Pinus sylvestris

P. sylvestris

c.

Pinus

Pinus

c.

P. sylvestris

c.

P. sylvestris

P. sylvestris

P. sylvestris

The dynamics of Scots pine (L.) in Europe during the Holocene have been spatially and temporally complex. The species underwent extirpation and reintroduction in several north-west European countries. This study investigated the late Holocene vegetation history of a present-day pinewood in western Ireland, to test the widely accepted hypothesis thatbecame extinct in IrelandAD 400. Palaeoecological, chronological and loss-on-ignition analyses were conducted on a sediment core extracted from an adjacent lake. The pollen profile showed no majordecline and amacrofossil occurredAD 840, indicating localised survival offromAD 350 to the present. The available archival maps and historical literature provide supporting evidence for continuity of forest cover. The hypothesis thatbecame extinct in Ireland is rejected. The implications for ecological management are significant. We argue thatshould be considered native to Ireland, at least at this site. As Ireland’s only putative nativepopulation and the western limit of the species’ native range, this site is of high conservation value and must be carefully managed and monitored. Seed-sourcing for ex-situ forest restoration must be compatible with the long-term viability of the population in-situ. View Full-Text