(1) Percentage and absolute pollen diagrams are presented
for a lowland site, Sniddle Moss, and two upland sites,
Thieves' Moss and Sunset Hole, in the Ingleborough Region,
the Craven District, north-west Yorkshire.
(2) The analysis of the earliest sediments of Sniddle
Moss and Thieves' Moss suggests the existence of a
Lateglacial sequence. A reconstruction of the regional
vegetational succession mainly based on the Sniddle Moss
4 data reveals that at first a very open vegetation
and a species-rich calcareous grassland were formed.
The spread of juniper scrub preceded the expansion of
tree birches. It is tentatively inferred that the early
part of the Lateglacial is interrupted by a phase of
deteriorating climate and that the relative warmth of
the Lateglacial Interstadial gives way to a further and
more prolonged deterioration. The climatic deterioration
of the Younger Dryas Period is clearly registered by
the decline of thermophilous taxa and the local severity
of conditions demonstrated by the increased abundance
of chianophilous taxa and other montane herbs in
the profile of both Sniddle Moss (4) and Thieves' Moss
(2).
(3) The ensuing amelioration in climate at the beginning
of the Flandrian (early and middle) is traced.
(4) It is suggested that the woodland vegetation was
being managed by the local Mesolithic and early Neolithic
population prior to the first classical elm decline of
the Atlantic/Sub-Boreal transition (c. 5000 BP).
(5) Pollen analysis involving continuous sampling across
the elm decline at Sniddle Moss (9) and Sunset Hole
permitted a detailed reconstruction of the vegetational
changes and the observation of the nature of the elm
curve. A chronology for Sniddle Moss (9) is provided
by radiocarbon dating. The initial recovery of elms is
dated to 4710±45 BP and the second elm decline to about
4520 BP. The possible factors contributing to the first
classical elm decline and the changes in the elm curve
immediately following the first decline are considered.