Forests Covered Doggerland 16,000 Years Earlier Than Previously Believed, New Study Reveals.

Fresh Insights into Doggerland's Past

According to TSN.ua: New evidence has emerged showing that Doggerland—the submerged landmass beneath the North Sea—was blanketed in forests more than 16,000 years ago. This finding, led by a team from the University of Warwick, challenges earlier assumptions about the region's vegetation. Doggerland once linked Britain's eastern coast to northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Jutland, serving as a crucial land bridge in prehistoric Europe.

Researchers analyzed ancient sedimentary DNA extracted from 41 marine cores. Their work identified genetic traces of oak, elm, hazel, and wingnut trees dating back much further than previously documented. These results reshape our understanding of the ecosystem that thrived on Doggerland before it was submerged.

“We unexpectedly found trees thousands of years earlier than anyone anticipated.”

Robin Allaby, researcher

It is worth noting that Doggerland sank beneath the waves roughly 7,000 years ago, while the Storegga tsunami occurred around 8,150 years ago—an event that may have contributed to the area's flooding.

Why Doggerland Research Matters

Ongoing study of Doggerland continues to unlock new perspectives on the history and ecology of a region that was once a vital part of the European continent.

These latest findings underscore Doggerland's significance for understanding ancient ecosystems and human settlements across Europe. By reconstructing the environmental conditions that prevailed there, scientists can better examine how prehistoric populations adapted to climate shifts and landscape changes. Further research may also clarify how these transformations influenced population movements and cultural development in early Europe.