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- Title
FLANDRIAN VEGETATIONAL HISTORY OF LITTLE LOCH ROAG, ISLE OF LEWIS, SCOTLAND.
- Authors
Birks, H.J.B.; Madsen, Barbara J.
- Abstract
(1) The present environment and the treeless landscape of the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, are described, and the existing data on the vegetational history of the Outer Hebrides are briefly reviewed. (2) The present vegetation, sediment lithology, radiocarbon dating and pollen stratigraphy of a valley mire at the south end of Little Loch Roag, Lewis, are described. The pollen sequence studied extends from the present day to 9140 ± 140 B.P. Three local pollen zones with three subzones are delimited on the basis of numerical-zonation procedures. (3) The vegetational history of the environs of Little Loch Roag is reconstructed The most striking feature is the absence of any forest development throughout the Flandrian, presumably as a result of intensive exposure to westerly gales. (4) Prior to 5000 B.P. the vegetation appears to have been a mosaic of grassland. heath, and tall-herb communities with wallows and ferns, and with occasional birch and hazel copses in locally favourable situations. In the last 4000 years, human activities appear to have favoured the expansion of heather moor, the reduction of willow scrub and tall-herb communities, and the spread of grassland and pasture.
- Subjects
LEWIS with Harris Island (Scotland); WESTERN Isles (Scotland); SCOTLAND; ECOLOGY; VEGETATION &; climate
- Publication
Journal of Ecology, 1979, Vol 67, Issue 3, p825
- ISSN
0022-0477
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/2259217