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The Baltic Sea region in the climate change of the last 1000 years Sebastian Luening, paleogeologist diekaltesonne.de Announcement of the first "Warnemünde evening" on July 5, 2018, 6:30 pm Markus Meier, Head of the Section "Physical Oceanography" of the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), reports on how historical findings provide information about climatic fluctuations in the Baltic Sea region and what can be expected on the basis of these findings for the future. The events take place in the large lecture hall of the IOW, Seestraße 15, in Warnemünde. Start is 18:30, admission is free. In the Baltic Sea region, there have been demonstrable major climatic fluctuations over the last 1000 years. Warm and colder periods alternated, with major consequences for the lives of plants, animals and humans. During the "medieval warm period" between 950 and 1250 AD, the northern hemisphere, including the Baltic Sea region, had higherthan-average temperatures compared to the periods before and after. At that time Greenland ("grassland") was settled by the Vikings, who ran livestock and arable farming there. At the beginning of the 13th century, Cistercian monks even brought viticulture to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, to Güstrow, Schwerin and Neukloster, to name just two historical events that may be related to warming. In the following centuries, from 1300 to 1900, the temperatures in the northern hemisphere were very low. Therefore, this period is also described as a "little ice age". The climatic changes in the last 1000 years, which are evidenced by historical records and so-called proxy data, also had an impact on the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea. It is believed that the spread of dead seabed due to lack of oxygen during the "medieval warm period" was favored by the high temperatures. As we enter into a new warm season today, these historical findings may provide insight into what we can expect in the future for the Baltic Sea ecosystem. Therefore, intensive research is being conducted to better understand the effects of past climate variability on the Baltic and other oceans.
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