New research into the submerged landscape of Doggerland, a prehistoric region now beneath the North Sea, has uncovered evidence of lime trees (Tilia) thriving there around 10,000 years ago. This finding pushes back the earliest known presence of such trees in the British Isles by approximately 2,000 years, indicating that Doggerland experienced a warmer climate earlier than previously thought.
The study, led by researchers from the University of Bradford and the University of Ghent, analyzed sediment cores from the North Sea floor. These cores contained ancient pollen grains, including those from lime trees, which require mild winters and warm summers to flourish. The presence of this pollen suggests that Doggerland was not a barren tundra but a forested landscape during the early Holocene period.
Doggerland once connected Britain to continental Europe before rising sea levels flooded it around 8,000 years ago. The discovery of early lime trees implies that this landmass may have served as a climatic refuge or a migration corridor for species moving northward as the Ice Age ended. The findings were published in the Journal of Quaternary Science.
This research provides crucial insights into how ecosystems responded to past climate change, offering lessons for modern conservation efforts. The team plans to continue analyzing sediment samples to map the full extent of Doggerland's ancient forests.
