Dr. Nicholas Branch

Biography

"Dr. Nicholas Branch, Currently, working as Head of the School of Archaeology, Geography & Environmental Science, University of Reading, United Kingdom. Qualifications: BSc MSc PhD (London) Areas of Interest: • Holocene vegetation succession and climate change in South America and Europe (UK, Ireland, France and Italy) • Human response and adaptation to environmental change during the Holocene • The impact of human activities on the natural environment during the Holocene Dr Nicholas Branch is an Associate Professor in Palaeoecology. He has a BSc (Hons) in Archaeology, and MSc in Bioarchaeology (Archaeobotany), from University College London (Institute of Archaeology). Nicholas has a PhD in Geography from Royal Holloway (University of London), Centre of Quaternary Research, where he studied the Late Würm Lateglacial and Holocene vegetation history and human activities of the Northern Apennines, Italy. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (London), and an associate of the Walker Institute for Climate Systems Research and Soil Research Centre. "

Research Interest

"• Holocene climate and vegetation history of the northern Apennines, Italy • The impact of prehistoric farming on the environment of the Ligurian Apennines, Italy The Neolithisation of the western Mediterranean with a specific emphasis on the cave of Arene Candide, Liguria, Italy • The chronology and impact of Copper and Bronze Age mining and metallurgy on the environment of the Mediterranean • The environmental impact of proto-industrial prehistoric salt production in the Seille Valley, NE France • The environmental impact of prehistoric salt mining activities at Hallstatt, Austria • The environmental history of SE England with a specific emphasis on the Mesolithic cultural period, the histories of Ulmus, Taxus and Tilia woodland, and heathland formation • Middle and Late Holocene climate change and vegetation succession in central Ireland • The rise and fall of the Wari civilisation in the Peruvian Andes "