Temperature and precipitation regime in LGM human refugia of southwestern Europe inferred from ?13C and ?18O of large mammal remains

The climate shift of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) strongly impacted vegetation cover and related trophic chains western Europe. Harsh, cold dry conditions then prevailed in most regions, impacting migrations survival human beings. Nonetheless, environments suitable for mammalian fauna to survive persisted SW Europe thus providing refugia hunters. Tooth enamel from large herbivorous mammal remains archaeological sites located southwest France Spain were analyzed their stable carbon oxygen isotope compositions documenting paleotemperatures paleoprecipitations. These occupied by humans between 25 ky 16 ky. Skeletal Cervidae, Equidae Caprinae suggest colder drier relative present-day. Paleoprecipitations reconstructed a modern-based transfer function using ?13C-values apatite carbonate, corrected low atmospheric pCO2 value LGM. They ranged ?250 mm yr?1 on Mediterranean façade, ?550 Atlantic side. Setting ?18O-value northeastern North LGM-surface water +0.8‰, based Biscay Golf marine core studies, mean air temperatures inferred 18O-data calcite close 14–15 °C (Mediterranean) 6 °C–10 (Atlantic), i.e., about 4–5 5–8 higher than pre-industrial temperatures, respectively. two areas define distinct clusters precipitation regimes with strong negative offsets vs Present. isotopically-reconstructed indicate control proximal surface ocean/marine waters, particular annual temperatures.