Northeastern Iberian Peninsula Research Articles

Eating through time: Understanding dietary practices across late prehistory in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula.

This study seeks to contribute to the current understanding of dietary variation in the late Prehistory of the northeastern Iberian Peninsula by examining buccal dental microwear patterns alongside archeological data from the same populations. Teeth from 84 adult individuals from eight distinct samples spanning the Middle-Late Neolithic to the Middle Bronze Age (Cova de l'Avi, Cova de Can Sadurní, Cova de la Guineu, Cova Foradada, Cova del Trader, Roc de les Orenetes, Cova del Gegant, Cova dels Galls Carboners) were analyzed using optical microscopy to examine buccal dental microwear patterns. The analysis did not reveal clear chronological contrasts in the dietary habits of these samples. Nevertheless, significant differences emerged among the samples, leading to their classification into two distinct sets based on the abrasiveness of the diet informed by the microwear patterns. These findings offer similarities and differences among samples in the Iberian Peninsula, shedding light on the diverse lifestyles of these individuals. Integrating our new results with other available proxies points to a multifaceted specialization in dietary patterns among these samples, influenced by factors such as habitat, resource selection, and available technology. By contextualizing the results within the broader context of the Iberian Peninsula, this research discerns shared characteristics and distinctive adaptations in the dietary practices and subsistence strategies of these groups. Ultimately, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between culture and environment in shaping human diets throughout late Prehistory.

Optimizing sediment transport models by using the Monte Carlo simulation and deep neural network (DNN): A case study of the Riba-Roja reservoir

This study emphasizes the importance of accurate calibration in sediment transport models and highlights the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically machine learning, in improving accuracy and computational efficiency. Extensive experiments were carried out in the Riba-Roja reservoir, which is located in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. The accumulated sediment volume (ASV) curve was used to calibrate these experiments. The optimal ASV curve was found to be very close to the experimental data, with only minor differences in upstream areas. The results revealed a consistent rate of sediment transport and settling. Furthermore, the study investigated the capabilities of deep neural networks (DNNs) in predicting ASV curves and observing variable performance. In essence, the study highlights AI's potential for enhancing sediment transport models.

Sedimentary evolution and distribution of benthic fauna of an Aptian protected bay (Oliete Subbasin, Spain)

Detailed facies and sequence stratigraphic analysis of an Aptian shallow-marine succession illustrates the evolution of sedimentary environments and their benthic faunal associations in a marginal bay developed in northeastern Iberia (Maestrazgo Basin, Oliete Subbasin). In this bay, marine circulation was hampered by wide stationary shoals located in the low-subsidence transitional areas between subbasins. The Aptian sedimentary record of this bay (Josa and Oliete formations) is composed of four transgressive–regressive (T–R) sequences bounded by major unconformities generated during relative sea-level falls. The Josa Fm (formally defined herein) encompasses an asymmetrical T–R cycle (sequence J). It comprises transgressive prodelta clays with episodic orbitolinid blooms, grading upwards to regressive freshwater-influenced littoral and delta-front sandstones and sandy limestones which yield diverse bivalve communities dominated by trigoniids. The Oliete Fm encompasses three T–R cycles (sequences O1–O3), mostly deposited in a protected lagoon. The transgressive hemicycle of each sequence is dominated by marls containing low-diversity faunal associations composed of ostracods and mm-sized gastropods and bivalves, indicating stressed (probably dysoxic) conditions in the deepest parts of the lagoon, related to a lack of water circulation. The regressive hemicycle of sequences O1 and O2 is characterised by low-energy intertidal to shallow subtidal deposits including sponge spiculites, mud-dominated accumulations of articulated bivalves and gastropods with low-diversity microfaunal associations composed mainly of Choffatella and few other textulariids, and marginal oyster-serpulid patches. The uppermost part of sequence O2 is characterised by the development of siliciclastic tide-influenced coastal plains. Sequence O3 consists of massive intertidal to shallow subtidal glauconite accumulations related to the transgressive reworking of siliciclastic deposits. Foraminiferal associations in sequence O3 show an increase in diversity (including miliolids, lageniids and diverse textulariids), which was probably fostered by a more stable connection with open seas, caused by tectonic activity in the bounding shoal areas. The analysis of these four sequences represents a comprehensive and detailed characterisation of shallow-to-marginal marine benthic communities integrated in a sequence stratigraphic framework.

