiences from the Iberian define the location, type and age of past records to be retrieved, along with the proxies to be Pyrenees. Quaternary 2023, 6, 42. analyzed. In this case, researchers choose a given coring site and a particular set of variables https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6030042 able to address particular questions to be answered. When paleoecological research is Academic Editors: Jef Vandenberghe aimed at testing previously proposed hypotheses, we can consider that the results obtained and Elda Russo Ermolli were, in some way, anticipated. Sometimes, however, Quaternary paleoecologists study previously uncored localities without any definite expectations, simply to obtain samples Received: 9 May 2023 and see what happens. Usually, yet not always, this is performed using a wide arrangement Revised: 10 July 2023 of multidisciplinary analyses to acquire as much information as possible on the condition Accepted: 13 July 2023 and functioning of past natural systems. This “blind” approach requires more investment Published: 18 July 2023 but is more prone to produce new discoveries and suggest previously unexpected research prospects and directions [1]. In this paper, I show some examples of new discoveries from blind paleoecological Copyright: © 2023 by the author. research, anticipated prospects from planned surveys and serendipitous findings, or unex- Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. pected outputs that emerged from planned research. These examples come from my own This article is an open access article research on my homeland, the Pyrenees (Figure 1), and are aimed at explaining how the distributed under the terms and coring sites were found and why they became important, rather than displaying the results conditions of the Creative Commons obtained, which are already well documented in the cited publications. It is important Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// to stress that the paper presents my own personal view on the subject and I am the only creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ one responsible for its content. During the investigations described, many colleagues have 4.0/). collaborated in my projects and I have participated in theirs, and it would be impossible to Quaternary 2023, 6, 42. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6030042 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/quaternary aternary 2023, 6, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 o Quaternary 2023, 6, 42 the only one responsible for its content. During the investigations described, 2 of 9many c leagues have collaborated in my projects and I have participated in theirs, and it wou be impossible to remember, even to know, all the researchers involved in all of them have remember, emphasizedeven the to know, main all project the researchers involved leaders, theirinaffiliations all of them. Iand havethe emphasized institutions th the main project leaders, their affiliations and the institutions that funded the research. funded the research. The reader is referred to the cited literature for more details on p The reader is referred to the cited literature for more details on project participants and ject participants and funding sources. funding sources. FigureFigure 1. The Pyrenean 1. The Pyreneanrange andthe range and the coring coring sites.sites. (A) Topographic (A) Topographic map of themap of the Pyrenees Pyrenees showing the show the coring coring sites discussed sites discussed in text in the the(white text (white dots) anddots) and thesummit the Pyrenean Pyrenean (whitesummit triangle). (white triangle). (B) Coring Coring sites. sites. (C) Maladeta (C) The The Maladeta massif, massif, with with the the highest highest Pyrenean Pyrenean summit (Aneto;summit 3404 m) in(Aneto; 3404 the center. A, m) in center. A, Aneto peak; B, Bassa Nera; M, Lake Montcortès; S, Lake Sant Maurici. Photos: V. Rull. Aneto peak; B, Bassa Nera; M, Lake Montcortès; S, Lake Sant Maurici. Photos: V. Rull. 2. Antecedents 2. Antecedents The story begins in tropical America a couple of decades ago. After a long stay The story begins (1981–2002) in tropical in the Caribbean America region a couple (Venezuela), of decades I decided to return ago. After to Spain, andathis longwasstay (198 2002)possible thanks to a fellowship in the