Skip to main content

Abstract

The downturn in temperature in the late medieval period is likely to have had significant impact upon insect distribution. Despite the amount of study fossil insect faunas have been afforded, there is presently little convincing evidence of climatic, rather than human impact upon faunas during the “Little Ice Age”. This probably reflects as much the paucity of suitable sites, as the overarching scale of habitat destruction by Man.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Addyman, P. V., Hood, J. S. R., Kenward, H. K., MacGregor, A. and Williams, D.: 1976, Palaeoclimate in urban environmental archaeology at York, England: problems and potential. World Archaeol. 8, 220–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amorosi, T., Buckland, P. C., Olafsson, G., Sadler, J. P., and Skidmore, P.: 1992, Site status and the palaeoecological record: a discussion of the results from Bessastaòir, Iceland, in: Morris C. D. and Rackham, D. J. (eds.) Norse and later settlement and subsistence in the North Atlantic. Glasgow, Dept. of Archaeology, University of Glasgow, pp. 169–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amorosi, T., Buckland, P. C., Edwards, K. J., Mainland, I., McGovern, T. H., Sadler, J. P. and Skidmore, P. (1998) They did not live by grass alone: the politics and palaeoecology of fodder on the North Atlantic islands. Environmental Archaeology 1, 41–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashworth, A. C.: 1996, The response of beetles to Quaternary climatic changes, in: Huntley, B., Cramer, W., Morgan, A. V., Prentice, H. C. and Allen, J R. M. (eds.) Past and future rapid environmental changes: the spatial and evolutionary response of terrestrial biota, Berlin, Springer, pp. 119–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson, T. C., Briffa, K. R., Coope, G. R., Joachim, J. M. and Perry, D. W.: 1986, Climatic calibration of coleopteran data, in: Berglund, B. E. (ed.) Handbook of Holocene Palaeoecology and Palaeohydrology, Chichester, J. Wiley and Son. pp. 851–858.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, R. G., Schwert, D. P., Bettis III, E. A., and Chumbley, C. A.: 1993, Impact of EuroAmerican settlement on a riparian landscape in northeast Iowa, midwestern USA: an integrated approach based on historical evidence, floodplain sediments, fossil pollen, plant macrofossils and insects. The Holocene 3, 314–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baraud, J.: 1977, Coléoptères Scarabaeoidea. Faune de l’Europe occidentale. Belgique, France, Grande Bretagne, Italie, Péninsule Ibérique. Nouvelle Revue d’Entomologie, Suppl. VII, 1. Toulouse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biström, O., Silfverberg, H. and Rutanen, I.: 1991, Abundance and distribution of coprophilous Histerini (Histeridae) and Onthophagus and Aphodius (Scarabaeidae) in Finland (Coleoptera). Entomologica Fennica 2, 53–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop, W. W. and Coope, G. R.: 1977, Stratigraphical and faunal Evidence for Lateglacial and Early Flandrian environments in South-West Scotland, in: Gray, J. M. and Lowe, J. J. (eds.) Studies in the Scottish Lateglacial Environment, Oxford, Pergamon. pp. 61–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Böcher, J.: 1988, The Coleoptera of Greenland. Meddelelser om Gronland, Biosciences, 26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Böcher, J.: 1998, Insect remains from Asumiut, in: Arneborg, J. and Gullev, H. C. (eds.) Man, Culture and Environment in Ancient Greenland, Copenhagen, Danish National Museum and Danish Polar Centre. pp. 133–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Böcher, J. and Bennike, O.: 1996, Early Holocene insect and plant remains from Jameson Land, East Greenland. Boreas 25, 187–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Böcher, J. and Fredskild, B.: 1993, Plant and arthropod remains from the palaeo-Eskimo site on Qeqertasussuk, West Greenland. Meddelelser om Gronland, Geoscience, 30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, S. J., Mayle, F. E. and Lowe, J. J.: 1997, The Late Devensian Lateglacial palaeoenvironmental record from Whitrig Bog, SE Scotland. 2. Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera). Boreas 26, 297–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C.: 1975, Synanthropy and the deathwatch: a discussion. Naturalist (Hull), 100 (no. 933) 37–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C.: 1979, Thorne Moors: a palaeoecological study of a Bronze Age site (a contribution to the history of the British insect fauna). Birmingham, University of Birmingham, Department of Geography Occasional Publication 8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C.: 1981, Insect remains from beneath the Brigg `Raft’, in: S. McGrail (ed.) The Brigg ‘Raft’ and her prehistoric environment, Oxford, British Archaeological Reports, 89, pp. 155–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C.: 1988, North Atlantic faunal connections-introduction or endemics? Entomologica Scandinavica Suppl. 32, 7–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C.: 1990, Granaries stores and insects. The archaeology of insect synanthropy, in: Fournier, D. and Sigaut, F. (eds.) La préparation alimentaire des céréales, Rapports présentés à la Table ronde, Ravello au Centre Universitaire pour les Biens culturels, avril 1988. Rixensart, PACT. pp. 69–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C., Buckland, P. I. and Skidmore, P.: 1998, Insect remains from GUS: an interim report, in Arneborg, J. and Gullov, H. C. (eds.) Man, Culture and Environment in Ancient Greenland, Copenhagen, Danish National Museum and Danish Polar Centre. pp. 74–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C. and Coope, G. R.: 1991, A Bibliography and Literature Review of Quaternary Entomology. Sheffield, John Collis Publications, University of Sheffield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P.C. and Dinnin, M. J.: 1993, Holocene Woodlands: the Fossil Insect Evidence, in: Kirby, K. and Drake, C. M. (eds.) Dead wood matters: the ecology and conservation of saproxylic invertebrates in Britain, Peterborough, English Nature Science 7, 6–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C. and Dinnin, M. H.: 1998, Insect faunas at Landnâm: a palaeoentomological study at Tjarnuvík, Streymoy, Faroe Islands. Fróôskaparrit, 46, 277–286.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C., Edwards, K. J. and Sadler, J. P.: 1998, Early Holocene investigations at Saksunardalur and the origins of the Faroese biota. Fróóskaparrit, 46, 259–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C., Gerrard, A. J., Larsen, G., Perry, D. W., Savory, D. R. and Sveinbjarnardóttir, G.: 1986, Late Holocene Palaeoecology at Ketilsstaòir in Mÿrdalur, South Iceland. Jäkull, 36, 4155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C. and Kenward, H. K.: 1973, Thorne Moor: a palaeoecological study of a Bronze Age site. Nature (London) 241, 405–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C., Perry, D. and Sveinbjarnardóttir, G.: 1983, Hydraena britteni Joy (Coleoptera, Hydraenidae) fundin a Íslandi í setlógum fra pvl seint a nútima. Nktttlrufrædingurinn 52, 3744.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckland, P. C. and Sadler, J. P.: 1997, Insects, in: Edwards, K.J. and Ralston, I.B.M. (eds.) Scotland Environment and Archaeology 8, 000 BC to AD 1000, Chichester, J. Wiley Sons. pp. 105–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Constantine, B.: 1994, Dorcus parallelipipedus (L.) (Col., Lucanidae) in East Yorkshire. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 130, 62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coope, G. R., Dickson, J. H., McCutcheon, J. A. and Mitchell, G. F.: 1979, The Lateglacial and

    Google Scholar 

  • Early Postglacial Deposit at Drumurcher, Co. Monaghan. Proc. Royal Irish Acad. 79, 63–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinnin, M. H.: 1991, The sub-fossil occurrence of the Greater Silver Water-Beetle Hydrophilus piceus (L.) at Shirley Pool, South Yorkshire. Naturalist (Hull) 116, 57–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dugmore, A. J. and Buckland, P. C.: 1991, Tephrochronology and Late Holocene Soil Erosion in South Iceland, in: Maize’s, J. K. and Caseldine, C. (eds.) Environmental Change in Iceland: Past and Present. Dordtrecht, Kluwer Academic Press. pp. 147–160.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Elias, S. A.: 1994, Quaternary Insects and Their Environments. Washington, Smithsonian Institution Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elias, S. A.: 1996, Late Pleistocene and Holocene seasonal temperatures reconstructed from fossil beetle assemblages in the Rocky Mountains. Quaternary Research 46, 311–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fridriksson, S.: 1972, Grass and grass utilisation in Iceland. Ecology 53, 785–796.