Researchers believe these early forests would have created a rich and stable environment capable of supporting diverse ecosystems. (Image for representation: Unplash)A vast, now-submerged landmass beneath the North Sea — known as Doggerland — may once have been a thriving forest ecosystem during the Ice Age, according to new research led by the University of Warwick. Long before rising sea levels swallowed it, this “lost world” appears to have supported dense woodlands, wildlife, and possibly early human communities.The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, challenge earlier assumptions that forests emerged in the region much later. Instead, researchers discovered that temperate trees such as oak, elm, and hazel were already growing there more than 16,000 years ago.Ancient DNA uncovers hidden forestsTo reconstruct Doggerland’s past, scientists analysed sedimentary ancient DNA from marine cores, extracted from the seabed. This way, they were able to map out the environmental history stretching back several millennia.Their findings showed the development of early forests and identified lime trees, which need warm climates, about 2,000 years before their earliest known existence on the British mainland. This implies that Doggerland could have served as a climatic haven during the peak periods of the Ice Age.Also read | ‘Building blocks of life’ on Mars: NASA’s Curiosity rover finds organic moleculesWhat is even more surprising is the identification of DNA from ‘Pterocarya’, a plant species belonging to the walnut family, thought to be extinct in northwest Europe nearly 400,000 years ago.A refuge for early humans and wildlifeResearchers believe these early forests would have created a rich and stable environment capable of supporting diverse ecosystems. Woodland habitats could have sustained animals such as boar and provided essential resources for human populations.“By analysing sedaDNA from southern Doggerland at an unprecedented scale, we reconstructed the environment of this lost land from the end of the last Ice Age until the North Sea formed,” said Professor Robin Allaby. “We unexpectedly found trees thousands of years earlier than anyone expected.”Story continues below this adHe added that the findings offer strong evidence that Doggerland’s wooded landscape may have supported early Mesolithic communities before it was gradually submerged.Rethinking Europe’s prehistoric landscapeDoggerland once connected Britain to mainland Europe, acting as a vast land bridge before rising seas formed the modern North Sea. However, scientists now argue it was far more than just a migration route.Also Read | Shroud of Turin, linked by believers to Jesus Christ, has Indian DNA traces: StudyThe implication is that Doggerland may well have served as a “microrefugium,” which refers to places of sanctuary where plants and animals could thrive despite drastic climatic conditions. Such refugia could be responsible for the rapid repopulation of Europe’s forests during the Ice Age – a phenomenon referred to as Reid’s Paradox.The lost world under the wavesFurther evidence suggests Doggerland was not underwater at an earlier stage than previously thought, holding off submergence despite large floods such as the tsunami caused by the Storegga Slide about 8,150 years ago. Parts of Doggerland may well have stayed above water until about 7,000 years ago.Story continues below this adDoggerland is today submerged under the ocean floor, but it continues to reveal its secrets. What was once considered a desert of barren land is proving to be much more environmentally rich and diverse than previously imagined. © IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:sea