Caribbean from the Spanish region (Venezuela), Ministryto I decided ofreturn Science to andSpain, Technology, and thisthe was p sible precursor thanks to of the present Ministry of Science and Innovation. This fellowship included a a fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology, t research proposal, and the topic that I chose for this was a comparative paleoecological precursor study of the present between Ministry the northern Andes,ofwhere Science and Innovation. I worked since the 1980s,This andfellowship the Pyrenees, included research whereproposal, andmy I had initiated the topic that Iresearch paleoecological chose before for this wasSpain. leaving a comparative Finding newpaleoecologi coring sites on the Pyrenees was not easy. Indeed, paleoecological study between the northern Andes, where I worked since the 1980s, and the studies were a tradition on Pyrene where this mountain I had rangemy initiated andpaleoecological many, if not most, research suitable sites had already before leaving been surveyed—or, Spain. Finding new c at least, this was what local paleoecologists told me. In addition, almost all Pyrenean ing sites on the Pyrenees was not easy. Indeed, paleoecological studies were a tradition lakes were of glacial origin and situated at high elevations. This would not be particularly this mountain bad, but most range andlakes of these many, hadifbeen notdammed most, suitable sites had and/or drilled already below been surveyed— (underground) for at least, this was electricity what local generation sincepaleoecologists the beginning of the told me. 20th In addition, century. Damming almost was notalla Pyrenean major lak disturbance, as the sediments remained in the bottom, but underground were of glacial origin and situated at high elevations. This would not be particularly ba drilling and deep water extraction had removed or deeply disturbed most lake sediments. In the local but most of these lakes had been dammed and/or drilled below (underground) for el scientific environment, the feeling that everything that could be done was already done tricityprevailed, generationand mysince the was project beginning met withof the 20th Some skepticism. century. Damming colleagues wasmenot even told a Imajor d that turbance, as the sediments remained in the bottom, but underground drilling and de water extraction had removed or deeply disturbed most lake sediments. In the local s entific environment, the feeling that everything that could be done was already done p vailed, and my project was met with skepticism. Some colleagues even told me tha Quaternary 2023, 6, 42 3 of 9 would be unable to find anything new but only to confirm what is already known, at best. This is what I call the “all-done” paradigm. However, this did not discourage me. 3. Anticipation In a previous geographical survey carried out when I still was in Venezuela, I had identified two lakes with potentially undisturbed sediments: Montcortès and Sant Maurici. One of them, Lake Montcortès (42◦ 190 5000 N–0◦ 590 4100 E; 1027 m elevation) (Figure 1) is a unique karstic lake that is rare in the Pyrenees. My interest on this lake was sparked by some exploratory limnological studies discussing the potential meromictic character of the lake [2,3]. If this was true, then the lake would have varved (annually laminated) sediments but, to my surprise, it had never been cored, despite its easy access by route. Upon my return to Spain, I started working at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB, Barcelona, Spain) and founded a research team called PATAM (Tropical and High- Mountain Paleoecology) but still lacked the necessary equipment to core the lake. Therefore, I made a proposal for this to the research team on Quaternary Paleoenvironments and Global Change from the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (IPE), belonging to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), led by Blas Valero-Garcés. He welcomed the idea and included the task in a peninsula-wide campaign of lake coring in collaboration with the Limnological Research Center (LRC) of the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN, USA) [4]. We finally cored the lake in April 2004 (Figure 2) and obtained ~6 m of (varved!) sediments, which represents an interrupted annually resolved sequence encompassing the last 3000 years. With