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girling, M. A.: 1981, The environmental evidence, in: Mellor, J. E. and Pearce, T., The Austin Friars, Leicester, London, Council for British Archaeology, Research Report 35, 169–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Girling, M. A.: 1984, A Little Ice Age extinction of a water beetle from Britain. Boreas, 13, 1–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grove, J.: 1988, The Little Ice Age. London, Methuen.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, A. R., Kenward, H. K., Williams, D. and Greig, J. R. A.: 1983, Environment and Living Conditions at Two Anglo-Scandinavian Sites. Archaeology of York, 14/4. London, Council for British Archaeology for York Archaeological Trust.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, P. M.: 1974, Changes in the British coleopterous fauna, in: Hawksworth, D. L. (ed.) The changing flora and fauna of Britain, London, Academic Press, Systematics Association Special Volume 6. pp. 323–369.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hellqvist, M. and Lemdahl, G.: 1996, Insect assemblages and local environment in the mediaeval town of Uppsala, Sweden. J. Archaeol. Sci. 23, 873–881.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holmén, M.: 1987, The Aquatic Adephaga (Coleoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. 1. Gyrinidae, Haliplidae, Hygrobiidae and Noteridae. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica, 20. Leiden, E.J.Brill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horion, A.: 1956, Faunistik der mitteleuropäischen Käfer. VI: Lamellicornia (ScarabaeidaeLucanidae). Überlingen, A. Freyel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hurka, K.: 1996, Carabidae of the Czech and Slovak Republics. Zlín, Kabourek.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyman, P. S.: 1992, A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of Great Britain, Part 1 ( Revised and updated by M.S.Parsons). Peterborough, UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyman, P. S.: 1994, A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of Great Britain, Part 2 ( Revised and updated by M.S.Parsons). Peterborough, UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessen, K. and Rasmussen, R.: 1922, Et profil gennem en Torvemose paa Faeroerne. Danmarks geologiske undersogelse, 4R. 1, nr. 13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenward, H. K.: 1975, The biological and archaeological implications of the beetle Aglenus brunneus (Gyllenhall) in ancient faunas. J. Archaeol. Sci. 2, 63–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kenward, H. K. and Hall, A. R.: 1995, Biological evidence from 16–22 Coppergate. Archaeology of York, 14/7. York, Council for British Archaeology for York Archaeological Trust.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koch, K.: 1989a, Die Käfer Mitteleuropas. Ökologie, 1. Krefeld,. Goecke and Evers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koch, K.: 1989b, Die Käfer Mitteleuropas. Ökologie,2. Krefeld,.Goecke and Evers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landin, B.-O.: 1961, Ecological studies on dung-beetles. Opuscula Entomologica, Suppl. 19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsson, S.G. and Gigja, G.: 1959, Coleoptera. Zoology ofIceland 43a. Copenhagen, Munksgaard.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lemdahl, G. and Thelaus, M.: 1989, Subfossila skalbaggsfynd fríln medeltida Halmstad. Entomologiske Tids. 110, 39–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindroth, C.H.: 1986, The Carabidae (Coleoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica 15,2. Leiden/Copenhagen, E.J.BrilllScandinavian Science Press Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowe, J. J., Coope, G. R., Sheldrake, C., Harkness, D. D. and Walker, M. J. C.: 1995, Direct comparison of UK temperatures and Greenland snow accumulation rates, 15000–12000 yr ago. J. Quat. Sci. 10, 175–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luff, M. L.: 1998, Provisional atlas of the ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) of Britain. Abbots Ripton, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Biological Records Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGovern, T. H., Buckland, P. C., Savory, D., Sveinbjarnardottir, G., Andreasen, C. and Skidmore, P.: 1983, A Study of the Faunal and Floral Remains from Two Norse Farms in the Western Settlement, Greenland. Arctic Anthropol. 