TY - JOUR
T1 - The Cenozoic vegetation of the Iberian Peninsula: A synthesis
AU - Barrón, Eduardo
AU - Rivas-Carballo, Rosario
AU - Postigo-Mijarra, José María
AU - Alcalde-Olivares, Cristina
AU - Vieira, Manuel
AU - Castro, Lígia
AU - Pais, João
AU - Valle-Hernández, María
PY - 2010/10/1
Y1 - 2010/10/1
N2 - The aim of this work is to provide a first approach to the evolution of Iberia's vegetation during the Cenozoic (with the exclusion of the Quaternary). The Palaeogene was floristically defined by Palaeotropical elements forming tropical/subtropical rainforests, mangrove swamps, edaphically-mediated laurophyllous forests and leguminous-sclerophyllous communities. During the Miocene, Iberian landscapes were drastically modified due to geographic and climatic changes (mainly cooling and aridification) changes. Open, steppe-like environments developed towards the interior of the peninsula and Arctotertiary elements invaded mountainous and riparian ecosystems, coexisting with or becoming part of evergreen, broadleaved forests of Palaeotropical species. From the Late Miocene onwards these forests suffered changes due to the extinction of taxa, the impact of environmental change on the survivors, and the perturbations caused by the arrival of further Arctotertiary elements. However, several Palaeotropical taxa overcame the environmental and climatic changes of the Miocene and Pliocene to form a part of the modern flora of the Iberian Peninsula.
AB - The aim of this work is to provide a first approach to the evolution of Iberia's vegetation during the Cenozoic (with the exclusion of the Quaternary). The Palaeogene was floristically defined by Palaeotropical elements forming tropical/subtropical rainforests, mangrove swamps, edaphically-mediated laurophyllous forests and leguminous-sclerophyllous communities. During the Miocene, Iberian landscapes were drastically modified due to geographic and climatic changes (mainly cooling and aridification) changes. Open, steppe-like environments developed towards the interior of the peninsula and Arctotertiary elements invaded mountainous and riparian ecosystems, coexisting with or becoming part of evergreen, broadleaved forests of Palaeotropical species. From the Late Miocene onwards these forests suffered changes due to the extinction of taxa, the impact of environmental change on the survivors, and the perturbations caused by the arrival of further Arctotertiary elements. However, several Palaeotropical taxa overcame the environmental and climatic changes of the Miocene and Pliocene to form a part of the modern flora of the Iberian Peninsula.
KW - Cenozoic
KW - Iberian Peninsula
KW - Palaeobotany
KW - Palaeoclimatology
KW - Palaeovegetation history
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78049232977&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2009.11.007
DO - 10.1016/j.revpalbo.2009.11.007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:78049232977
SN - 0034-6667
VL - 162
SP - 382
EP - 402
JO - Review Of Palaeobotany And Palynology
JF - Review Of Palaeobotany And Palynology
IS - 3
ER -