Sub-speciation processes of equids in the Iberian Peninsula: Ecological strategies and refuge areas

Equus is a genus that have generated a lot of debate among the scientific community. Its complex taxonomy led to the set-up of many forms that are questioned nowadays. In Upper Pleistocene Europe, several subspecies have been described in order to qualify chronological evolutions or geographical adaptations. In Peninsulas, while several subspecies have been defined, their connection to the main continental equids are not well-known. The site of Canyars in northeastern Iberian Peninsula has yield numerous remains of Equus caballus and Equus hydruntinus in very good preservation state. According to the mortality profile of E. caballus, it is likely that they experienced a catastrophic death before being scavenged by biological agencies, such as hyenas. While the European donkey can be attributed to the subspecies E. h. davidi, the horse seems to differ from the continental sub-contemporaneous cohorts. The differentiation in the sub-speciation processes between E. hydruntinus and E. caballus may be related to their ecological strategies and dependence to refuge areas.

A combined approach to reconstructing livestock management in Iron Age north-eastern Iberia: estimating the season of death and palaeodiet using cementochronology and dental micro- and mesowear analyses

Two major settlements were established in the Empordà region (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula) in the Iron Age (6th-2nd centuries BC), 15 km from each other: the Greek colony of Empúries and the Iberian city of Ullastret. This coexistence of two different ethnic entities in the same region – and the same environment – presents an opportunity to shed light on the variability of livestock practices in these settlements, as well as their relationship with the environment. For this purpose, in addition to traditional zooarchaeological approaches, we reconstructed the animal palaeodiet and seasonality of death using three different proxies: dental meso- and microwear analyses, and cementum analysis. The results of the study, conducted on caprine and bovine teeth from both sites, support the hypothesis proposed in previous works, namely that the environment was exploited differently depending on livestock species. Caprinae (sheep and goats) were fed in marginal areas and less suitable areas for agriculture while, in contrast, cattle grazed on rich grassland and/or in wetland areas. The combination of cementochronology and dental microwear suggests a lower consumption of grasses in summer for Caprinae and cattle. Seasonality results show that Caprinae were mainly slaughtered during spring and summer.

Between valleys, plateaus, and mountains: unveiling livestock altitudinal mobility in the Iron Age Iberian Peninsula (3rd c. BC) through a multi-isotope approach

Seasonal altitudinal mobility has been a key practice among pastoral societies in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula to cope with the unpredictable Mediterranean climate. The existence of a massive and regulated mobile herding system in this area dates back to the 12th century. Nevertheless, early herd connections between the lowlands and the Pyrenees during the Roman period have been documented. The available information regarding the potential adoption of sheep's mobile pastoralism by Iberian societies prior to the Romans' arrival is limited. This study aims to provide fundamental new insights into livestock altitudinal mobility during this period through a biogeochemical approach. Sequential analysis of carbon and oxygen isotope values is combined with strontium isotope ratios from sheep second and third lower molars from four Catalan sites (Mas Castellar de Pontós, Tossal de Baltarga, Sant Esteve d'Olius, Turó de la Rovira). The results reveal evidence of migrations across different altitudinal and geological areas, unveiling the great adaptability of mobile livestock strategies by Iberian populations. The first evidence of descending herds' mobility from the Pyrenees to the lowlands prior to the Roman conquest is also attested. Finally, the effectiveness of multi-isotope analysis (δ18O, δ13C, 87Sr/86Sr) in detecting seasonal livestock movements is demonstrated. Thus, this study provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the complexity of sheep livestock management of the north-eastern Iberian societies during the Middle/Late Iron Age. Moreover, the research points to a more integrated and connected Ibero-Pyrenean world with contemporary lowland communities than so far suggested. However, animal mobility was not widely practised and was possibly determined by the environmental conditions, economic needs, and political decisions of each settlement.

