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Prehistoric Pinus woodland dynamics in an upland landscape in northern Scotland: the roles of climate change and human impact

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Abstract

Pollen, microscopic charcoal, palaeohydrological and dendrochronological analyses are applied to a radiocarbon and tephrochronologically dated mid Holocene (ca. 8500–3000 cal b.p.) peat sequence with abundant fossil Pinus (pine) wood. The Pinus populations on peat fluctuated considerably over the period in question. Colonisation by Pinus from ca. 7900–7600 cal b.p. appears to have had no specific environmental trigger; it was probably determined by the rate of migration from particular populations. The second phase, at ca. 5000–4400 cal b.p., was facilitated by anthropogenic interference that reduced competition from other trees. The pollen record shows two Pinus declines. The first at ca. 6200–5500 cal b.p. was caused by a series of rapid and frequent climatic shifts. The second, the so-called pine decline, was very gradual (ca. 4200–3300 cal b.p.) at Loch Farlary and may not have been related to climate change as is often supposed. Low intensity but sustained grazing pressures were more important. Throughout the mid Holocene, the frequency and intensity of burning in these open Pinus–Calluna woods were probably highly sensitive to hydrological (climatic) change. Axe marks on several trees are related to the mid to late Bronze Age, i.e., long after the trees had died.

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Acknowledgments

The awareness and interest in the finds of the peat cutter, Bruce Field, is much appreciated, as is access willingly given by the Sutherland Estate through its factor, Christopher Whealing. We thank colleagues at Historic Scotland (HS) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) for financial support, including Terry Keatinge (SNH), Richard Hingley, Sarah Govan and Noel Fojut (HS). HS funded the 14C assays, and particular thanks go to Gordon Cook and his staff at the SURRC 14C Laboratory, Glasgow University, to staff at the AMS 14C facility at the University of Arizona (Tucson), and to Darden Hood and his team at Beta Analytic Inc. (Florida) for the 14C dates. Fieldwork support was given by Heather Binney, Stuart Bradley, Gary Odd, Helen Shaw, Dave Shirley and Melanie Smith. Dulcie Blake assisted with pollen analysis and Martin Bridge supported the dendrochronological work. Additional laboratory support was provided by Helen Ewen and Peter Hill, and David Aitcheson and Bill Jamieson helped with cartography. As this is a multi-author study, we indicate who did what: Patrick Ashmore assessed the 14C data; Althea Davies was the pollen analyst; Andrew Haggart helped coordinate the programme and conducted much of the fieldwork; Andrew Moir provided dendrochronological analyses; Anthony Newton analysed tephras; Robert Sands analysed the tool marks; Theo Skinner provided expertise in wood conservation; Eileen Tisdall was responsible for the humification analyses. Richard Tipping attempted to make sense of the data. The authors are very grateful to Michael O’Connell, Peter Moore and Kevin Edwards for comments on an earlier draft.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Stirling University, FK9 4LA, Stirling, Scotland, UK

    Richard Tipping, Althea L. Davies & Eileen Tisdall

  2. Historic Scotland, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, EH9 1SH, Edinburgh, Scotland

    Patrick Ashmore

  3. Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich at Medway, Central Avenue, ME4 4TB, Chatham Maritime, England

    B. Andrew Haggart

  4. Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, Middlesex, England

    Andrew Moir

  5. School of GeoSciences, The Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, The King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, EH9 3JW, Edinburgh, Scotland

    Anthony Newton

  6. School of Archaeology, Newman Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Robert Sands

  7. National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, EH1 1JF, Edinburgh, Scotland

    Theo Skinner

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  1. Richard Tipping
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  2. Patrick Ashmore
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  9. Eileen Tisdall
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Correspondence to Richard Tipping.

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Communicated by M. O'Connell.

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Tipping, R., Ashmore, P., Davies, A.L. et al. Prehistoric Pinus woodland dynamics in an upland landscape in northern Scotland: the roles of climate change and human impact. Veget Hist Archaeobot 17, 251–267 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-007-0120-z

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