Studies IN THE VEGETATIONAL HISTORY OF SCOTLAND

Abstract

SUMMARYThis paper describes palaeoecological studies at Abernethy Forest by means of pollen and macrofossil analysis and radiocarbon dating. It also illustrates the value of stratigraphic macrofossil analysis in conjunction with pollen analysis in increasing the range and detail of palaeoecological reconstructions of past vegetation and environment.A new, large diameter core from Abernethy Forest was radiocarbon dated, and the presence of Late Devensian sediments was confirmed. Clear vegetational changes were recorded. A pioneer grass‐sedge vegetation colonized the bare moraine. It developed into a shrub tundra, dominated by Empetrum and Be tula nana as a result of the climatic warming during Allerød time. The Younger Dryas climatic deterioration led to the formation of species‐rich open vegetation, in which Artemisia was very abundant.At the opening of the Flandrian, at about 9700 B.P., Juniperus and Betula nana scrub developed, which was later colonized by tree Betula and then Corylus. From about 7225 B.P. Pinus dominated the forest.Throughout, the specific determinations and local derivation of macrofossils enhanced the reconstruction of the upland vegetation. In addition, macrofossils provided the majority of the evidence for the progression of the hydrosere through lake to bog communities.The complementary nature of pollen and macrofossil analyses from the same core is emphasized by a direct comparison of seed and pollen influxes.