Livestock management at the Late Iron Age site of Baltarga (eastern Pyrenees): an integrated bio-geoarchaeological approach

Despite the important role of livestock farming amongst Iron Age communities living in mountain regions, there is little information about livestock management, and particularly stabling practises, breeding systems, and grazing/foddering patterns. The study of the ground floor of Building G in Tossal de Baltarga has provided valuable insights into these important issues and has given us a better understanding of the social and economic patterns involved in all these livestock activities. It revealed the existence of a stable from the Late Iron Age, thanks to unique in situ finds of the stabled animals, including four sheep, a goat, and a horse, in addition to a range of organic remains preserved by fire and penning deposits. It is the first documented to date in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. Through an integrated bio-geoarchaeological approach, combining a range of analytic procedures, including osteology, dental microwear, stable isotopes, phytoliths, dung spherulite analyses, and thin-section micromorphology, for the first time, this study has provided new, high-resolution evidence of livestock management strategies. Specifically, the research shed light on animal penning and feeding practises, revealing variable herbivorous regimes between species, the practise of seasonal movements, and the possible use of fodder as the main dietary regime of the animals stabled there. At the same time, the Baltarga case-study illustrates an indoor production unit that could reveal possible private control of some domestic animals in the Pyrenean Late Iron Age.

A new assemblage of late Neanderthal remains from Cova Simanya (NE Iberia)

This study presents an exceptional collection of 54 Late Pleistocene human remains that correspond to at least three Neanderthal individuals from Simanya Gran, the main gallery of Cova Simanya, located in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. The collection comprised 53 unpublished remains that were unearthed during the 1970s and an additional tooth discovered during 2021 excavations. The specimens represent an adult with a small stature, a periadolescent aged approximately 11.5 years, and an immature individual aged approximately 7.7 years, thus offering a more complete demographic perspective. The collection encompasses diverse anatomical parts including upper and lower dentition, mandible, vertebrae, and limb bones from both the upper and lower extremities. Attempts to extract aDNA were unsuccessful. Renewed archaeological investigations at Cova Simanya have facilitated the reevaluation of the original stratigraphic context of these remains, leading to the discovery of the additional tooth, aligning with the periadolescent individual. This assemblage is currently the most extensive Neanderthal collection from the northeastern Mediterranean Iberia, offering invaluable insights into the morphology and evolutionary trajectory of Late Pleistocene hominins. Hence, Simanya Neanderthals will enhance our understanding of Neanderthal demographics and evolution, paving the way for an in-depth examination of the morphological diversity and evolutionary context of Iberian Neanderthals.

The earliest Baltic amber in Western Europe

The occurrence of Baltic amber through Europe has traditionally been associated to the spread of the Bell Beaker culture during the 3rd millennium BC. In Iberia, this phenomenon is particularly noticeable in the southern half. Here we present an amber bead recovered in a Late Neolithic funerary cave (3634–3363 cal BC) from northeastern Iberia where more than 12 individuals had been buried. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results of four samples revealed their complete resemblance with Baltic succinite reference spectra. Despite being a single bead, this finding provides the earliest evidence for the arrival of Baltic amber to the Mediterranean and Western Europe, before the Bell Beaker phenomenon and more than a millennium earlier than traditionally thought. This finding has implications for our understanding of early exchange networks of exotic materials, and their associated social structures.

Phylogenetic study of Elona quimperiana (Gastropoda: Elonidae): identification of a new haplogroup

The land snail Elona quimperiana is listed in annexes II and IV of the Europe Habitats Directive. In this study, phylogenetic relationships between populations of this protected species from its whole distribution range were reconstructed based on the sequencing of two mtDNA gene fragments (COI and 16S rRNA) and one nDNA gene fragment (ITS2). Haplotype networks were also generated for the COI and 16S rRNA gene fragments. Results yielded three main intraspecific phylogroups, here designated as the lineages Brittany-Spain, Basque, and Navarre-Rioja. This last lineage had not been identified previously. Genetic distances between the three main phylogroups suggest they could have originated by allopatric fragmentation before the Last Glacial Maximum, and then separately evolved in three refugia in the Iberian Peninsula. We here propose that each phylogroup is considered an Evolutionarily Significant Unit. Through extended sampling, we were able to delimit the geographic distribution of all three lineages. Our genetic results support post-glacial colonization of this species from the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula to Brittany in NW-France as proposed previously, and rule out its recent anthropic introduction.

