DEVENSIAN ORGANIC INTERSTADIAL DEPOSITS AND ICE-SHEET EXTENT IN BUCHAN, SCOTLAND

Pre-Late Devensian organic deposits in the Buchan area of northeast Sc otland were investigated for their geomorphological and palaeoecologic al (pollen, plant macrofossils, coleoptera) properties. Close ecologic al agreement exists between fossil indicators and allows the inference that the environment in the vicinity of the deposits was a dwarf shru b tundra of the type met today in high latitude areas of Scandinavia a nd arctic Russia. The latest in a series oi radiocarbon dates from the site produced determinations beyond the limits of the method, althoug h the geomorphological and fossil evidence appears to point to an inte rstadial date within Oxygen Isotope Stages 5a or 5c. The site has spec ial significance for arguments concerning the much-debated concept of 'Moraineless Buchan'; indeed, evidence is presented which supports the concept of extensive ice sheet glaciation during the Late Devensian f or this crucial geographical area, if Buchan is to be seen as a furthe r casualty amongst other disputed ice-free enclaves, then a return to earlier models of extensive ice sheet glaciation in the Late Devensian of Scotland would seem to be necessary. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, L td.