Caracterización climática de las etapas áridas del Pleistoceno Superior en la Región Central Peninsular

Abstract

Evidences from different paleoclimatic records have shown the existence of arid periods during the Upper Pleistocene and the Holocene in the central Iberian Peninsula. We present the palynological records from two aeolian deposits of central Iberian Peninsula which were developed during two of that arid periods in the Upper Pleistocene. One deposit is a clay dune, dated by OSL/TL on 22-23 ka, corresponding to the Last Glacial Maximum. The second deposit is a sand formation with massive structure and facies loess-like, dated by IRSL on I I ka, corresponding to the Younger Dryas event. Both palynological records confirm the existence of arid periods at 22-23 ka and at Ilka, showing a vegetation made up of Pinus, Juniperus and steppe-like taxa. The differences between both records indicate that the cold-and-arid climatic conditions were more intense and longer during the Last Glacial Maximum than during the Younger Dryas.