A new late Miocene (Tortonian) flora from Gavdos Island in southernmost Greece evaluated in the context of vegetation and climate in the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract

A new late Miocene (Tortonian) leaf flora has recently been recovered in the southernmost part of Europe on the island of Gavdos, Greece. So far, three conifers (Tetraclinis salicornioides, Taxodium dubium and Pinus sp.) and 27 fossil species/morphotypes of angiosperms have been recognized. Among them, some represent subtropical, partly evergreen woody elements (e.g. Daphnogene sp., Laurophyllum sp., Myrica lignitum), some others (e.g., ?Sassafras, Fagus gussonii, Ulmus, Acer angustilobum, Populus populina, Ailanthus pythii, Paliurus tiliifolius, several legumes) belong to deciduous shrubs or trees. The number of the determined angiosperms is sufficient for using statistical techniques to estimate palaeoclimate (LMA, CLAMP, CA) and to reconstruct the palaeovegetation (phytosociological approach, IPR-vegetation analysis). The Gavdos flora is based on leaf impressions and allows correlations with other Greek floras of almost the same age, namely from Crete – Vrysses (latest Tortonian to Messinian, ca. 7.5-6.0 Ma), Makrilia (late Tortonian, ca. 8.6-7.7 Ma) and Pitsidia, Messara Basin (early Tortonian, ca. 10.5 Ma), while that from Vegora, Macedonia (Messinian, ca. 7-6 Ma) may document further trends in the late Miocene.