Conference:
1stInternational workshop on the Pliocene, 13-15 September 2001, Malaga, Spain.
Author:
Speranta-Maria Popescu.
Abstract:
Today, a lot of high-quality pollen data (more than 80 localities, well-dated most of them), i.e. more than 2000 pollen analyses) document vegetation and climate evolution over the entire Europe and the Mediterranean region during the whole Pliocene. Four main provinces from the vegetation point of view have been identified: the Atlantic province, the North Mediterranean Province, the south Mediterranean Province, the Central –East Europe province. In detail various landscapes have been evidenced with respect not only to climate gradients (longitude, latitude) but also to local conditions (delta systems, reliefs, for example).
Climatic parameters have been quantified according to the “Amplitude transfer function”. Climate evolved from more or less subtropical conditions in the earliest Pliocene to more contrast when the Northern Hemisphere glacial-interglacial cycles occurred (ca.2.6 Ma).
Long distances comparisons have been successfully realized and provide a climatostratigraphy, which is consistent with d18O record. In some very propitious localities to high-resolution pollen record, positive relationships have been established with the earth orbital parameters.