time, Montcortès sediments have been intensively cored and studied—with the funding of research projects led by the IPE and the Department of Ecology of the University of Barcelona (UB), under the leadership of Teresa Vegas-Vilarrúbia (TVV)—using a wide arrangement of proxies of diverse nature, and this varved record has become a type sequence that is unparalleled across the whole circum-Mediterranean region [5–16]. The finding of Lake Montcortès’s varved sediments was the result of a planned strategy based on incipient limnological knowledge, and hence, most—although not all, as we will see later—ensuing paleoecological and paleoenvironmental records obtained were further preceded by an anticipated idea. Lake Sant Maurici (42◦ 340 5500 N–1◦ 000 1600 E; 1924 m elevation) (Figure 1) was also included in the same campaign, also by my request, but when we visited the lake in April 2004, it was unexpectedly frozen, which was unusual for the time. Therefore, we were unable to “unravel the secrets of the lake”, as Doug Schnurrenberger, a member of the LRC coring crew said. This lake was dammed in 1953 and this raised the water level by ~15 m, which is the height of the dam [17], but it was not drilled underground, which suggested that its sediments could have remained intact (I should say that I had privileged first-hand information on this fact because my grandfather had been working on the damming and drilling of Pyrenean lakes when I was a kid). Some local paleocologists told me that this was very unlikely, as most high-elevation lakes had been disturbed, and Sant Maurici was not an exception. This is why it remained uncored, despite its easy access—which was even more amazing than the case of Montcortès, which is less known—because Sant Maurici is the most iconic lake of a highly visited national park, called “Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici” (PNAESM). Roughly a decade after the first trial, we obtained a new research project, that time from the Autonomous Organization of National Parks (OAPN) led by Jesús Julio Camarero (also from the IPE), and came back to Sant Maurici, together with the IPE and the PATAM-UB teams, for coring [18]. By that time, I was already in the Botanic Institute of Barcelona, also of the CSIC, where the PATAM headquarters was moved. After an initial (2013) fruitless trial, a second campaign (2014) was designed after identifying the deepest part of the lake, where the original smaller lake and its sediments must have remained “hidden” after damming (Figure 3). That time, the campaign was successful, and we retrieved a couple of cores containing a chronologically coherent Holocene sequence [19]. The occurrence of a large Middle-Holocene sedimentary gap, however, suggested that these cores would have been taken on a marginal position, where the sedimentation might Limnological Research Center (LRC) of the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, M USA) [4]. We finally cored the lake in April 2004 (Figure 2) and obtained ~6 m of (varve sediments, which represents an interrupted annually resolved sequence encompassi the last 3000 years. With time, Montcortès sediments have been intensively cored a Quaternary 2023, 6, 42 4 of 9 studied—with the funding of research projects led by the IPE and the Department of Ec ogy of the University of Barcelona (UB), under the leadership of Teresa Vegas-Vilarrúb (TVV)—using a wide arrangement have been interrupted by a prolonged of water-level proxies offall diverse nature, and [20]. Now—with this varved the funding of reco has become a type sequence that is unparalleled across the whole circum-Mediterrane another OANP project led by TVV [21]—we are analyzing this possibility by locating the region [5–16]. original lakeThe usingfinding of Lake Montcortès’s aerial photographs varved from before 1953 sediments and modern pictureswas the of the lakeresult o when it was periodically dried up for maintenance purposes. Indeed, when planned strategy based on incipient limnological knowledge, and hence, most—althou the dam is fully opened, the water level drops by approximately 15 m, and a modern version of what not all, as we will see later—ensuing paleoecological and paleoenvironmental records o once was the original ~3 m deep lake comes to light (Figure 3). This can also be considered tained were a case of further