Paleogeographic evolution of the Late Miocene Lake Pannon in Central Europe

Abstract

The paleogeographic evolution of Lake Pannon within the Pannonian basin is reconstructed with eight maps, ranging from the Middle Miocene to the Early Pliocene. The maps are based on the distribution of selected biozones and specific fossils, and on complementary sedimentological and seismic information. Our reconstruction shows that the history of Lake Pannon can be divided into three distinct intervals: an initial stage with low water level, which resulted in isolation from the sea at about 12 Ma and might have led to temporary fragmentation of the lake; an interval of gradual transgression lasting until ca. 9.5 Ma; and a long late interval of shrinkage and infilling of sediments that persisted into the Early Pliocene. The deep subbasins of the lake formed during the transgressive interval, in more basinward locations than the deep basins of the preceding Sarmatian age. The southern shoreline, running parallel with the Sava and Danube rivers along the northern foot of the Dinarides, changed very little during the lifetime of the lake, while the northern shoreline underwent profound changes.