Climate variability and associated vegetation response throughout Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) between 60 and 8 ka

• Published in: Quaternary science reviews Vol. 106; pp. 206 - 224
• Main Authors: Feurdean, A., Perşoiu, A., Tanţău, I., Stevens, T., Magyari, E.K., Onac, B.P., Marković, S., Andrič, M., Connor, S., Fărcaş, S., Gałka, M., Gaudeny, T., Hoek, W., Kolaczek, P., Kuneš, P., Lamentowicz, M., Marinova, E., Michczyńska, D.J., Perşoiu, I., Płóciennik, M., Słowiński, M., Stancikaite, M., Sumegi, P., Svensson, A., Tămaş, T., Timar, A., Tonkov, S., Toth, M., Veski, S., Willis, K.J., Zernitskaya, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.12.2014
• Subjects: Climate; Glacial; Holocene; INTIMATE; Latitudinal gradients; Pollen; Terrestrial records; Vegetation response; Terrestrial records; Climate; INTIMATE; Glacial; Pollen; Vegetation response; Holocene; Latitudinal gradients
• ISSN: 0277-3791; 1873-457X; 1873-457X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.06.003

Records of past climate variability and associated vegetation response exist in various regions throughout Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). To date, there has been no coherent synthesis of the existing palaeo-records. During an INTIMATE meeting (Cluj Napoca, Romania) focused on identifying CEE paleo-records, it was decided to address this gap by presenting the palaeo-community with a compilation of high-quality climatic and vegetation records for the past 60–8 ka. The compilation should also serve as a reference point for the use in the modelling community working towards the INTIMATE project goals, and in data-model inter-comparison studies. This paper is therefore a compilation of up to date, best available quantitative and semi-quantitative records of past climate and biotic response from CEE covering this period. It first presents the proxy and archive used. Speleothems and loess mainly provide the evidences available for the 60–20 ka interval, whereas pollen records provide the main source of information for the Lateglacial and Holocene. It then examines the temporal and spatial patterns of climate variability inferred from different proxies, the temporal and spatial magnitude of the vegetation responses inferred from pollen records and highlights differences and similarities between proxies and sub-regions and the possible mechanisms behind this variability. Finally, it identifies weakness in the proxies and archives and their geographical distribution. This exercise also provides an opportunity to reflect on the status of research in the area and to identify future critical areas and subjects of research. •A comprehensive review of climate change and impacts on vegetation in Central and Eastern Europe.•Synchronous climate shifts in CEE and the wider North Atlantic region between 14.7 and 8 ka.•Reduced magnitude of these climatic shifts in the continental part of Europe.•Cooling intervals between 14.7 and 11.7 ka cal BP strongly expressed during winters.•Vegetation in CEE responded less drastically to the climate shifts compared to Western Europe.