A southern refugium for temperate tree species in the Mediterranean mountains of El Port massif (NE Iberia): Charcoal analysis at Cova Del Vidre

This study focuses on the analysis of wood charcoal from Cova del Vidre (Roquetes, Tarragona, Spain). cave, located at an altitude 1000 m a.s.l., is a key site for understanding transition hunting and gathering to farming in mountainous region north-eastern Iberia so far unexplored by archaeobotany. The anthracological based four archaeological levels Epipalaeolithic Early Neolithic dated between 12.9 6.8 kyr cal BP, that is, Late Glacial period Middle Holocene. During Younger Dryas, record dominated little varied spectrum cryophilous pines ( Pinus tp. sylvestris) thorny shrubs revealing open landscape where Prunus may prefigure spread temperate taxa. In Holocene, significant change temperature precipitation evidenced, which promoted successional changes plant communities, with decline pine sudden rise temperate/Mediterranean taxa, such as Quercus coccifera/ilex. other taxa appear, deciduous, Buxus sempervirens Taxus baccata, yew finally dominating record. appearance early development or Mediterranean species Dryas Holocene periods, mountain context had long been favourable Scots pine, allows us argue local existence glacial refugium. Differences nearby sites lowlands demonstrate altitudinal differences vegetation were already established Furthermore, helps define palaeodistribution Abies alba Fagus sylvatica southern Europe.