preceded anticipated by an findings. paleoecological anticipated idea. FigureFigure 2. First coring 2. First campaign coring campaign of LakeMontcortès of Lake Montcortès in April in April 2004 ausing 2004 using a Kullenberg Kullenberg platform a platform and gravity corer. (A) General view of the coring platform. (B) Placing the corer in position. gravity corer. (A) General view of the coring platform. (B) Placing the corer in position. (C) Loading (C) Load the corer for maximum the corer for maximum penetration. (D)The penetration. (D) Thecorer corer withwith the sediment the sediment recovered recovered inside. inside. (E) (E) Extrud Extruding the core. (F) The the core. core (F) The once core oncesplit split for transportation. for transportation. (G) (G) ImageImage of coreofMON04-1 core MON04-1 A-1Kthe A-1K showing showing seasonal laminations. seasonal laminations. ternary 2023, 6, x FOR Quaternary 2023, PEER 6, 42 REVIEW 5 of 9 5 o FigureFigure 3. Lake SantSant 3. Lake Maurici Mauricibefore andafter before and after damming. damming. (A)lake (A) The Theinlake in summer summer 2018, 2018, close to itsclose full to its f capacity. (B) The lake in autumn 2011, when it was emptied for maintenance purposes. capacity. (B) The lake in autumn 2011, when it was emptied for maintenance purposes. (C) Google- (C) Goog Earth Earth image of the image of thelake lake indicating indicating thethe location location of theof the original original glacial glacial lake lakeas(blue (blue area), area), inferred fromas inferr from old aerialphotographs old aerial photographs [22]. [22]. The damming The damming areas areareas marked arebymarked by white white arrows (A) andarrows orange(A)linesand oran lines (C). Photos: V. Rull. (C). Photos: V. Rull. 4. Discovery 4. Discovery The third case is from a pond called Bassa Nera (42◦ 380 0500 –0◦ 550 2700 E; 1891 m eleva- The tion) third (Figurecase is from 1), not far froma pond called Lake Sant Bassawhere Maurici, Nerablind (42°38′05′′–0°55′27′′ E; 1891 m elev research led to a discovery. tion) (Figure 1), not far from Lake Sant Maurici, where blind research led to abydiscove We found this pond during an exploratory survey of the group PATAM, in 2007, funded the Institute of Catalan Studies (IEC), in the search for uncored localities on the Pyrenean We found this pond during an exploratory survey of the group PATAM, in 2007, fund highlands. The site seemed particularly well suited to record past treeline fluctuations, as it by thewas situated of Institute Catalan slightly below Studies (IEC), the present in the upper search forest boundaryfor (2200–2300 uncored localities m). However, on the Py nean wehighlands. The siteexpectations have no previous seemed particularly regarding thewell suited age and othertospecific recordfeatures past treeline of the fluctu sediments. The site had already been visited in a former UAB fieldwork tions, as it was situated slightly below the present upper forest boundary (2200–2300 campaign [23] but, m as in the cases of Montcortès and Sant Maurici, it remained uncored, despite a mountain However, we have no previous expectations regarding the age and other specific featu track route where heavy vehicles can circulate being just ~150 m away. By that time, we of thehad sediments. The site already acquired had already a Russian been visited borer—which we usedin to a former call UAB fieldwork Natasha—and performedcampai [23] but, a firstascoring in the cases in the peatofbog Montcortès situated at theand SantofMaurici, margin the pond it remained (Figure uncored, despit 4). As mentioned mountain track route where heavy vehicles can circulate being just ~150mm above, we had no particular hypothesis or research target. We obtained ~7 of away. lake By th sediments and peat typical from an infilling lake sequence time, we had already acquired a Russian borer—which we used to call Natasha—andin its later stages [24,25]. The p oldest radiocarbon date obtained was ~7000 yr BP, but the basement rock was not reached, formed a first coring in the peat bog situated at the margin of the pond (Figure 4). which suggested the presence of older sediments. We decided to analyze the obtained mentioned sediments above, we had and come backno particular to the site in thehypothesis future with aorpiston research corer target. Wecentral to drill the obtained ~7 of lake