Staff-student research project: Aging ancient upland willow carr in the Peak District literature review

Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Review of  ancient willow carr related literature

I. Dendrochronological willow carr studies

II. Willow carr development and pollen records

III. Management strategies for willow carr in the Peak District

Review of peat core and sedimentological analysis research papers

I. Palynological studies

II. Analysing metal content

III. Palynological studies with metal content analysis

IIII. Analysing beetle remains

IV. Analysing beetle remains with palynological records

Conclusion

References

Abstract

Background/aims: This review of literature on dating the age of ancient willow trees in upland willow carr and investigating landscape change of the eastern Peak District revealed many articles published over many years in peer reviewed journals. The study aims to increase recognition of ancient willow carr sites in the Peak District by dating their age and inform future management strategies. As part of the partner project ‘Discovering shadow woods and investigating landscape change in the Peak District’ peat cores will be analysed to show human, environmental and vegetational history of the area. This will provide an insight into landscape change over many years.

Methodology: Sediment cores will be extracted using Russian Corers. Cores will then be processed and sampled for analysis of pollen (showing past vegetation), for beetle remains (showing past environmental conditions and landscape), for metal content (providing smelting evidence) and for selective carbon dating. Ground-penetrating radar will be applied to map out the tree root zones and veteran wood at the central point of the self-coppicing willows will be sampled for carbon dating.

Conclusions: There has been many reports published investigating pollen grains within peat cores and sedimentological remains in the Peak District. However fewer reports have been published investigating beetle remains as an environmental indicator of past conditions or metal content as an indicator of pre-industrial smelting activity. No reports were found which analysed all of these multidisciplinary aspects (Pollen grains, beetle remains and metal content of peat samples). An evident gap in research was found in dating the age of willow carr sites. This was identified not only in the Peak District – but on a national/global scale.

Key words used to search databases for literature (scholar and SHU library gateway):Hipper Sick, Totley lead bole, smelting, metal content, beetle remains, carbon dating, Leash Fen???, willow carr, peak district, eastern Derbyshire moor, pollen grains, Burbage, Ringinglow bog, UK, insect remains, Hope valley????, tree roots????, radar???, Scotland???, landscape history, ancient forest, landscape change, Holocene???

Introduction

In the eastern Peak District, there has been growing interest to improve knowledge of ancient willow trees within willow carr sites by carbon dating and other indicators such as peat core analysis. This will allow the importance of the sites to be recognised and will inform future vegetation management of the Peak District and subsequently improve future biodiversity of the area. Pollen analysis of peat cores will show how the willow carr has developed over time. Identifying beetle remains will show environmental conditions of the site and metal content will improve understanding of human activity in the area. For this study external historical and archaeological evidence will be used to support findings????. In order to understand whether this project is worthwhile and has been done before a literature review was undertaken.

Review of ancient willow carr related literature

There are few reports on a global basis which have been published with the aim to understand and improve knowledge on the age of willow carr and their connection with ‘shadow woods’ and ancient woodland. However information can be gathered surrounding willow carr from books, and national park management strategy publications and other literature sources.

• Mast, J & Waring, G., (1996). Dendrochronological analysis of Goodding willows in Grand Canyon National Park

I. Dendrochronological willow carr studies

II. Willow carr development and pollen records

III. Management strategies for willow carr in the Peak District

Mortimer, S., Turner, A., Brown, V., Fuller, R., Good, J., Bell, S., … & Ward, L. (2000). The nature conservation value of scrub in Britain. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan neglects scrub almost completely as a habitat (only woolly willow Sala lanata and juniper luniperus communis have Species Action Plans).

Peak District National Park. (2017). Dark Peak: Peak District National Park.                                  Objectives: TO ENHANCE, RESTORE AND EXPAND WETLANDS AND RIVER CORRIDOR HABITATS (broad objectives). To enhance both the rivers and the adjacent river corridor habitats to develop a mosaic of wetlands, wet woodlands, meadows and pastures. Priority objective is to restore degraded peat bogs – therefore many aspects are disregarded as much management as they may get in other areas. Our study would provide key info regarding willow carr allowing action to be planned

Review of peat core and sedimentological analysis research papers

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I. Palynological studies

Hicks, S. (1971). Pollen-analytical evidence for the effect of prehistoric agriculture on the vegetation of North Derbyshire.

In this study Hicks (1971) analyses pollen of peat cores from six upland sites on the east moor of Derbyshire in order produce pollen diagrams. These pollen diagrams were then used to show the effect agriculture has had on vegetation in the Neolithic Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Roman occupied Britain. These sites included Ringinglow Bog, Totley Moss, Leash Fen and Hipper Sick – which are all topogenous peat deposits near to Burbage valley. Pollen diagrams showed vegetation removal and deforestation to be identified in the past back to the Atlantic period. Archaeological and historical evidence have been used to draw conclusions of the relationship between vegetation cover and past human activity. For example evidence of Bronze Age ring work on Flask edge is used to help draw conclusions of human activity and corresponding impacts on vegetation in the pollen diagram. At Leash Fen, where no archaeological records emerged, samples were dated with a series of nine radiocarbon analyses to provide accuracy of dates where pollen is found. Results of this study suggest peat accumulation began in the Boreal-Atlantic Transition. This is at around 8,000 years BP. The effect of altitude on peat growth is also noted. Another interesting finding in the report is the discovery of a single radiocarbon date for the first appearance of Plantago lancealata in the Totley Moss and Hipper Sick pollen diagrams. This study has similar objectives to the project we will undertake as landscape change within the uplands is the focus. However they differ as data for and metal content, beetle remains and willow carr has not been collected by Hicks (1971). This leads to limitations. Although evidence is provided that indicates smelting activity in the area during the past has occurred for the production of lead ingots near Wirksworth during Roman occupation at around A.D 70. Therefore research for metal content in peat is useful. This study has a particularly high reputation in the field and is cited and referred to in many other studies such as Tallis & Switsur (1973) and Hutchinson & Armitage (2009).

Notable findings: