Quaternary of Scotland

The aim of the "Geological Conservation Review Series" is to provide a public record of the features of interest at localities being considered for notification as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). It is written to the highest scientific standards and incorporates the cumulative insights of generations of leading Earth scientists, but in such a way that the assessment and conservation value of the site is clear. In describing the geomorphological heritage of Scotland, this volume offers an account of how the natural environment responded - in terms of landforms, processes and plant communities - to severe climatic change as the Quaternary era progressed over the last 2 millions years. This legacy, as preserved in the 138 nationally important GCR sites described, documents a remarkable diversity of landforms in a relatively small area. The rugged highlands contrast with the rolling hills and flat plains found further south, while the western and northern islands, together with the highly indented coastline, add further to the scenic diversity. How this variety of landscapes came into being, the forces which shaped it, and the climatic extremes which drove it, are the themes explored in this volume.