Doggerland: Submerged North Sea Land Was Thriving Forest, Study Finds
Research reveals Doggerland, now under the North Sea, was a forest ecosystem.
Top Summary
- What happened: Scientists discovered evidence suggesting Doggerland, a submerged landmass in the North Sea, was a thriving forest ecosystem during the Ice Age.
- Why it matters: This challenges previous assumptions that forests appeared in the region much later, reshaping our understanding of early landscapes.
- What changes for people: Provides new insights into early human environments and possible settlements in what is now the North Sea.
- Who is affected: Historians, archaeologists, climate scientists, and anyone interested in the history of early human habitation and the North Sea region.
Doggerland's Ancient Forests Revealed
New research led by the University of Warwick indicates that Doggerland, a vast landmass now submerged beneath the North Sea, may have been a thriving forest ecosystem during the Ice Age.
This “lost world” appears to have supported dense woodlands, wildlife, and potentially even early human communities long before rising sea levels submerged it. The findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Challenging Previous Assumptions
The research challenges earlier assumptions that forests only emerged in the region much later. Scientists found that temperate trees like oak, elm, and hazel were already growing there more than 16,000 years ago.
Instead of a barren landscape, Doggerland was likely a rich, forested environment supporting diverse life.
Ancient DNA Uncovers the Past
To reconstruct Doggerland’s environmental history, scientists analyzed sedimentary ancient DNA from marine cores. These cores were extracted directly from the seabed.
This method allowed researchers to map out the environmental history of the area stretching back several millennia.
"The analysis of ancient DNA provided a unique window into the past, revealing the presence of temperate forests much earlier than previously thought."
What to Watch Next
Future research will likely focus on further analyzing the ancient DNA to understand the types of animals that inhabited Doggerland. Researchers may also try to determine if there is more concrete evidence of early human settlements and interactions within this lost world.