Middle-late Holocene climate and hydrologic changes in the Gulf of Saros (NE Aegean Sea)

A multi-proxy analyses was applied on the sediment core from Gulf of Saros (GoS) to identify and characterize climate hydrological changes during middle-to-late Holocene. The formation two discrete Holocene sapropel layers in GoS sediments documented for first time based total organic carbon analysis. According our paleo-proxy records, lower deposited under warm humid conditions that gave rise high delivery terrestrial matter by numerous rivers northern catchment GoS. Biomarker μ-XRF data were used decipher variations middle late general trends sea-surface temperature records Sea Marmara (SoM) at beginning are good agreement, underlying influence Black inflow. relatively wet together with a sedimentation rate mid-Holocene Climatic Optimum resulted productivity ensuing younger between 5.4 3.0 cal ka BP. Late European periods evident records. Roman Humid Period is represented variation climate, indicating an earlier (2.5–2.3 BP) dry later (2.3–1.55 periods. abrupt return drier condition Dark Ages Cold (1.6–1.3 followed wetter Medieval Climate Anomaly (1.1–0.7 BP). record indicates passage cold Little Ice Age period (730–110 yr BP), highlights deforestation as result human activities last three centuries.