The form and fate of Scotlands’ woodlands

Citation

Tipping R (1994) The form and fate of Scotlands’ woodlands. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 124, pp. 1-54. http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/psas/contents.cfm?vol=124&CFID=203&CFTOKEN=3799C9FC-C6CC-42F8-BBC01AE72962F64A

Abstract
This review is an attempt to reconstruct both the natural distribution and composition of Scotland's woodlands, and the spatial pattern, timing and causal mechanisms in their removal. The country is divided into several different geographical regions broadly typified by particular natural woodland types, and the Holocene environmental history of each region is critically reviewed, summarized and synthesized from the pollen-analytical literature. Particular attention is given to recent models of vegetation change, to new ideas concerning Mesolithic woodland manipulation, the Mesolithic/Neolithic transition and the current status of the elm decline, and to the interplay of climate change and human activity. Attention is drawn to the need for greater temporal precision and spatial resolution in reconstructions of prehistoric anthropogenic activity, and to the need for an increased sophistication and subtlety in the interpretation of land use from pollen analyses.

Journal
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland: Volume 124