RAPID HOLOCENE RELATIVE SEA-LEVEL CHANGES IN GRUINART, ISLE OF ISLAY,SCOTTISH INNER HEBRIDES

Lithe-and biostratigraphic analyses undertaken in the Gruinart estuary , central Islay, reveal a detailed sedimentary record of Holocene rela tive sea-level changes and high-energy flood events during the last 10 000 years. During the Lateglacial-Holocene transition relative sea le vel had fallen to below c. 0.5 m OD and remained at this depth until c . 8830 C-14 years BP. Thus, the early-Holocene minimum sea level is he re, relatively well constrained altitudinally. A sustained and largely uninterrupted rise in relative sea level took place after c. 8500 C-1 4 years BP, reaching a maximum altitude of c. 4.5 m OD, and remained a t an elevation of c. 4 m OD until c. 2000 C-14 years BP. Both the reco rded maximum altitude of the Main Holocene transgression and the late age of the relative marine regression are incompatible with published shoreline uplift isobase models for this area.