The timing and causes of the final pre-settlement expansion of Betula pubescens in Iceland

• Published in: The Holocene
• Main Authors: Erlendsson, Egill, Edwards, Kevin J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 2009
• Subjects: Paleontology; Earth-Surface Processes; Ecology; Archeology; Global and Planetary Change; Iceland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959683609341001; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0959683609341001

Palynological data from southern and western Iceland show rising values for the pollen of Betula pubescens for the period AD 600—800. The increased values for B. pubescens probably stem from both improved flowering conditions and increased coverage and density of woodlands associated with short-lived climatic amelioration within a phase of longer-term harsh climate. The swift response to climate change in the palynological record and good correlation with comparative data from other proxies indicates that Icelandic palynology offers an important, yet largely underexploited, tool for the reconstruction of Icelandic Holocene environments.