The Geology of Scotland
Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th and early 19th century was foundational to modern geology and this updated 5th edition of The Geology of Scotland celebrates the richness of the country’s geological record, as well as how it has shaped many of the ideas in Earth science. Ranging from milestones of geological history, through numerous orogenies and changing environments, to the resource challenges of the modern day, this book is a reference guide to Scotland’s fascinating geological history.
The volume encourages engagement with controversies at the heartbeat of the discipline, such as when plate tectonics commenced and how we know. It unravels the apparently uneventful mid-Proterozoic through to the orogenies of the Neoproterozoic, provides new insights into the much-debated Dalradian Supergroup and describes the sedimentary record through climate extremes, ocean closure, ophiolite obduction and arc-continent collision. Subsequent chapters document the Caledonian Orogeny that is associated with many of the magmatic and metamorphic rocks of Scotland and its collapse and erosion, leading to the deposition of Old Red Sandstone. The Carboniferous section records the recovery from end-Devonian extinctions, the migration of some animals onto land and the development of extensive forests and associated coal deposits. Intraplate volcanism was relatively widespread at this time, resulting in the extinct volcano of Arthur’s Seat that dominates Edinburgh’s skyline. Discussion of Permo-Triassic rocks focuses on those that are offshore, reflecting the changing climates in the centre of the Pangea supercontinent north of the Variscan mountain chain. The Jurassic records the break-up of Pangea and the birth of the Atlantic Ocean in fault-bounded sedimentary basins, before the episodic transgressions of the Cretaceous.
There is wider consideration of the role of Scotland’s geology in the modern era, including its mineral, water and energy resources in the context of a low-carbon future, as well as how Scotland’s social heritage and geoheritage is best preserved and promoted for future generations.
These discussions are well-written, with excellent figures, providing an authoritative and readable up-to-date introduction to Scotland’s geological history. Whilst it may not draw in mildly curious readers, it is admirably presented and a valuable summary resource for those with sufficient background in geology. The book is a journey of some magnitude, rich in engaging pictures and ideas. Those involved in its writing and production are to be congratulated on a volume that more than lives up to the heritage of geology in Scotland.
Review by Chris Hawkesworth
DETAILS:
BY: Martin Smith and Rob Strachan (eds.) Geological Society of London, 654 pp. (pbk)
ISBN: 9781786206138
PRICE: £90 geolsoc.org.uk
