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Late Pleistocene environments in lower Strathspey, Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

Adrian M. Hall ,
Graeme Whittington ,
Geoffrey A. T. Duller  and
Jack Jarvis
Adrian M. Hall
Affiliation:
School of Geography, University of St. Andrews, Purdie Building, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST Department of Geography, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP
Graeme Whittington
Affiliation:
School of Geography, University of St. Andrews, Purdie Building, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST
Geoffrey A. T. Duller
Affiliation:
Institute of Earth Studies, Llandinam Building, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Dyfed SY23 3DB
Jack Jarvis
Affiliation:
School of Geography, University of St. Andrews, Purdie Building, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST
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Abstract

Sedimentary sequences in lower Strathspey provide a record of Late Pleistocene interglacial and glacial environments. After deposition of till and glacifiuvial sediments, probably in Oxygen Isotope Stage 6, a soil developed at Teindland and Redburn which contains downward translocated pollen. This indicates that the earliest vegetation was woodland with grassland openings, Pinus-Alnus at Teindland and Alnus-Corylus at Red Burn. Podzolisation of the soil ended with an influx of sands derived from erosion of the surrounding slopes, at Teindland perhaps a response to extensive burning during a grassland phase. The combined pollen and sedimentary evidence suggests events at the close of an interglacial. Luminescence dates of 79 ± 6 and 67 ± 5 ka for the sands over the soil suggest that the soil developed in Oxygen Isotope Stage 5e. Overlying the soil and sands at Teindland are glacigenic debris flows, perhaps reflecting glaciation during Oxygen Isotope Stage 4. Three, undated, younger till units, with interbedded gravels, also occur in the surrounding area and provide evidence of the complex glacial history of lower Strathspey since Oxygen Isotope Stage 5.

Keywords

pollen analysislast interglacialglacial stratigraphyTeindlandburied soil
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 85 , Issue 4 , 1994 , pp. 253 - 273
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1994

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