This paper reviews the evidence for environmental change during the Lateglacial period (c.14.7–11.7 ka), perhaps the most intensively studied episode in the Quaternary history of Scotland. It considers first the stratigraphic subdivision and nomenclature of the Lateglacial, before proceeding to a discussion of the various lines of proxy evidence that have been used to reconstruct the spatial and temporal patterns of environmental change during this time period. These include pollen and plant macrofossil data; coleopteran and chironomid records; diatom data; stable isotope and geochemical records; and evidence for human activity. The paper then considers the principal methods that have been employed to date and correlate Lateglacial events: radiocarbon dating; surface exposure dating; varve chronology; and tephrochronology. This is followed by an examination of the constraints imposed on environmental reconstructions, an account of the ways in which the evidence can be employed in the development of an event stratigraphy for the Lateglacial in Scotland, and a proposal for a provisional Lateglacial type sequence (stratotype) at Whitrig Bog in SE Scotland. Emphasis is placed throughout on the potential linkages between the Scottish records and the isotopic signal in the Greenland ice cores, which forms the stratigraphic template for the N Atlantic region. The paper concludes with a discussion of the strategies and approaches that should underpin future research programmes on Lateglacial environmental change in Scotland.

中文翻译：

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苏格兰的晚冰期环境变化

本文回顾了晚冰期环境变化的证据（C。14.7–11.7 ka)，也许是苏格兰第四纪历史上研究最深入的时期。它首先考虑晚冰期的地层细分和命名法，然后讨论用于重建这一时期环境变化的空间和时间模式的各种代理证据线。这些包括花粉和植物大化石数据；鞘翅目和摇蚊记录；硅藻数据；稳定同位素和地球化学记录；和人类活动的证据。然后，该论文考虑了用于确定和关联晚冰期事件的主要方法：放射性碳测年；表面暴露测年；varve 年表；和年代学。接下来是对环境重建的限制条件的检查，对如何在苏格兰晚冰期事件地层学开发中使用证据的方式的说明，以及在苏格兰东南部惠特里格沼泽的临时晚冰期类型序列（层型）的建议。重点始终放在苏格兰记录与格陵兰冰芯同位素信号之间的潜在联系，格陵兰冰芯形成了北大西洋地区的地层模板。本文最后讨论了应支持苏格兰晚冰期环境变化的未来研究计划的战略和方法。重点始终放在苏格兰记录与格陵兰冰芯同位素信号之间的潜在联系，格陵兰冰芯形成了北大西洋地区的地层模板。本文最后讨论了应支持苏格兰晚冰期环境变化的未来研究计划的战略和方法。重点始终放在苏格兰记录与格陵兰冰芯同位素信号之间的潜在联系，格陵兰冰芯形成了北大西洋地区的地层模板。本文最后讨论了应支持苏格兰晚冰期环境变化的未来研究计划的战略和方法。