Influence of synoptic meteorology on airborne allergenic pollen and spores in an urban environment in Northeastern Iberian Peninsula

The influence of the most frequent patterns of synoptic circulation on the dynamics of airborne pollen/spores recorded at the Barcelona Aerobiological Station (BCN) was analysed. Six pollen types (Platanus, Cupressaceae, Olea, Poaceae, Urticaceae and Amaranthaceae), and one fungal spore (Alternaria) were selected for their high allergenic effect in sensitive people. Six synoptic meteorological patterns were identified through cluster analysis of sea level pressure fields as the main responsible of the weather conditions in the Iberian Peninsula. The local meteorological conditions in Barcelona associated with each one of the synoptic types were also stablished. Different statistical methods were applied to analyse possible relationships between concentrations and timing of the recorded aerobiological particles and specific synoptic types. The study, focused in the 19-year period 2001–2019, shows that one of the scenarios, frequent in winter and linked to high stability and air-mass blockage, registered the highest mean and median values for Platanus and Cupressaceae, but it was not very relevant for the other taxa. It was also this scenario that turned out to be the most influent on the pollination timing showing a significant influence on the start occurrence of Urticaceae flowering and on the peak date of Platanus. On the other hand, the most frequent synoptic type in the period, relevant in spring and summer, was linked to sporadic episodes of levels considered to be of high risk of allergy to Platanus, Poaceae, and Urticaceae pollen, and Alternaria fungal spore. This synoptic pattern, characterized by the presence of the Azores anticyclone and the Atlantic low located in the north of the United Kingdom, was associated with high temperatures, low relative humidity and moderate winds from the NW in Barcelona. The identification of an interaction between synoptic meteorology and pollen/spore dynamics will allow better abatement measures, reducing adverse health effects on sensitive population.

Describing the neolithic cord production process: Raw materials, techniques and experimental archaeology in La Draga (Girona, Spain; 5207–4862 cal BC)

Cordage is related to daily activities and as such has been a basic element for self-suffiency since Prehistory. Due to the lack of their preservation in most archaeological contexts, the knowledge of these technologies in the past is limited. This paper analyses the production process through an experimental program of the cordage assemblage from La Draga (Girona, Spain; 5207–4862 cal BC). The site is an Early Neolithic site from north-eastern Iberia, where a wide vegetal set of fibre-based craft was recovered in waterlogged preservation conditions. First, a systematic identification of raw materials used for cord production is done. Subsequently an experimental approach to these cords, considering both the raw materials used and their properties, has been developed. The study aims to infer raw material selection for producing cords, as well as the importance of raw material and group standards involved in the final objects. The results showed a preferable selection of lime tree bark (Tilia sp.) and nettle bast fibre (Urtica sp.), which may be obtained from the surroundings of the site. Both were used to produce different types of cords, twisting preferred above braiding, which should be related to cultural standards and traditional learning processes.

Redefining the MIS 3 climatic scenario for Neanderthals in northeastern Iberia: A multi-method approach