sediments part of the pond, and peat which wastypical frompart the deepest an infilling lake of the basin. In sequence the meantime, in its later team, another stages [24,2 The oldest radiocarbon date obtained was ~7000 yr BP, but the basement rock was n reached, which suggested the presence of older sediments. We decided to analyze the o tained sediments and come back to the site in the future with a piston corer to drill t central part of the pond, which was the deepest part of the basin. In the meantime, anoth Quaternary 2023, 6, 42 6 of 9 aternary 2023, 6, x FOR PEER REVIEW 6 o encouraged by our findings, obtained an older record encompassing the last 10,000 years, also in the marginal peat bog [25]. We came back to Bassa Nera in 2014, together with researchers from the Open University (UK) and the funding of the OAPN and the IEC only complete and, using aand continuous Livingstone corer,high-resolution we obtained an 11Late Glacial m depth sequence sequence in the available for the Ib center of the rian Pyrenees. This sequence pond, encompassing is now the last 15,000 under years. study—with To our the funding surprise, this record containedofthe the aboveme only tioned OAPN research project led by TVV—and is potentially a standard stratigrap complete and continuous high-resolution Late Glacial sequence available for the Iberian Pyrenees. sequence that This couldsequence is now be useful forunder study—with correlation and the funding dating of the abovementioned purposes at a regional Pyrene OAPN research project led by TVV—and is potentially a standard stratigraphic sequence level that [26].could Thisbefinding came from blind coring and may thus be considered an unexpect useful for correlation and dating purposes at a regional Pyrenean level [26]. discovery. This finding came from blind coring and may thus be considered an unexpected discovery. FigureFigure 4. Coring thethe 4. Coring Bassa BassaNera Nerawith with the Russiancorer the Russian corer Natasha, Natasha, in 2007. in 2007. (A) Google (A) Google Earth image Earth image the Pletiu of thedera PletiuMuntanheta dera Muntanhetawithwith thethe Bassa BassaNera Nera inside. (B)Coring inside. (B) Coring at the at the margin margin of theof the pond. pond. Members(C) Members of the PATAM group showing the maximum coring length (7 m); from left to right:right: Ri of the PATAM group showing the maximum coring length (7 m); from left to Yll (a Riker collaborator), Teresa Vegas-Vilarrúbia, Yll (a collaborator), Arantza Teresa Vegas-Vilarrúbia, Lara, Arantza Sandra Lara, SandraNogué, Nogué, Núria Cañellas, Enca Núria Cañellas, Montoya andMontoya Encarni ValentíandRull. Photos Valentí Rull.by O. Huber. Photos by O. Huber. 5. Serendipity 5. Serendipity Serendipity also emerged from the Lake Montcortès record. As quoted above, the Serendipity also laminated finding of annually emerged sediments from thehad Lake Montcortès already record.but been anticipated, Asanother quoted above, t sig- nificant outcome came out of the blue. The first pollen analyses, developed finding of annually laminated sediments had already been anticipated, but another s on the initial radiocarbon-dated cores retrieved (Figure 2), were of low resolution (centennial) and nificant outcome came out of the blue. The first pollen analyses, developed on the init revealed the continuous presence of Cannabis pollen along the last millennium, with a radiocarbon-dated conspicuous peakcores in theretrieved (Figure 19th century [27,28].2), werecoring Further of low resolution campaigns (centennial) led by TVV and and vealed the continuous presence of Cannabis pollen along the last millennium, funded by the Ministry of Science, together with the development of an updated precise with a co spicuous peak in the 19th century [27,28]. Further coring campaigns led by TVV a funded by the Ministry of Science, together with the development of an updated prec annual chronology, based on varve counting performed by Pablo Corella (IPE-CSIC), lowed the generation of a high-resolution Cannabis pollen record, which is also unique Quaternary 2023, 6, 42 7 of 9 annual chronology, based on varve counting performed by Pablo Corella (IPE-CSIC), al- lowed the generation of a high-resolution Cannabis pollen record, which is also unique to the Iberian Peninsula [29]. The comparison of this record with historical documents