Holocene landscape change at Carn Dubh,near Pitlochry,Perthshire, Scotland |
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| Authors: | Richard Tipping |
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| Abstract: | Detailed palynological analyses, including pollen preservation and charcoal counts, and sedimentological analyses (loss-on-ignition, percentage dry weight, dry bulk density and humification), supported by 15 14C dates, were applied to a small upland (350 m OD) peat basin near Pitlochry, east-central Grampians, Scotland. Stratigraphical analyses and radiocarbon dating were also undertaken on the valley peat surrounding the basin. Organic sediment began to accumulate in the basin and on the valley floor at ca. 9800 yr BP. ‘Recurrence surfaces’ within the valley floor peat correlate with the end of a trend to increased aridity in the deep basin, from 8900 to 8500 yr BP. Pine may have colonised the hills, with birch, before the migration of hazel at 9150 yr BP. From around 8000 yr BP elm grew on the base-rich soils. Alder may have been present by 7000 yr BP but it did not expand until immediately after the first major anthropogenic disturbance, at 4800 yr BP. Above 8000 yr BP silt was commonly deposited in the basin by streams, but several phases of exceptionally intense inwashing are identified, and at least two of these correlate with periods of increased precipitation. Grazing pressure during the elm decline marks the beginning of a long history of generally low intensity pastoralism, interspersed with periods of heightened anthropogenic activity. |
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| Keywords: | Holocene pollen analyses peat inception peat stratigraphy soil erosion climatic change anthropogenic activity |
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