A coastal reservoir of biodiversity for Upper Pleistocene human populations: palaeoecological investigations in Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar) in the context of the Iberian Peninsula

J. S. Carrion; C. Finlayson; S. Fernandez; G. Finlayson; E. Allue; J. A. Lopez-Saez; P. Lopez-Garcia; G. Gil-Romera; G. Bailey; P. Gonzalez-Samperiz

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.08.016

A coastal reservoir of biodiversity for Upper Pleistocene human populations: palaeoecological investigations in Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar) in the context of the Iberian Peninsula

J. S. Carrion, C. Finlayson, S. Fernandez, G. Finlayson, E. Allue, J. A. Lopez-Saez, P. Lopez-Garcia, G. Gil-Romera, G. Bailey, P. Gonzalez-Samperiz

Archaeology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Literature review › peer-review

Abstract

Palaeobotanical (pollen, charcoal) data from Gorham's Cave reveals a diversified landscape in the Gibraltar region during the Middle (c. 32 560-23 780 year BP) and Upper Palaeolithic (c. 18 440-10 880 BP). Inferred vegetation types include oak, pine, juniper, and mixed woodlands and savannahs, grasslands with heaths, heliophytic matorrals, phreatophytic formations (e.g. riverine forests, wetlands), and thermomediterranean coastal scrub. A revision of palaeoecological data suggests that patches of trees persisted even in northern and continental territories of the Iberian Peninsula during the cold stages of OIS3 and OIS2. However, a southern Mediterranean coastal shelf extending from Gibraltar to Malaga, and probably further north up to Murcia, was unique in its combination of thermo-, meso-, and supramediterranean plant and animal species. Given the composition of these assemblages, this shelf and its adjacent mountains represented a crucial reservoir of biodiversity during the Upper Pleistocene. It is within this physiographically complex context with its diversity of resources where the last Neanderthals extraordinarily survived until c. 24 000 1313, that is over 10 000 years later than the disappearance of Neanderthals from elsewhere in temperate Europe. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2118-2135
Number of pages	18
Journal	Quaternary Science Reviews
Volume	27
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.08.016
Publication status	Published - Nov 2008

Keywords

PINE PINUS-PINASTER
LAST 16,000 YEARS
GLACIAL REFUGIA
POLLEN RECORDS
NEANDERTHAL EXTINCTION
CLIMATE VARIABILITY
ENVIRONMENTAL-CHANGES
VEGETATION DYNAMICS
HOLOCENE VEGETATION
SOUTHEASTERN SPAIN

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10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.08.016

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Carrion, J. S., Finlayson, C., Fernandez, S., Finlayson, G., Allue, E., Lopez-Saez, J. A., Lopez-Garcia, P., Gil-Romera, G., Bailey, G., & Gonzalez-Samperiz, P. (2008). A coastal reservoir of biodiversity for Upper Pleistocene human populations: palaeoecological investigations in Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar) in the context of the Iberian Peninsula. Quaternary Science Reviews, 27, 2118-2135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.08.016

@article{92613b1c67a148b18b488d921bf69f09,

title = "A coastal reservoir of biodiversity for Upper Pleistocene human populations: palaeoecological investigations in Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar) in the context of the Iberian Peninsula",

abstract = "Palaeobotanical (pollen, charcoal) data from Gorham's Cave reveals a diversified landscape in the Gibraltar region during the Middle (c. 32 560-23 780 year BP) and Upper Palaeolithic (c. 18 440-10 880 BP). Inferred vegetation types include oak, pine, juniper, and mixed woodlands and savannahs, grasslands with heaths, heliophytic matorrals, phreatophytic formations (e.g. riverine forests, wetlands), and thermomediterranean coastal scrub. A revision of palaeoecological data suggests that patches of trees persisted even in northern and continental territories of the Iberian Peninsula during the cold stages of OIS3 and OIS2. However, a southern Mediterranean coastal shelf extending from Gibraltar to Malaga, and probably further north up to Murcia, was unique in its combination of thermo-, meso-, and supramediterranean plant and animal species. Given the composition of these assemblages, this shelf and its adjacent mountains represented a crucial reservoir of biodiversity during the Upper Pleistocene. It is within this physiographically complex context with its diversity of resources where the last Neanderthals extraordinarily survived until c. 24 000 1313, that is over 10 000 years later than the disappearance of Neanderthals from elsewhere in temperate Europe. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.",

keywords = "PINE PINUS-PINASTER, LAST 16,000 YEARS, GLACIAL REFUGIA, POLLEN RECORDS, NEANDERTHAL EXTINCTION, CLIMATE VARIABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL-CHANGES, VEGETATION DYNAMICS, HOLOCENE VEGETATION, SOUTHEASTERN SPAIN",

