occupied by Mesolithic cultures, rather than Neolithic, notwithstanding the climatic evidence. Moreover, the technology stages vary widely globally. Sequence The Pleistocene phases and approximate calibrated dates (see above) are: Older Dryas stadial, 14,000–13,600 BP (Before Present) Allerød interstadial, 13,600–12,900 BP Younger Dryas stadial, 12,900–11,640 BP The Holocene phases are: Preboreal Boreal, cool, dry, rising temperature, 11,500–8,900 BP Atlantic, warm, moist, maximum temperature, 8900–5700 BP Subboreal, 5700–2600 BP Subatlantic, 2600–0 BP Marker species Some marker plant genera or species studied in peat are Sphagnum Carex limosa Scheuchzeria palustris, Rannock rush Eriophorum vaginatum, cotton grass Vaccinium oxycoccos, bog cranberry Andromeda polifolia, bog rosemary Erica tetralix, cross-leaved heather Calluna vulgaris, heather Pinus, pine Betula, birch More sphagnum appears in wet periods. Dry periods feature more tree stumps, of birch and pine. References External links the Holocene 10,000 Years of Climate Change Bogs and Mires of the Baltic Region Chronology Holocene Paleoclimatology Paleoecology Palynology Dating methodologies in archaeology