Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 38(1) 1995

Issue:

VOL 38(1) 1995

Keywords:

Pollen, vegetation, climate, West Mediterranean, Pliocene, Pleistocene

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Structure of West Mediterranean vegetation and climate since 5.3 ma

• Jean-Pierre SUC
• Adele BERTINI
• Nathalie COMBOURIEU-NEBOUT
• Filomena DINIZ
• Suzanne LEROY
• Elda RUSSO-ERMOLLI
• Zhuo ZHENG
• Ezzedine BESSAIS
• Jacqueline FERRIER

Abstract:

Pollen analyses of 31 selected localities from the West Mediterranean region, spanning from the Early Pliocene to the present, are discussed on the basis of latitude, altitude and physiography. Northwestern and southwestern vegetation provinces are identified and their evolution is presented in relation to the climatic changes of the northern hemisphere. The most drastic changes in vegetation affected the northwest Mediterranean province. The Mediterranean open xeric vegetation, widely distributed during glacial phases, has an old origin, predating the earliest Pliocene.