Pollen analyses of Pleistocene hyaena coprolites from Montenegro and Serbia

Abstract

The results of pollen analyses of hyaena coprolites from the Early Pleistocene cave of Trlica in northern Montenegro and the Late Pleistocene cave of Baranica in southeast Serbia are described. The Early Pleistocene Pachycrocuta brevirostris, and the Late Pleistocene Crocuta spelaea are coprolite-producing species. Although the pollen concentration was rather low, the presented analyses add considerably to the much-needed knowledge of the vegetation of the central Balkans during the Pleistocene. Pollen extracted from a coprolite from the Baranica cave indicates an open landscape with the presence of steppe taxa, which is in accordance with the recorded conditions and faunal remains. Pollen analysis of the Early Pleistocene samples from Trlica indicate fresh and temperate humid climatic conditions, as well as the co-existence of several biotopes which formed a mosaic landscape in the vicinity of the cave.U radu su prikazani rezultati analize polena ekstrahovanog iz koprolita fosilnih hijena iz ranog pleistocena karstne suplje Trlica u severnoj Crnoj Gori i kasnog pleistocena pecine Baranica u jugoistocnoj Srbiji. Koproliti poticu od dve razlicite vrste hijena, ranopleistocenske vrste Pachycrocuta brevirostris, i kasnopleistocenske vrste Crocuta spelaea. Mada je broj ekstrahovanih polenovih zrna mali, rezultati analize polena iz ovih uzoraka daju znacajan doprinos poznavanju pleistocenske vegetacije centralnog Balkana, za koje inace postoji vrlo malo podataka.