author = "Carrion, {J. S.} and C. Finlayson and S. Fernandez and G. Finlayson and E. Allue and Lopez-Saez, {J. A.} and P. Lopez-Garcia and G. Gil-Romera and G. Bailey and P. Gonzalez-Samperiz",

year = "2008",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.08.016",

language = "English",

volume = "27",

pages = "2118--2135",

journal = "Quaternary Science Reviews",

issn = "0277-3791",

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}

Carrion, JS, Finlayson, C, Fernandez, S, Finlayson, G, Allue, E, Lopez-Saez, JA, Lopez-Garcia, P, Gil-Romera, G, Bailey, G & Gonzalez-Samperiz, P 2008, 'A coastal reservoir of biodiversity for Upper Pleistocene human populations: palaeoecological investigations in Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar) in the context of the Iberian Peninsula', Quaternary Science Reviews, vol. 27, pp. 2118-2135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.08.016

A coastal reservoir of biodiversity for Upper Pleistocene human populations: palaeoecological investigations in Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar) in the context of the Iberian Peninsula. / Carrion, J. S.; Finlayson, C.; Fernandez, S. et al.
In: Quaternary Science Reviews, Vol. 27, 11.2008, p. 2118-2135.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Literature review › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - A coastal reservoir of biodiversity for Upper Pleistocene human populations: palaeoecological investigations in Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar) in the context of the Iberian Peninsula

AU - Carrion, J. S.

AU - Finlayson, C.

AU - Fernandez, S.

AU - Finlayson, G.

AU - Allue, E.

AU - Lopez-Saez, J. A.

AU - Lopez-Garcia, P.

AU - Gil-Romera, G.

AU - Bailey, G.

AU - Gonzalez-Samperiz, P.

PY - 2008/11

Y1 - 2008/11

N2 - Palaeobotanical (pollen, charcoal) data from Gorham's Cave reveals a diversified landscape in the Gibraltar region during the Middle (c. 32 560-23 780 year BP) and Upper Palaeolithic (c. 18 440-10 880 BP). Inferred vegetation types include oak, pine, juniper, and mixed woodlands and savannahs, grasslands with heaths, heliophytic matorrals, phreatophytic formations (e.g. riverine forests, wetlands), and thermomediterranean coastal scrub. A revision of palaeoecological data suggests that patches of trees persisted even in northern and continental territories of the Iberian Peninsula during the cold stages of OIS3 and OIS2. However, a southern Mediterranean coastal shelf extending from Gibraltar to Malaga, and probably further north up to Murcia, was unique in its combination of thermo-, meso-, and supramediterranean plant and animal species. Given the composition of these assemblages, this shelf and its adjacent mountains represented a crucial reservoir of biodiversity during the Upper Pleistocene. It is within this physiographically complex context with its diversity of resources where the last Neanderthals extraordinarily survived until c. 24 000 1313, that is over 10 000 years later than the disappearance of Neanderthals from elsewhere in temperate Europe. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AB - Palaeobotanical (pollen, charcoal) data from Gorham's Cave reveals a diversified landscape in the Gibraltar region during the Middle (c. 32 560-23 780 year BP) and Upper Palaeolithic (c. 18 440-10 880 BP). Inferred vegetation types include oak, pine, juniper, and mixed woodlands and savannahs, grasslands with heaths, heliophytic matorrals, phreatophytic formations (e.g. riverine forests, wetlands), and thermomediterranean coastal scrub. A revision of palaeoecological data suggests that patches of trees persisted even in northern and continental territories of the Iberian Peninsula during the cold stages of OIS3 and OIS2. However, a southern Mediterranean coastal shelf extending from Gibraltar to Malaga, and probably further north up to Murcia, was unique in its combination of thermo-, meso-, and supramediterranean plant and animal species. Given the composition of these assemblages, this shelf and its adjacent mountains represented a crucial reservoir of biodiversity during the Upper Pleistocene. It is within this physiographically complex context with its diversity of resources where the last Neanderthals extraordinarily survived until c. 24 000 1313, that is over 10 000 years later than the disappearance of Neanderthals from elsewhere in temperate Europe. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KW - PINE PINUS-PINASTER

KW - LAST 16,000 YEARS

KW - GLACIAL REFUGIA

KW - POLLEN RECORDS

KW - NEANDERTHAL EXTINCTION

KW - CLIMATE VARIABILITY

KW - ENVIRONMENTAL-CHANGES

KW - VEGETATION DYNAMICS

KW - HOLOCENE VEGETATION

KW - SOUTHEASTERN SPAIN

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=55949093205&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.08.016

DO - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.08.016

M3 - Literature review

SN - 0277-3791

VL - 27

SP - 2118

EP - 2135

JO - Quaternary Science Reviews

JF - Quaternary Science Reviews

ER -

A coastal reservoir of biodiversity for Upper Pleistocene human populations: palaeoecological investigations in Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar) in the context of the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Keywords

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