Pleistocene and holocene palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the carpathian basin based on multiproxy analysis of cervid teeth

Abstract

ABSTRACT During the Pleistocene and Holocene, large-scale climatic changes occurred, resulting in severe environmental changes. Such changes in the Carpathian Basin were examined using dental elements of cervids from localities of Slovakia and Hungary. Their dental wear and the stable carbon and oxygen isotope values of structural carbonate and phosphate in bio-apatite of enamel were measured. Dental wear reflects the long and short-term changes of past vegetation, and stable isotope analyses can be used to uncover palaeotemperature and photosynthetic pathways of the consumed plants, thus indirectly providing information on the vegetation. The changes of mesowear scores, from the early Pleistocene onwards, indicate a gradual transition from a more or less closed to an open environment, as climate got cooler. The results of microwear analysis suggest that even though the environment became more open, some tree cover remained in the Carpathian Basin, even in the glacial periods. Based on the measured δ18O values for glacial periods, estimated temperatures were approximately 5–6°C cooler, whereas for interglacials, temperatures were similar to the recent climate of Hungary. The δ13C values of the examined cervids suggest predominantly C3 plant consumption, which agrees with the fact that C4 plants are scarcer in colder environments.