LATE-GLACIAL POLLEN SITES IN THE WESTERN ISLES OF SCOTLAND

Only one polleniferous site containing Late Devensian Lateglacial depo sits has been reported from the Western Isles - that of Loch Lang, Sou th Uist, which contains putative Loch Lomond Stadial age sediments. Ev idence is presented here for seven proposed Lateglacial sites from the Western Isles; four from Lewis and three from South Uist. A pollen pr ofile is illustrated from each island and is shown to extend into prob able Bolling times. The litho- and biostratigraphically derived climat ic oscillations of Bolling-Older Dryas-Allerod-Younger Dryas-Holocene seem to be apparent at one site, which also displays particularly stro ng representation of Empetrum pollen. Although the data constitute the first published evidence for full Lateglacial sequences from the West ern Isles, there seems little doubt that the previous total lack of su ch sites is not indicative of their paucity.