Submerged Landmass Supported Life During Ice Age
Why this is here: The study analyzed 252 samples from core samples, making it the most extensive ancient sedimentary DNA study conducted to date, offering new insights into a previously misunderstood landscape.
Researchers found evidence that a submerged territory connecting Great Britain to Europe supported temperate forests and human populations for millennia. Doggerland, now under the North Sea, hosted these ecosystems as early as 16,000 years ago. The study used ancient sedimentary DNA from 41 core samples collected from the prehistoric Southern River.
Analysis revealed DNA from animals like wild boar, deer, bears, and aurochs. Previous estimates suggested Doggerland flooded around 7,000 years ago, but this research indicates it occurred closer to 6,000 years ago. Researchers identified a relative of the walnut tree, previously thought extinct in the region for 400,000 years.
The findings suggest Stone Age people had sufficient resources to live in the area after glacial retreat around 21,000 years ago, potentially explaining the rapid spread of trees after the last ice age. The study also indicates the North Sea fully submerged southern Doggerland roughly 6,000 years ago.