Flandrian Environmental History of the Isle of Mull, Scotland

Abstract

SUMMARYPollen percentage and pollen concentration data are described from an infilled basin within a Loch Lomond Stadial end moraine at Gribun on the west coast of the Isle of Mull, Inner Hebrides, Scotland. The pollen profile, which is over 13 m deep, spans most of the Flandrian stage and constitutes one of the most detailed records of post-glacial vegetational change for any area in northern Britain. Nine local pollen assemblage zones and five pollen concentration zones are identified in the pollen diagrams, and these can be correlated with hiozones recognized in other profiles on Mull. In general, the data from Gribun confirm the spatial and temporal patterns of Flandrian vegetational developments that have been suggested by these earlier studies. However, the high level of biostratigraphic resolution within the Grihun profile places these palaeobotanical and associated reconstructions on a more secure footing, and it is therefore proposed that Gribun be considered as the type site for the Flandrian stage in this area of western Scotland.

Glacier response to climatic change during the Loch Lomond Stadial and early Flandrian: Geomorphological and palynological evidence from the Isle of Skye, Scotland

“…Potamogeton, Equisetum and Menyanthes). This pattern also occurs in the Druim Loch and Loch Ashik profiles from Skye (Walker and Lowe, 19901, and the Loch an t-Suidhe, Mishnish and Gribun profiles from the Isle of Mull, some 90 km south of central Skye (Lowe and Walker, 1986b;Walker and Lowe, 1987 changes in water quality, the recurrent pattern at several sites in stratigraphic association with the Juniperus rise suggests that it is the result of regional climatic forcing. One possibility is that the changes in aquatic flora reflect rising temperatures and associated falling water levels.…”

Woodland biodiversity, palaeo‐human ecology and some implications for conservation management

“…1 are more an artefact of the frequency of investigations than the natural variability of the woodlands. For example, the woodlands of both Skye and Mull are able to be sensitively depicted with relation to mountainous areas through the detailed work of Vasari & Vasari (1968) and Birks & Williams (1983) on Skye & of Lowe & Walker (1986; Walker & Lowe, 1985; 1987) on Mull. Other areas are far less favoured by research.…”