Spatial climate dynamics in the Iberian Peninsula since 15 000 yr BP

Abstract

Climate changes in the Iberian Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum are associated with distributional shifts of major Mediterranean and European temperate species. The dynamic relationship between climate and species in the past may be retrieved from the fossil records available in the Iberian Peninsula. We have used an extensive set of pollen records to reconstruct spatial layers (1 kyr interval) of January minimum temperature, July maximum temperature, and annual precipitation over the time period between 15 and 3 ka. A functional principal component analysis was used to summarise the spatial evolution of climate in areas that share similar climate trends. When compared between them, the identified four areas show different climate trends over the studied period and are coherent with the existence of multiple refugial areas within the Iberian Peninsula.