Late-Quaternary vegetational history of the Inner Hebrides

Abstract

SynopsisThe Inner Hebrides support a diverse flora and a wide range of vegetation types today. Native woodland is rare, even on the larger islands of Skye and Mull. The present-day floristic and vegetational diversity and the scarcity of native woodland raise important ecological questions, answers to which can be provided by pollen analysis of loch or bog sediments.Pollen analysis of sediments deposited during the last glacial stage on Skye and on Lewis suggest that some plants may have survived the last glaciation within the Hebrides. Pollen analysis of late-glacial (13500–10000 years ago) sediments on Skye indicate that even at the close of the last glaciation there was considerable floristic and vegetational diversity related to geology, altitude, and climate.Post-glacial (10000–0 year ago) vegetational histories are available from Skye, Soay, Canna, Tiree, and Jura. Forest was rare or absent on Canna and Tiree as well as on the Outer Hebrides throughout the postglacial. In contrast Soay and southern and eastern Skye were well forested, with birch, alder, hazel, and small amounts of elm and oak. Pine was confined to eastern Skye. Since 5,000 years ago there has been extensive forest destruction by man, especially on the better soils, and the spread of bog and heath on the poorer soils. Northern Skye supported birch, hazel, and willow scrub during the post-glacial. This has largely been removed by man since about 5,000 years ago. The present-day vegetation of the Inner Hebrides is predominantly anthropogenic.