Holocene Coastal Barrier Development at Bay of Carness, Mainland Island, Orkney, Scotland

A study of the Bay of Carness, Orkney, reveals significant insights into Holocene coastal barrier development and its impact on local ecosystems. The research demonstrates that a saltmarsh transitioned to a freshwater lagoon around 5470±210 radiocarbon years before present (BP) as rising sea levels led to the formation of a swash-aligned barrier, isolating the bay's head. Pollen and plant macrofossil analyses further indicate human Neolithic activity's influence on vegetation dynamics post-4860±120 BP. The study combines landform mapping, sediment analysis, and radiocarbon dating to reconstruct environmental changes, providing a comparative framework with other coastal sites like Wick and glacio-isostatic uplift models.

de la Vega Leinert, A. C., Smith, D. E., & Jones, R. L. (2012). Holocene Coastal Barrier Development at Bay of Carness, Mainland Island, Orkney, Scotland. Scottish Geographical Journal, 128(2), 119–147. https://doi.org/10.1080/14702541.2012.716605