Quaternary research in Britain and Ireland : A history based on the activities of the Subdepartment of Quaternary Research, University of Cambridge, 1948 - 1994.

Intro -- Preface -- The contribution of Clement Reid (1853-1916) to the foundation of Quaternary research -- From the early 1900s to 1929 -- Scandinavia and Britain: two regions, two histories -- Developments in Scandinavia -- Developments in Britain -- Pollen analysis in Britain -- The early 1930s -- Progress on the Continent -- The post-Congress period -- Research Committees of the early 1930s -- The Fenland Research Committee -- Progress in Cambridge -- The beginnings -- Fenland investigations -- Extension of Fenland research -- Basic principles -- The expansion of research in Britain -- Developments in research to the 1950s -- The Devensian late-glacial -- Man's influence on vegetation history -- Interglacials -- Establishment of the Sub-department of Quaternary Research -- A proposal in 1938 -- Re-iteration of the proposal in 1943 -- The General Board's proposal -- References -- The Subdepartment of Quaternary Research -- Introduction -- Organisation and people -- Organisation -- Laboratories -- Academic staff -- Assistant Staff -- Post-Graduate students -- Teaching, reference collections, databases, research -- Teaching -- Colloquia -- Reference collections -- Databases -- Research -- Research: vegetational history, including palaeoecology and palaeolimnology -- Vegetational history: Devensian late-glacial and Flandrian -- Research: vegetational history of pre-Flandrian temperate stages and cold stages -- Pre-Flandrian temperate stages -- Cold stages -- Research: geology -- Coring and sediment recognition -- Quaternary stratigraphy -- Contributions to geology, glacial and fluviatile -- Glacial limits -- Regional studies -- Periglacial phenomena -- Changes of relative land/sea level -- Overseas research -- Research: faunas and archaeology -- Faunas -- Archaeology -- Research: radiocarbon dating -- Publication of dates -- Laboratory history.

Research activities -- Research: mass spectrometry, palaeotemperatures and deep sea sediments -- Establishment of the laboratory -- Development -- Subsequent research areas -- Research -- TL and ESR dating, palaeomagnetism, dendrochronology and dendroclimatology -- Thermoluminescence -- ESR dating -- Palaeomagnetism -- Dendrochronology, dendroclimatology -- Dissolution, achievements, reflections -- Dissolution -- Achievements -- Reflections -- References -- A wider view -- Introduction -- Aspects of the geology -- Stratigraphy: the search for a system -- Sediments and structures -- Periglacial phenomena -- Palaeopedology -- Geology and archaeology -- Dating -- Aspects of the biology -- Developing interest -- Palaeoecology and ecology -- Pollen analysis -- Treatment of data -- Macroscopic plant remains -- Faunas -- Interpretations -- Analogues -- Processes -- The Quaternary community -- Quaternary associations, especially the Quaternary Research Association -- Quaternary research centres -- Research support -- Journals -- Envoi -- References -- Appendix A -- Graduate students, Sub-department of Quaternary Research -- M.Phil. in Quaternary Research -- Other graduate students noted in Annual Reports -- Appendix B -- List of researchers -- Local co-operators -- College Fellows -- Research Council Fellows -- Grant-supported research members of the Subdepartment (in order of time) -- Research associates -- Visiting the Subdepartment for a substantial time -- Miscellaneous student visitors -- Blank Page -- Blank Page.

During the later part of the last century there was rapid development of the study and understanding of the changing environments of the last 2 million years. This came to provide a firm background for today’s knowledge of the significance and importance of climatic change. Interdisciplinary research has been a prominent, if not essential, contributor to the successes achieved. In illustration of this connection, this volume describes here such developments in the University of Cambridge. In 1948 the University established a Subdepartment of Quaternary Research, with teaching and research activities covering geological, biological and archaeological topics. An interdisciplinary approach was an essential ingredient, and the research covered both terrestrial and marine spheres. The book traces the history of Quaternary research in Britain and Ireland, particularly the continental influences which stimulated research and indeed led to the establishment of the Subdepartment.The early years of the Subdepartment were an exceptionally exciting time for Quaternary researchers. This period saw the development of radiocarbon dating and of marine geochemical studies, together with the improvement of interpretation of palaeobotanical data, and the consequent incorporation of a vast accession of new information relating to these subjects. Stratigraphy, the binding topic of Quaternary research, became much better understood: first, in the terrestrial sphere with the formulation of divisions of the Quaternary based on accepted geological principles and providing a measure of the passage of time to students of the several disciplines involved, including landscape history, ecosystem history and archaeology, and secondly in the marine sphere a formulation of units defined by isotope studies.The organisation of the Subdepartment and the problems of developing

interdisciplinary science are considered. An important aspect is the variety of staff and students involved in interdisciplinary research and teaching. In order to give a complete an account as possible of the activities of the Subdepartment, a listing of staff and students and their interests is compiled, which I think is necessary to give a rounded view of the Subdepartment as a whole.Research topics and their development are considered one-by-one, and the numbers of publications in each sphere are summarised over the life of the Subdepartment, giving a clear view of how research developed over the period of 45 years. These activities were brought to an end in 1994, with the dissolution of the Subdepartment, which is described, together with a discussion of achievements and the voicing of some reflections.In a final part, I take a wider view of the history of Quaternary research, with aspects of geology and biology considered, together with notes on the Quaternary community, research support and journals.

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