20, 93–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogilvie, A. E. J.: 1984, The impact of climate on grass growth and hay yield in Iceland. A.D. 1601 to 1780, in: Climate changes on a yearly to millennial basis (eds Muter N.-A. and Karlén, W. ), Reidel, Dordrecht, 343–352.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, P. J.: 1965, The effect of forest clearance on the distribution of the British Insect fauna. Proc. XII International Cong. Entomol. London, 1964, pp. 466–457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, P. J.: 1969, An insect fauna of Late Bronze Age date from Wilsford, Wiltshire. J. Anim. Ecol. 38, 555–566.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, P. J.: 1974, Airaphilus elongatus (Gyll.) (Col., Cucujidae) present in Britain in Roman times. Entomologist’s monthly Magazine 109, 239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, P. J.: 1976, Evidence from the insects of climatic variations during the Flandrian period a preliminary note. World Archaeol. 8, 150–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, P. J.: 1988, A Late Bronze Age insect fauna from the River Avon, Warwickshire, England: its implications for the terrestrial and fluvial environment and for climate. J. Archaeol. Sci. 15, 715–727.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, P. J. (1989) Insects, in: Ashbee, P., Bell, M. and Proudfoot, E., Wilsford Shaft. Excavations 1960–62, English Heritage, London, pp. 96–99 + fiche C1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, P. J.: 1996, An insect fauna of Roman date from Stourport, Worcestershire, U. K., and its environmental implications. Circaea, The Journal of the Association for Environmental Archaeology 2, 183–189.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, P. J.: 1997, Insects, Man and climate in the British Holocene, in: Ashworth, A.C., Buckland, P.C. and Sadler, J.P. (eds.) Studies in Quaternary entomology-an inordinate fondness for insects. Quat. Proc. 5, 193–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponel, P., De Beaulieu, J.-L. and Tobolski, K.: 1992, Holocene palaeoenvironments at the timberline in the Taillefer Massif, French Alps: a study of pollen, plant macrofossils and fossil insects. The Holocene 2, 117–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponel, P. and Richoux, P.: 1997, Difficultés d’interprétation des assemblages de Coléoptères fossiles Quaternaires en milieu d’altitude. GEOBIOS 21, 213–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadler, J. P.: 1991, Beetles, boats and biogeography. Acta Archaeologica 61, 199–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwert, D. P. and Ashworth, A. C.: 1985, Fossil evidence for Late Holocene faunal stability in southern Minnesota (Coleoptera). The Coleopterists’ Bulletin 39, 67–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shirt, D.B. (ed.): 1987, British Red Data Books. 2. Insects. Peterborough, Nature Conservancy Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sudell, T. L.: 1990, The insects from Well 1, in: Wrathmell, S. and Nicholson, A. (eds.), Dalton Parlours: Iron Age settlement and Roman Villa Site, Yorkshire Archaeology 3, 267–271. Wakefield, West Yorkshire Archaeology Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, P. E.: 1997, Human impact or cooling climate? The “Little Ice Age” and the beetle fauna of the British Isles, in: Ashworth, A. C., Buckland, P. C. and Sadler, J. P. (eds.) Studies in Quaternary entomology-an inordinate fondness for insects. Quat. Proc. 5, 269–276.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welch, R.C.: 1968, Acritus homeopathicus Woll. (Col., Histeridae) in Huntingdonshire. Entomologist’s monthly Magazine 104, 122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead, P.: 1996, The notable arboreal Coleoptera of Bredon Hill, Worcestershire, England. The Coleopterist 5, 45–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehouse, N. J.: 1997, Silent witnesses: an Urwald’ fossil insect assemblage from Thorne Moors. Thorne and Hatfield Moors Papers 4, 19–54.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Buckland, P.C., Wagner, P.E. (2001). Is There an Insect Signal for the “Little Ice Age”?. In: Ogilvie, A.E.J., Jónsson, T. (eds) The Iceberg in the Mist: Northern Research in pursuit of a “Little Ice Age”. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3352-6_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3352-6_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5644-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-3352-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics