A CATALOGUE OF IRISH POLLEN DIAGRAMS

The first Irish pollen diagram was published by Gunnar Erdtman in the Irish Naturalists' Journal in 1927. Since then over 475 pollen diagrams have been produced from locations throughout Ireland from a range of sites and time spans. The data from these pollen diagrams can be used to reconstruct vegetation dynamics over long timescales and so facilitate the investigation of climate change impacts, plant migration and the scale of human-induced landscape change. In this paper we collate the available data from Irish pollen sites into the Irish Pollen Site Database (IPOL) to illustrate their distribution and range. It is intended that this database will be a useful research resource for anyone investigating Irish vegetation history. The database also links to the European and global research agenda surrounding impacts of climate change on ecosystems and associated livelihoods. The IPOL database can be accessed online at www.ipol.ie.