has provided insights into the history of hemp cultivation and retting at subdecadal resolution, unraveling previously unknown events. Among them, a relevant finding was the long and uninterrupted history of hemp retting activities in the lake between the 16th and 19th centuries, coeval with the development of the Royal Navy—the main consumer of hemp fiber for the fabrication of sails and cordage—during the worldwide expansion of the Spanish Empire. Once this observation came to light by serendipity, a planned research ruled and sponsored by the same researchers and funders mentioned above, with the collaboration of bacterial geneticists from the University of Girona (Spain), was able to identify the RNA from retting bacteria in the sediments, which confirmed that large-scale hemp retting was actually carried out in Montcortès during the entire Modern Age [30]. 6. Discussion and Final Remarks The examples provided here illustrate three types of paleoecological performances that are typical in many research ventures of this type and provide us with some insights into this particular scientific activity. Quaternary paleoecology is not merely a blind activity aimed at coring everything to find sediments as old as possible, but a scientific approach where hypothesis testing is possible. The difference with the so-called experimental sciences is that, in paleoecology, controlled experiments where one or few variables can be isolated and tested separately are not possible, and explanations for the observed phenomena should be approached by finding the suitable evidence contained in the corresponding paleoecological archives. Blind paleoecology is the only option in previously unstudied regions, and in these conditions, any new finding is a discovery. However, as knowledge progresses, it is possible to devise a set of possible explanations for the observed phenomena and concentrate efforts on the finding of appropriate evidence to test the available hypotheses. Methodological advances, such as the current rise of molecular biomarker research, contribute to expanding not only the possibility of new findings but also of conceiving novel explanations. Another message is that, even in relatively well known areas, the finding of new unexpected observations may open previously unsuspected possibilities, in what is called here serendipity. In the case of Lake Montcortès, the finding of cannabis pollen was complementary to what was already known, but in other cases, serendipitous findings might change the course of the investigation and lead to paradigm shifting. For this to be possible, it is necessary to maintain an open mind and take advantage of any departure of the new evidence found from the established paradigms. Ignoring the challenging evidence or trying to force it to fit with the accepted schemes is against the scientific spirit and may lead to the perpetuation of flawed theories rather than to the progress of knowledge. Conversely, the obsession for breakthrough ideas may foster overinterpretation of the evidence—also known as overselling, which is not unusual in highly rated generalist scientific publications—which is equally dangerous, as it slows science advance or, what is worse, it may corrupt knowledge itself by creating false “truths” and unwarranted research directions that, sooner or later, will have to be readdressed. Finally, the examples presented here demonstrate that the “all-done” paradigm is false, even in areas that have been studied for decades from a paleoecological point of view, as is the case of the Pyrenees. This paradigm is clearly dogmatic, and hence, unscientific. Dogmatic knowledge propagation was practiced in antiquity but was abandoned long ago with the emergence of modern science based on empirical evidence, rather than on the opinion of purported scientific authorities who felt entitled to guide the destinies of local science. Fortunately, not only discovery and serendipity but also creativity and the generation of novel ideas on old problems are still possible everywhere, even in “old Europe”, using evidence-based scientific procedures. Quaternary 2023, 6, 42 8 of 9 Funding: This research received no external funding. Acknowledgments: This paper is dedicated to the memory of Toni Rosell, a challenging researcher and colleague who left us in his prime. The author is grateful for the comments by three anonymous reviewers. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. References 1. Rull, V. Strong Fuzzy EHLFS: A general conceptual framework to address past records of environmental, ecological and cultural change. Quaternary 2018, 1, 10. [CrossRef] 2. Camps, J.; Gonzalvo, I.; Güell, J.; López, P.; Tejero, A.; Toldrà, X.; Vallespinós, F.; Vocens, M. El Lago de Montcortès, descripción de un ciclo annual. Oecol. Aquat. 1976, 2, 99–110. 3. Modamio, X.; Pérez, V.; Samarra, F. Limnología del lago de Montcortès. Oecol. Aquat. 1988, 9, 9–17. 4. Valero-Garcés, B.; Moreno, A. Iberian lacustrine sediment records: Responses to past and recent global changes in the mediter- ranean region. J. Paleolimnol. 2011, 46, 319–325. [CrossRef] 5. Corella, J.P.; Brauer, A.; Mangili, C.; Rull, V.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; Morellón, M.; Valero-Garcés, B.L. The 1.5-ka varved record of Lake Montcortès (Southern Pyrenees, NE Spain). Quat. Res. 2012, 78, 323–332. [CrossRef] 6. Corella, J.P.; Benito, G.; Rodríguez-Lloveras, X.; Brauer, A.; Valero-Garcés, B.L. Annually resolved lake record of extreme hydro-meteorological events since AD 1347 in NE Iberian Peninsula. Quat. Sci. Rev. 2014, 93, 77–90. [CrossRef] 7. Corella, J.P.; Valero-Garcés, B.L.; Vicente-Serrano, S.M.; Brauer, A.; Benito, G. Three millennia of heavy rainfalls in Western Mediterranean: Frequency, seasonality and atmospheric drivers. Sci. Rep. 2016, 6, 38206. [CrossRef] 8. Corella, J.P.; Benito, G.; Wilhelm, B.; Montoya, E.; Rull, V.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; Valero-Garcés, B.L. A millennium-long perspective of flood-related seasonal sediment yield in Mediterranean watersheds. Glob. Planet. Change 2019, 177, 127–140. [CrossRef] 9. Rull, V.; Trapote, M.C.; Safont, E.; Cañellas-Bolta, N.; Pérez-Zanón, N.; Sigró, J.; Buchaca, T.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. Seasonal patterns of pollen sedimentation in Lake Montcortès (Central Pyrenees) and potential applications to high-resolution paleoecology: A 2-year pilot study. J. Paleolimnol. 2017, 57, 95–108. [CrossRef] 10. Rull, V.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; Corella, J.P.; Valero-Garcés, B. Bronze Age to Medieval vegetation dynamics and landscape anthropization in the southern-central Pyrenees. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 2021, 571, 110392. [CrossRef] 11. Rull, V.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; Corella, J.P.; Trapote, M.C.; Montoya, E.; Valero-Garcés, B. A unique Pyrenean varved record provides a detailed reconstruction of Mediterranean vegetation and land-use dynamics over the last three millennia. Quat. Sci. Rev. 2021, 268, 107128. [CrossRef] 12. Trapote, M.C.; Rull, V.; Giralt, S.; Corella, J.P.; Montoya, E.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. High-resolution (sub-decadal) pollen analysis of varved sediments from Lake Montcortès (southern Pyrenean flank): A fine-tuned record of landscape dynamics and human impact during the last 500 years. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 2018, 259, 207–222. [CrossRef] 13. Trapote, M.C.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; López, P.; Puche, E.; Gomà, J.; Buchaca, T.; Cañellas-Boltà, N.; Safont, E.; Corella, J.P.; Rull, V. Modern sedimentary analogues and integrated monitoring to understand varve formation in the Mediterranean Lake Montcortès (Central Pyrenees, Spain). Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 2018, 496, 292–304. [CrossRef] 14. Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; Corella, J.P.; Pérez-Zanón, N.; Buchaca, T.; Trapote, M.C.; López, P.; Sigró, J.; Rull, V. Historical shifts in oxygenation regime as recorded in the laminated sediments of lake Montcortès (Central Pyrenees) support hypoxia as a continental-scale phenomenon. Sci. Total Environ. 2018, 612, 1577–1592. [CrossRef] 15. Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; Rull, V.; Trapote, M.C.; Cao, M.; Rosell-Melé, A.; Buchaca, T.; Gomà, J.; López, P.; Sigró, J.; Safont, E.; et al. Modern analogue approach applied to high-resolution varved sediments—A synthesis for Lake Montcortès (Central Pyrenees). Quaternary 2020, 3, 1. [CrossRef] 16. Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; Corella, J.P.; Sigró, J.; Rull, V.; Dorado-Liñán, I.; Valero-Garcés, B.L.; Gutiérrez, E. Regional precipitation trends since 1500 CE, as reconstructed from calcite sublayers of a varved Mediterranean lake record (central Pyrenees). Sci. Total Environ. 2022, 826, 153773. [CrossRef] 17. Catalan, J. L’Obra Hidràulica en els Pirineus: Avaluació, Correcció i Prevenció de l’Impacte Mediambiental. El Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici; Fundació La Caixa: Girona, Spain, 1997. 18. Camarero, J.J.; Garcés-Pastor, S.; Gutiérrez, E.; Rull, V.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; Cañellas-Boltà, N.; Sangüesa, G.; Trapote, M.C.; Clavaguera, A.; Calero, M.A.; et al. Reconstruyendo la Historia de los Bosques Pirenaicos. Proyectos de Investigación en Parques Nacionales: 2011–2014; Ministerio de Agricultura y Pesca, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente: Madrid, Spain, 2016; pp. 141–156. 19. Calero, M.A.; Valero-Garcés, B.; Rull, V.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T.; Garcés, S.; López-Vila, J.; Camarero, J.J. El registro sedimentario del lago sant maurici (Pirineos Centrales). Geogaceta 2016, 59, 11–14. 20. Rull, V.; Cañellas-Boltà, N.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. Kate-Holocene forest resilience in the central Pyrenean highlands as deduced from pollen analysis of Lake Sant Maurici sediments. Holocene 2021, 31, 1797–1803. [CrossRef] 21. Blasco, A.; Rull, V.; Calero, M.A.; Cañellas-Boltà, N.; Garcés-Pastor, S.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. LACEN: Llacs Sentinellas de Canvi Global en els Parcs Nacionals: Anàlisi Multidiciplinari dels Últims 6000 Anys; XII Jornades sobre Recerca al Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici: Espot, Spain, 2022; pp. 47–52. 22. Calero, M.A.; Schulte, L.; Rull, V.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. 2022. Profunditat de l’Estany de Sant Maurici abans de L’any 1953; XII Jornades de Recerca al Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici: Espot, Spain, 2021; pp. 53–56. Quaternary 2023, 6, 42 9 of 9 23. Roure, J.M. El Análisis Polínico. Su Aplicación en la Reconstrucción de la Historia Reciente del Paisaje Vegetal. Ph.D. Thesis, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain, 1982. 24. Garcés-Pastor, S.; Cañellas-Boltà, N.; Clavaguera, A.; Calero, M.A.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. Vegetation shifts, human impact and peat bog development in Bassa Nera pond (Central Pyrenees) during the last millennium. Holocene 2016, 27, 553–565. [CrossRef] 25. Garcés-Pastor, S.; Cañellas-Boltà, N.; Pèlachs, A.; Soriano, J.M.; Pérez-Obiol, R.; Pérez-Haase, A.; Calero, M.A.; Andreu, O.; Escolà, N.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. Environmental history and vegetation dynamics in response to climate variations and human pressure during the Holocene in Bassa Nera, Central Pyrenees. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclim. Palaeoecol. 2017, 479, 48–60. [CrossRef] 26. Rull, V.; Blasco, A.; Calero, M.A.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. A continuous centennial Lateglacial-Early Holocene (15-10 cal kyr BP) palynological record from the Iberian Pyrenees and regional comparisons. BioRxiv 2023. [CrossRef] 27. Rull, V.; González-Sampériz, P.; Corella, J.P.; Morellón, M.; Giralt, S. Vegetation changes in the southern Pyrenean flank during the last millennium in relation to climate and human activities: The Montcortès lacustrine record. J. Paleolimnol. 2011, 46, 387–404. [CrossRef] 28. Rull, V.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. Preliminary report on a mid-19th century Cannabis pollen peak in NE Spain: Historical context and potential chronological significance. Holocene 2014, 24, 1378–1383. [CrossRef] 29. Rull, V.; Burjachs, F.; Carrión, J.S.; Ejarque, A.; Fernández, S.; López-Sáez, J.A.; Luelmo-Lautenschlaeger, R.; Ochando, J.; Pérez-Díaz, S.; Revelles, J.; et al. Historical biogeography of Cannabis in the Iberian Peninsula: A probabilistic approach using palynological evidence. Persp. Plant Ecol. Evol. Syst. 2023, 58, 125704. [CrossRef] 30. Rull, V.; Sacristan-Soriano, O.; Sánchez-Melsió, A.; Borrego, C.M.; Vegas-Vilarrúbia, T. Bacterial phylogenetic markers in lake sediments provide evidence for historical hemp retting. Quat. Sci. Rev. 2022, 295, 107803. [CrossRef] Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.