Devensian organic interstadial deposits and ice sheet extent in Buchan, Scotland

Abstract

Pre‐Late Devensian organic deposits in the Buchan area of northeast Scotland were investigated for their geomorphological and palaeoecological (pollen, plant macrofossils, coleoptera) properties. Close ecological agreement exists between fossil indicators and allows the inference that the environment in the vicinity of the deposits was a dwarf shrub tundra of the type met today in high latitude areas of Scandinavia and arctic Russia. The latest in a series of radiocarbon dates from the site produced determinations beyond the limits of the method, although the geomorphological and fossil evidence appears to point to an interstadial date within Oxygen Isotope Stages 5a or 5c. The site has special significance for arguments concerning the much‐debated concept of ‘Moraineless Buchan’; indeed, evidence is presented which supports the concept of extensive ice sheet glaciation during the Late Devensian for this crucial geographical area. If Buchan is to be seen as a further casualty amongst other disputed ice‐free enclaves, then a return to earlier models of extensive ice sheet glaciation in the Late Devensian of Scotland would seem to be necessary. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sedimentology, palaeoecology and geochronology of Marine Isotope Stage 5 deposits on the Shetland Islands, Scotland

“…The presence at Sel Ayre of the exotic shrub, Bruckenthalia spiculifolia, today confined to the mountains of southeast Europe, is significant (Whittington, 1994). Bruckenthalia generally is missing from Eemian sites in northwest Europe but present at sites of Brørup and Odderade Interstadial age (Ambrosiani and Robertsson, 1992;Beaulieu and Reille, 1992), including Camp Fauld (Whittington et al, 1993), Crossbrae (Whittington et al, 1998) and Burn of Benholm (Auton et al, 2000) in Scotland. Its presence in the peat at Sel Ayre is therefore consistent with an MIS 5c age.…”

Obituary

“…He thoroughly enjoyed the outcome of arduous fieldwork in the Western and Northern Isles (Edwards et al, 2005a(Edwards et al, , 2005bHall et al, 2002;Ritchie et al, 2001;Whittington et al, 2003), and collaborated extensively with other Quaternary scientists on topics and time periods which for him were novel and challenging (e.g. Ballantyne & Whittington, 1987Brazier et al, 1988;Hall et al, 1995;Whittington et al, 1998;. He was delighted when his last major multi-proxy paper was published, nearly twenty years after his formal retirement (Whittington et al, 2015).…”

Late Pleistocene sediments, landforms and events in Scotland: a review of the terrestrial stratigraphic record

“…Earlier claims that ice-free areas existed at the LGM at low elevations in peripheral parts of Scotland (Sutherland 1984), particularly in Lewis (Sutherland & Walker 1984), Caithness and Orkney (Bowen & Sykes 1988) and in Buchan (Synge 1956, 1963), have been shown to be inconsistent with new stratigraphic and dating evidence for LGM ice cover in these areas (Hall & Whittington 1989; Hall 1995; Whittington et al . 1998; Ballantyne & Hall 2008; Hall & Riding 2016). Nonetheless, the stratigraphic record in these peripheral areas remains of high importance for understanding the timing, sequence and pattern of the last ice sheet glaciation and associated environmental changes.…”

“…21) was originally thought to date from between 22 and 26.5 14 C ka BP, but it is now correlated with MIS 5a or 5c (Whittington et al . 1998). The apparent absence of Middle Devensian deposits may be explained if the region was ice-covered during this period of time.…”

“…Early Devensian stadial/ interstadials recording fluctuating cool and colder environmental conditions may be represented at the Camp Fauld and Crossbrae sites in Buchan ( Fig. 21; Whittington et al 1993Whittington et al , 1998Merritt et al 2003). Elsewhere, the Burn of Benholm Peat Bed at the Burn of Benholm, S of Inverbervie (Fig.…”