Pollen maps for the British Isles 5000 years ago

Abstract

Isopollen maps ofPinus, Betula, Quercus, Ulmus, Alnus, Corylus, andTiliafor 5000 B.P. are presented for the British Isles. The maps show the major geographical patterns in the pollen spectra. The data are subjected to principal components analysis, and the results emphasize the major gradients in the data. These divide northern and eastern Scotland and western Ireland from the rest of Britain, central Ireland from the rest of the British Isles, and northern and western England from southern and eastern England. Such patterns in the past pollen rain are considered to reflect past patterns in forest vegetation just prior to the onset of forest clearance by Neolithic man.