Evidence for abrupt climatic change in northern Scotland between 3900 and 3500 calendar years BP

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Abstract
Palaeohydrological and palaeoecological investigations from five locations in northern Scotland reveal a distinct and large-scale shift to wetter climatic conditions which may reflect a major transition in climate from the midto late Holocene. Radiocarbon age estimates place this transition between about 3900 and 3500 cal. BP, although the transition appears to have occurred abruptly, possibly over a decadal to century timescale. This event appears to be synchronous with changes inferred for other regions, suggesting that it reflects a continental-scale, or possibly even global-scale, change in climate. Broad correlation with deep-sea sediment records suggests that the transition may reflect colder sea-surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean.