Development of a Neolithic pine tree‐ring chronology for northern Scotland

Abstract

The peatlands of northern Scotland (one of the largest and most intact areas of blanket bog in the world) contain a rare widespread horizon of subfossil pine in stratigraphic context. Eighteen bog pine from three new sites are incorporated into a mean Neolithic pine chronology now composed of subfossil pine from 12 sites, which is tree‐ring‐dated against Irish bog pine chronologies to span 3198–2757 BC. Germination and peaks of radial growth infer drier conditions between 3199 and 3130 BC. Dying‐off phases and depression of growth reflect a change to wetter conditions between 3023 and 3002 BC and a terminal decline of pine between 2809 and 2782 BC. The close synchronization of germination/die‐off phases and major ring‐width variations between sites across this region indicates that the environmental changes are probably triggered by climate change. Twenty‐four bog pine samples remain unmatched. Future multi‐discipline research into this important example of climatic change at the Neolithic/Bronze Age transition is recommended. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Depositional history of peatland pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) in NW Enontekiö, Finnish Lapland: implications for Middle Holocene drought and temperature fluctuations

“…Subfossil pinewood samples are routinely dated using 14 C and/or dendrochronological methods and their assemblages explored for depositional histories indicative of long-term (low-frequency) climatic variability and peatland development (Leuschner et al 2007;Eckstein et al 2009;Moir et al 2010;Edvardsson et al 2016bEdvardsson et al , 2022Achterberg et al 2018). Moreover, tree-ring growth and isotopic patterns measured from subfossil pinewood can reveal the conditions under which the trees once grew and provide dendrochronologists with information on abrupt changes in climate (Grudd et al 2000;Leuschner et al 2002;Moir 2012;Edvardsson et al 2014a, b;Torbenson et al 2015).…”

Bog Pine and Deciduous Trees Chronologies Related to Peat Sequences Stratigraphy of the Podemszczyzna Peatland (Sandomierz Basin, Southeastern Poland)

“…The samples were subjected to ignition in a muffle furnace at 550ºC according to the procedure of Heiri et al (2001). (Leuschner et al 2007;Eckstein et al 2011;Achterberg et al 2018); 2-the Netherlands (Jansma 1996;Sass-Klassen and Hanraets 2006); 3-England (Lageard et al 1999(Lageard et al , 2000; 4-Scotland (Moir et al 2010;Moir 2012); 5-Ireland (Pilcher et al 1995;Torbenson et al 2015); 6-Denmark (Edvardsson et al 2016b); 7-Sweden (Edvardsson 2010;Edvardsson et al 2012aEdvardsson et al , 2012b; 8-Finland (Helama et al 2004(Helama et al , 2020; 9-Lithuania (Pukienè 2001;Edvardsson et al 2016a); 10-Alps (Pinus cembra) (Nicolussi et al 2005(Nicolussi et al , 2009; 11-Southern Carpathians (stone Pine) (Árvai et al 2016). Sites in Polish territory (bog pines and oak): 12-Rucianka (Barniak et al 2014); 13-Imszar (Margielewski et al 2022a); 14-Puścizna Wielka 15-Podemszczyzna (this study).…”

“…Up to now, the numerous dendrochronological studies of pine and oak trees have been carried out in peatlands of Germany (Leuschner et al 2002(Leuschner et al , 2007Eckstein et al 2008Eckstein et al , 2010Eckstein et al , 2011Achterberg et al 2017Achterberg et al , 2018, England (Lageard et al 1999(Lageard et al , 2000, Scotland (Moir et al 2010;Moir 2012), Ireland (Pilcher et al 1995;Torbenson et al 2015), Sweden (Gunnarson 1999;Gunnarson et al 2003Gunnarson et al , 2008Edvardsson 2010;Edvardsson et al 2012aEdvardsson et al , 2012b, Finland (Helama et al 2004(Helama et al , 2020, and Lithuania (Pukienè 2001;Vitas 2009;Edvardsson et al 2016a) (3)(4)(5)(7)(8)(9). Bog oak chronologies are known from peatlands of the Netherlands (Jansma 1996;Sass-Klassen and Hanraets 2006) and Denmark (Edvardsson et al 2016a) (Figure 1A-sites: 2 and 6).…”

Palaeoecological perspectives on Holocene environmental change in Scotland

“…2008a; Moir et al . 2010; Moir 2012). At the same time, the overall distribution of pine in Scotland contracted towards the current core areas of the Cairngorms and NW Highlands, and this tree became extinct on Skye and the Western Isles.…”

“…Decreases of woodland happened irregularly and locally, before becoming widespread after about 2,500 cal yr BP (Fyfe et al 2010(Fyfe et al , 2013. The decline of pine, however, seems to have been more dramatic, with a particularly abrupt period of decline at about 4,400 cal yr BP (Birks 1975;Bennett 1984), for reasons that are still not completely clear (Gear & Huntley 1991;Blackford et al 1992;Tipping 2008a;Tipping et al 2008a;Moir et al 2010;Moir 2012). At the same time, the overall distribution of pine in Scotland contracted towards the current core areas of the Cairngorms and NW Highlands, and this tree became extinct on Skye and the Western Isles.…”