The Older Dryas was a somewhat variable cold, dry Blytt-Sernander period of North Europe, roughly equivalent to Pollen zone 1c. It is named after an indicator genus, the alpine/tundra plant Dryas, which flourished during the penultimate stadial of the Pleistocene. The Older Dryas period was preceded by the Bølling and followed by the Allerød periods. The Blytt-Sernander classification, or sequence, is a series of north European climatic periods or phases based on the study of Danish peat bogs by Axel Blytt (1876) and Rutger Sernander (1908). ... // Paleolithic Lower Paleolithic: Europe was populated by species of Homo since c. ... Helianthus annuus pollen Pollen zones are a system of subdividing late Pleistocene and early Holocene paleoclimate using the data from pollen cores. ... Penultimate can mean next to last in a general context, but is used most often in linguistics as an adjective or noun to denote or refer to the penult of a word/ penultimate stress. ... A stadial is a period of even-colder temperatures during an ice age. ... The Pleistocene epoch (IPA: ) on the geologic timescale is the period from 1,808,000 to 11,550 years BP. The Pleistocene epoch had been intended to cover the worlds recent period of repeated glaciations. ... The Bølling Oscillation was a brief warm period that occurred during the final stages of the last glaciation of Europe. ... The Allerød period is a part of a temperature oscillation towards the end of the last Ice Age in Europe, where temperatures in the Northern Atlantic region rose from glacial to almost present day level in the Bølling and Allerød periods and returned to glacial levels in...

Dates

The Older Dryas may or may not appear in the climatological evidence for different regions. If it does not appear, then the Bølling-Allerød are considered one interstadial period. The strength of the Older Dryas depends to some degree on latitude. It is strongest in northern Eurasia. This article is about the geographical term. ... For other uses, see Eurasia (disambiguation). ...

In the Greenland oxygen isotope record, the Older Dryas appears as a downward peak establishing a small, low-intensity gap between the Bølling and the Allerød. This configuration presents a difficulty in estimating its time, as it is more of a point than a segment. But which point, and how long a segment should be assigned? The segment is small enough to escape the resolution of most C-14 series; i.e., the points are not close enough together to find it.

One approach to the problem assigns a point and then picks an arbitrary segment. You might read that the Older Dryas is "centered" near 14,100 BP or is 100 to 150 years in duration "at"14,250 BP.

A second approach finds C-14 or other dates as close to the end of the Bølling and the beginning of the Allerød as possible and selects end points based on them. This type of date is of the form, for example, 12,000-11,800 C-14 BP uncalibrated, 14,000-13,700 BP cal.

The best approach attempts to include the Older Dryas in a sequence of points as close together as possible (high resolution), or within a known event. For example, pollen from the island of Hokkaidō in Japan records a Larix pollen peak and matching sphagnum decline at 12,400-11,800 uncal., 14,600-13700 BP cal. In the White Sea a cooling occurred at 14,700-13,400/13,000, which resulted in a readvance of the glacier in the initial Allerød. In Canada, the Shulie Lake phase (a readvance) is dated to 14,000-13,500 BP. On the other hand, varve chronology in southern Sweden indicates a range of 14,050-13,900 there.   literally North Sea Circuit, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japans second largest island and the largest of its 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. ... Species About 12; see text Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. ... Species See text. ...

Capturing the Older Dryas through high resolution dating continues to be of concern to researchers in climatology.

Description

Northern Europe offered an alternation of steppe and tundra environments depending on the permafrost line and the latitude. In moister regions around lakes and streams were thickets of dwarf birch, willow, sea buckthorn, and juniper. In the river valleys and uplands to the south were open birch forests. This article is about the ecological zone type. ... For other uses, see Tundra (disambiguation). ... While these two men dig in Alaska to study soil, the hard permafrost requires the use of a jackhammer In geology, permafrost or permafrost soil is soil at or below the freezing point of water (0 °C or 32 °F) for two or more years. ... This article is about the geographical term. ... Binomial name Betula nana Dwarf birch (Betula nana) is a plant of the family Betulaceae. ... Species About 350, including: Salix acutifolia - Violet Willow Salix alaxensis - Alaska Willow Salix alba - White Willow Salix alpina - Alpine Willow Salix amygdaloides - Peachleaf Willow Salix arbuscula - Mountain Willow Salix arbusculoides - Littletree Willow Salix arctica - Arctic Willow Salix atrocinerea Salix aurita - Eared Willow Salix babylonica - Peking Willow Salix bakko Salix barrattiana... Species Hippophae rhamnoides Hippophae salicifolia Hippophae tibetana The sea-buckthorns (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) are deciduous shrubs in the genus Hippophae, family Elaeagnaceae. ... Species Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. ... Species Many species; see text and classification Birch is the name of any tree of the genus Betula, in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. ...

