Abstract
Changes in Holocene (Flandrian) relative sea levels and coastal geomorphology in the lower Cree valley and estuary, SW Scotland, are inferred from detailed morphological and stratigraphical investigations. A graph of relative sea level changes is proposed for the area. Rising relative sea levels during the early Holocene were interrupted at c. 8300-8600 C-14 years B.P. (c. 9400-9900 calibrated years B.P.). when an extensive estuarine surface was reached at c. -1 m O.D., after which a fluctuating rise culminated at c. 6100-6500 C-14 B.P. (c. 7000-7500 calibrated years B.P.) in a prominent shoreline and associated estuarine surface measured at 7.7-10.3 m O.D. A subsequent fall in relative sea level was followed by a rise to a shoreline at 7.8-10.1 m O.D., exceeding or reoccupying the earlier shoreline over much of the area after c. 5000 C-14 B.P. (c. 5,800 calibrated years B.P.), before relative sea level fell to a later shoreline, reached after c. 2900 C-14 B.P. (c. 3100 calibrated years B.P.) at 5.5-8.0 m O.D., following which relative sea levels fell, ultimately reaching present levels. During these changes, a particular feature of the coastline was the development of a number of barrier systems. The relative sea level changes identified are compared with changes elsewhere in SW Scotland and their wider context is briefly considered.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 301-331 |
Number of pages | 30 |
Journal | Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh-Earth |
Volume | 93 |
Publication status | Published - 2003 |
Keywords
- diatoms
- foraminifera
- glacio-isostasy
- morphology
- ostracoda
- particle size
- pollen
- shoreline
- stratigraphy
- AGE CALIBRATION
- BRITISH-ISLES
- LAND
- RISE
- BP