Climatic characteristics of the late Pleistocene and Holocene continental deposits from sowthwestern Syria based on palynological data

Abstract

The goal of this research was to reconstruct the vegetational and climatic changes that took place during the late Pleisocene and Holocene in southwestern Syria. This reconstruction was based on palynological data obtained from the analysis of 27 sediments and surface samples (with a total thickness of 4.55 m) collected from Al-Hijaneh Lake basin (late Pleistocene) and from Al-Aouaj River valley (Holocene). Three pollen zones were established. The oldest one (zone A) corresponds to the late Pleistocene lacustrine deposits of Lake Al-Hijaneh. Zones B and C were defined in the Holocene fluvial-lacustrine deposits of the Al-Aouaj River valley. These three pollen assemblage zones are correlated to synchronic and similar C14 dated pollen zones from Syria, Turkey, Iran and Greece. This allows a more definite age determination for the deposits of this study. The region’s past climates and vegetation are discussed.