The first trees, tree birch and pine, had arrived in north Europe 500 years previously. During the Older Dryas, the glacier advanced again and the trees retreated southward, to be replaced by a mixture of grassland and cool-weather alpine species. This type of biome has been called “park tundra”, “arctic tundra”, “arctic pioneer vegetation” or “birch woodlands.” It exists today in the transition between taiga and tundra in Siberia. Then it stretched from Siberia to Britain in a more or less unbroken expanse. For other uses, see Pine (disambiguation). ... A biome is a climate and geographical area of ecologically similar communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, often referred to as ecosystems. ... For other uses, see Taiga (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Tundra (disambiguation). ... This article is about Siberia as a whole. ...

To the northwest was the Baltic ice lake, which was truncated by the edge of the glacier. Species had access to Denmark and southern Sweden. Most of Finland and the Baltic countries were under the ice or the lake for most of the period. Northern Scandinavia was glaciated. Between Britain and the mainland were rolling hills prolifically populated with animals. Thousands of specimens, hundreds of tons of bones, have been recovered from the bottom of the North Sea, termed “doggerland”, and continue to be recovered. The Baltic ice lake is a name given by geologists to a freshwater lake that gradually formed in the Baltic sea basin as the glacier retreated over that region at the end of the Pleistocene. ... The three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania The terms Baltic countries, Baltic Sea countries, Baltic states, and Balticum refer to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea. ... For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ...

The brief lists of plants and animals stated below are a fraction of the total number of species found for the period. Most families were more diverse than they are today, and were yet more so in the last interglacial. A great extinction, especially of mammals, continued throughout the end of the Pleistocene, and may be continuing today. For other uses, see Extinction (disambiguation). ... The Pleistocene epoch (IPA: ) on the geologic timescale is the period from 1,808,000 to 11,550 years BP. The Pleistocene epoch had been intended to cover the worlds recent period of repeated glaciations. ...

Flora

Older Dryas species are usually found in sediment below the bottom layer of the bog. Indicator species are the Alpine plants:

• Dryas octopetala, or dryas;
• Salix herbacea, or dwarf willow;
• Oxyria digyna, or mountain sorrel.

Grasslands species are: Binomial name Dryas octopetala L. Seed head of Dryas octopetala Dryas octopetala (common names include mountain avens, white dryas, and white dryad) is an arctic-alpine flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. ... Binomial name Salix herbacea L. The Dwarf Willow (Salix herbacea, also known as the Least Willow or Snowbed Willow) is the most common of a group of tiny creeping willows (family Salicaceae). ... Binomial name Hill Oxyria digyna (mountain sorrel, Alpine sorrel or Alpine mountainsorrel) is common in the tundra of Arctic. ...

• Artemisia, sagebrush or wormwood;
• Ephedra, or joint-fir.
• Hippophae

Species See text Artemisia abrotanum (Southernwood) Artemisia absinthium (Absinth Wormwood) Artemisia alba Artemisia Powys Castle Artemisia californica (California Sagebrush) leaves Artemisia mauiensis (Maui Wormwood) Artemisia pontica (Roman Wormwood) Artemisia pycnocephala (Beach Sagewort) flowers Dried Artemisia absinthium (Absinth Wormwood) Artemisia absinthium (Absinth Wormwood) Artemisia cina (Levant Wormseed) Artemisia is a large... Ephedra in medicine. ... Species Hippophae rhamnoides - Common Sea-buckthorn Hippophae salicifolia - Willow-leaved Sea-buckthorn Hippophae tibetana - Tibetan Sea-buckthorn The Sea-buckthorns, also known as Seaberry or Sea Berry, are deciduous shrubs in the genus Hippophae, family Elaeagnaceae. ...

Fauna

A well-stocked biozone prevailed on the arctic plains and thickets of the late Pleistocene. Plains mammals were most predominant.

Artiodactyls: Families Antilocapridae Bovidae Camelidae Cervidae Giraffidae Hippopotamidae Moschidae Suidae Tayassuidae Tragulidae Leptochoeridae † Chaeropotamidae † Dichobunidae † Cebochoeridae † Entelodontidae † Anoplotheriidae † Anthracotheriidae † Cainotheriidae † Agriochoeridae † Merycoidodontidae † Leptomerycidae † Protoceratidae † Xiphodontidae † Amphimerycidae † Helohyidae † Gelocidae † Merycodontidae † Dromomerycidae † Raoellidae † Choeropotamidae † Sanitheriidae † The even-toed ungulates form the mammal order Artiodactyla. ...

• Bison priscus, the steppe wisent or steppe bison
• Rangifer tarandus, the reindeer or caribou
• Megaloceros giganteus, the Irish elk
• Alces alces, the elk
• Cervus elaphus, the red deer
• Ovibos moschatus, the musk ox
• Saiga tatarica, the saiga

Perissodactyls: Binomial name Bison priscus Bojanus, 1827 The Steppe Wisent (Bison priscus) was a steppe bison found on steppes throughout Europe, Central Asia, Beringia and North America during the Quaternary. ... Caribou redirects here. ... Binomial name (Blumenbach, 1799) Synonyms Megaceros giganteus Megaloceros giganteus giganteus The Irish Elk or Giant Deer, Megaloceros giganteus (see Lister 1987, Geist 1998) was the largest deer that ever lived. ... For other uses, see Moose (disambiguation). ... This article is about the species of deer. ... Binomial name Ovibos moschatus (Zimmermann, 1780) The Musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) is a bovine noted for its thick coat and for the strong odor of the male. ... Binomial name Saiga tatarica (Linnaeus, 1766) The saiga, or Saiga tatarica, is a kind of gazelle that lives in central Asia. ... Families Equidae Tapiridae Rhinocerotidae Brontotheriidae (extinct) Chalicotheriidae (extinct) Hyracodontidae (extinct) Palaeotheriidae (extinct) Amynodontidae (extinct) The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals that comprise the order Perissodactyla. ...

• Equus ferus, the wild horse. Many authors refer to it as Equus caballus, but the latter term is most correctly reserved for the domestic horse. Ferus is presumed to be one or more ancestral or related stocks to caballus and has been described as "caballine".
• Coelodonta antiquitatis, woolly rhinoceros

Proboscidea: Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... Binomial name Coelodonta antiquitatis Blumenbach, 1807 The Woolly Rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) is an extinct species of rhinoceros that survived the last ice age. ... Groups Jozaria (extinct) Anthracobunidae (extinct) Moeritheriidae (extinct) Euproboscidea Numidotheriidae (extinct) Barytheriidae (extinct) Deinotheriidae (extinct) Elephantiformes Phiomiidae (extinct) Palaeomastodontidae (extinct) Hemimastodontidae (extinct) Euelephantoidea Choerolophodontidae (extinct) Amebelodontidae (extinct) Gnathabelodontidae (extinct) Gomphotheriidae (extinct) Elephantidae Mammutidae (extinct) Proboscidea is an order containing only one family of living animals, Elephantidae, the elephants, with three species...

• Mammuthus primigenius, the wooly mammoth

So much meat on the hoof must have supported large numbers of Carnivora, such as: This article is about the genus Mammuthus. ... Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: or ; from Latin carō (stem carn-) flesh, + vorāre to devour) includes over 260 species of placental mammals. ...

Ursidae: For other meanings, see Bear (disambiguation). ...

• Ursus arctos, the brown bear
• Ursus spelaeus, the cave bear

Hyaenidae: Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 Ursus arctos range map. ... Binomial name Ursus spelaeus Rosenmüller, 1794 The Cave Bear (Ursus spelaeus) was a species of bear which lived in Europe during the Pleistocene and became extinct at the end of the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. ... Genera Crocuta Hyaena Parahyaena Proteles Hyenas (or Hyaenas) are moderately large terrestrial carnivores native to Africa and Asia, and members of the family Hyaenidae. ...

• Crocuta crocuta, the spotted hyena

Felidae: Subfamilies and Genera Hyaeninae Crocuta Hyaena Parahyaena Protelinae Proteles Hyenas or Hyænas are moderately large terrestrial carnivores native to Africa, Arabia, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. ... “Feline” redirects here. ...

• Panthera spelaea, the cave lion

Canidae: Trinomial name Panthera leo spelaea Goldfuss, 1810 The cave lion, also known as the European or Eurasian cave lion, is an extinct feline known from fossils and a wide variety of prehistoric art. ... Genera Alopex Atelocynus Canis Cerdocyon Chrysocyon Cuon Cynotherium † Dusicyon † Dasycyon † Fennecus (Part of Vulpes) Lycalopex (Part of Pseudalopex) Lycaon Nyctereutes Otocyon Pseudalopex Speothos Urocyon Vulpes The Canidae (′kanə′dē, IPA: ) family is a part of the order Carnivora within the mammals (Class Mammalia). ...

• Canis lupus, the wolf
• Alopex lagopus, the arctic fox

Mustelidae: Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call... This article is about the animal. ... Subfamilies Lutrinae Melinae Mellivorinae Taxidiinae Mustelinae Mustelidae is a family of carnivorous mammals. ...

• Gulo gulo, the wolverine

The sea also had its share of carnivores, which due to their maritime location, survived until modern times. Phocidae: For other uses, see Wolverine (disambiguation). ... Genera Monachus (Monk Seals) Mirounga (Elephant Seal) Lobodon (Crabeater Seals) Leptonychotes Hydrurga (Leopard Seals) Ommatophoca Erignathus (Bearded Seals) Phoca Halichoerus (Gray Seals) Cystophora (Hooded Seals) The true seals or earless seals are one of the three main groups of mammals within the seal suborder, Pinnipedia. ...

• Pagophilus groenlandica, the harp seal
• Pusa hispida, the ringed seal

Odobenidae: Binomial name Erxleben, 1777 // Harp seals resemble harbor seals in body and head form, but are larger: adult Harp Seals grow to 1. ... Binomial name Pusa hispida (Schreber, 1775) The Ringed Seal or Jar Seal (Pusa hispida formerly Phoca hispida) is an earless seal inhabiting the northern coasts. ... Binomial name Odobenus rosmarus (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies Walruses are large semi-aquatic mammals that live in the cold Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. ...

• Odobenus rosmarus, the walrus

Of the Cetacean Odontoceti, the Monodontidae: Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution of Walrus Subspecies Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) are large semi-aquatic mammals that live in the cold Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. ... Suborders Mysticeti Odontoceti Archaeoceti (extinct) (see text for families) The order Cetacea (IPA: , L. cetus, whale) includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. ... Families See text The toothed whales (systematic name Odontoceti) form a suborder of the cetaceans. ... Genera Delphinapterus Monodon The cetacean family Monodontidae comprises two unusual whale species, the Narwhal, in which the male has a long tusk, and the white Beluga. ...

• Delphinapterus leucas, the beluga

Delphinidae: Binomial name (Pallas, 1776) Beluga range This article is about the whale. ... Genera See text Oceanic dolphins are the members of the Delphinidae family of cetaceans. ...

• Orcinus orca, the killer whale

Of the Mysticetian Eschrichtiidae: Binomial name Orcinus orca Linnaeus, 1758 Orca range (in blue) The Orca or Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) is the largest species of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae). ... Families Balaenidae Balaenopteridae Eschrichtiidae Neobalaenidae Scientifically known as the Mysticeti, the baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form a suborder of the order cetacea. ... Binomial name Eschrichtius robustus Lilljeborg, 1861 Gray Whale range The Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) is a whale which travels between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. ...

• Eschrictius robustus, the gray whale

The top of the food chain was supported by larger numbers of smaller animals farther down it, which lived in the herbaceous blanket covering the tundra or steppe and helped maintain it by carrying seeds, manuring and aerating it. Binomial name Eschrichtius robustus Lilljeborg, 1861 Gray Whale range The Gray Whale or Grey Whale (Eschrichtius robustus), more recently called the Eastern Pacific Gray Whale, is a whale that travels between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. ...

Leporidae: Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus Caprolagus Pronolagus Lepus Leporids are the approximately 50 species of rabbits and hares which form the family Leporidae. ...

• Lepus tanaiticus, the hare

Ochotonidae: For other uses, see Hare (disambiguation). ... Genera Ochotona Prolagus The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). ...

• Ochotona spelaeus, the pika

Cricetidae: Type Species Ochotona minor Link, 1795 (= Lepus dauuricus Pallas, 1776) Species See text The name pika (archaically spelled pica) is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae (rabbits and hares). ... Subfamilies Arvicolinae Cricetinae Neotominae Sigmodontinae Tylomyinae Valid name: Muridae Illiger, 1815 [1] Cricetidae is a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. ...

• Lemmus obensis, Siberian lemming
• Dicrostonix, collared lemming
• Lagurus lagurus, steppe lemming
• Microtus gregalis, narrow-headed vole
• Arvicola terrestris. Water vole

Sciuridae: This article is about the rodent. ... This article is about the rodent. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... Species See text The genus Microtus is a group of voles found in North America and northern Europe and Asia. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) This article deals with the European Water Vole. ... Genera Many: see text. ...

• Spermophilus, ground squirrel

Dipodidae: Species about 38: see text. ... Genera 10 genera in 5 subfamilies A jerboa is a small jumping desert rodent of Asia and northern Africa that resembles a mouse with a long tufted tail and very long hind legs. ...

• Allactaga jaculus, the jerboa

Species Allactaga elater Allactaga firouzi Allactaga hotsoni Allactaga major Allactaga severtzovi Allactaga vinogradovi Allactaga balikunica Allactaga bullata Allactaga sibirica Allactaga euphractica Allactaga tetradactyla The genus Allactaga contains the four and five-toed jerboas of Asia. ...

Man

Eurasia was populated by Homo sapiens sapiens (Cro-Magnon man) in the late Upper Paleolithic stage of tool development. Bands of humans survived by hunting the plains mammals. In north Europe they preferred reindeer; in the Ukraine, the wooly mammoth. They sheltered in huts and manufactured tools around campfires. Ukrainian shelters were supported by mammoth tusks. Man was already across Siberia and in north America. Human beings are defined variously in biological, spiritual, and cultural terms, or in combinations thereof. ... The Cro-Magnons (IPA: or anglicised IPA: ) form the earliest known European examples of Homo sapiens, the species to which modern humans belong. ... The Upper Paleolithic (or Upper Palaeolithic) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. ... // Paleolithic Lower Paleolithic: Europe was populated by species of Homo since c. ... This article is about the genus Mammuthus. ... This article is about Siberia as a whole. ...

Man did not hunt alone. Two domestic dogs, Canis familiaris, have been found in late Pleistocene Ukraine. They were a heavy breed similar to a Great Dane, perhaps of use in running down Elephantidae. The large number of mammoth bones at campsites make it clear that even then the Elephantidae in Europe were approaching the limit of their duration. Their bones were used for many purposes, not the least interesting of which are the numerous objects of art, including an engraved star map. Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... The Great Dane is a breed of dog known for its giant size and gentle personality. ...

Late upper palaeolithic culture was by no means uniform. A large number of local traditions have been defined. The Hamburgian culture had occupied the lowlands and north Germany before the Older Dryas. During the Older Dryas, contemporaneous with the Havelte Group of the late Hamburgian, the Federmesser culture appeared and occupied Denmark and south Sweden, following the reindeer. South of the Hamburgian was the Magdalenian, which at that time was long-standing. In the Ukraine was the Molodovan, which used tusks in building shelters. The Hamburg culture (12400 BP-12100 BP, C14-years) was a late Upper Paleolithic culture of reindeer hunters during the last part of the Weichsel Glaciation. ... The Federmesser culture is a toolmaking tradition of the Epipaleolithic era (which is just after the end of the Palaeolithic era) of the Northern European Plain dating to between c. ... The Magdalenian, also spelt Magdalénien, refers to one of the later culture of the Upper Palaeolithic in western Europe. ...

See also

• Younger Dryas
• Oldest Dryas

Three temperature records, the GRIP one clearly showing the Younger Dryas event at around 11 kyr BP The Younger Dryas stadial, named after the alpine / tundra wildflower Dryas octopetala, and also referred to as the Big Freeze [1], was a brief (approximately 1300 ± 70 years [1]) cold climate period following... The Oldest Dryas is a climatic period, which occurred during the coldest stadial after the Weichselian glaciation in north Europe. ...

External links

• Stone Age
• Mammoth Camp
• The Earliest Settlement of Denmark
• Late Glacial - Early Holocene Vegetation
• Europe During the Last 150,000 Years
• Late Glacial Palaeoenvironments at Hijkermeer, Drenthe
• Lateglacial hunter-gatherer colonization of southern Scandinavia