One of the major challenges in scientific research is to understand past climate and the mechanisms of climate change. Small vertebrates, and especially rodents, are very sensitive to shifts in climate and habitat, and their variations over time in terms of taxa and abundance can be successfully used to reconstruct past environments. The vast array of approaches to palaeoclimatic reconstruction reflects the great effort that has gone into this line of investigation. Recently, the UDA-ODA discrimination technique has been postulated as a more reliable ecologically-based methodology compared to the classical MER method.To provide biogeographical information to be analysed by the UDA-ODA discrimination technique, the distributions of four species (Sorex minutus, Chionomys nivalis, Talpa europaea and Crocidura russula) documented in levels O, N, E and D of the Abric Romaní site were processed. The results reveal a statistical difference between the climatic values for the occupied distribution areas (ODA) and those for the uncertain distribution areas (UDA). This technique was then applied to small-mammal assemblages from the above-mentioned levels of Abric Romaní, to test whether the use of the ODAs of the species improves the precision of the climatic reconstruction compared to the atlas distributions of the species used in MER procedures. Our results suggest an improvement in the discrimination analysis over the previous MER reconstructions when wider distributions for an assemblage are obtained. The coldest values obtained for level O of Abric Romaní seem to reinforce the pollen interpretation of the level as coetaneous with a cold period. For the whole MIS 3 climatic scenario for Neanderthals, a colder and wetter climate is derived from the small-mammal analysis. However, as different methods and analyses have inherent limitations, a standardization of the methods applied to the different levels and sites should be carried out in order to provide comparable results.

Larval development and voltinism of rheophilous Odonata from a Mediterranean river in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula

Larval development and voltinism of rheophilous Odonata from a Mediterranean river in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula

Iron Age combustion structures in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula: an interdisciplinary experimental study

The aim of this research is to investigate the efficiency of combustion structures, the fuels used, the structure maintenance and the range of related domestic activities. An experimental programme was carried out in which replicas of archaeological Iron Age combustion structures were put to work. Based on the available archaeobotanical records, various fuel types (wood, grasses, palm leaves and animal dung) were used. Variables such as increased heating and times were measured in order to determine whether variations occurred depending on the fuels used, the type of structure, the location, or the weather conditions. The possibility of their use for cooking was also tested. A combination of methodologies was applied for integrated analyses: anthracology, phytoliths, calcitic microfossils, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, micromorphology and chemical analysis of hearth surfaces. Observations and data recorded during the experimental tasks, together with the results of the interdisciplinary analyses, contribute to a better understanding of the Iron Age archaeological combustion structures.

Maximum entropy models reveal spatial variation of metabolic scaling in stream fish communities.

Metabolic scaling provides valuable information about the physiological and ecological functions of organisms, although few studies have quantified the metabolic scaling exponent (b) of communities under natural conditions. Maximum entropy theory of ecology (METE) is a constraint-based unified theory with the potential to empirically assess the spatial variation of the metabolic scaling. Our main goal is to develop a novel method of estimating b within a community by integrating metabolic scaling and METE. We also aim to study the relationships between the estimated b and environmental variables across communities. We developed a new METE framework to estimate b in 118 stream fish communities in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula. We first extended the original maximum entropy model by parameterizing b in the model prediction of the community-level individual size distributions and compared our results with empirical and theoretical predictions. We then tested the effects of abiotic conditions, species composition and human disturbance on the spatial variation of community-level b. We found that community-level b of the best maximum entropy models showed great spatial variability, ranging from 0.25 to 2.38. The mean exponent (b = 0.93) resembled the community-aggregated mean values from three previous metabolic scaling meta-analyses, all of which were greater than the theoretical predictions of 0.67 and 0.75. Furthermore, the generalized additive model showed that b reached maximum at the intermediate mean annual precipitation level and declined significantly as human disturbance intensified. The parameterized METE is proposed here as a novel framework for estimating the metabolic pace of life of stream fish communities. The large spatial variation of b may reflect the combined effects of environmental constraints and species interactions, which likely have important feedback on the structure and function of natural communities. Our newly developed framework can also be applied to study the impact of global environmental pressures on metabolic scaling and energy use in other ecosystems.

Forest thinning and climate interactions driving early-stage regeneration dynamics of maritime pine in Mediterranean areas

There is growing concern that changing climate and disturbance regimes are and will result in widespread forest regeneration failure, and thus, there is an increasing need for developing management and adaptation strategies to promote regeneration under climate change. Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), an ecologically and economically relevant tree species inside and outside its natural range, will likely face such difficulties as drought is the main cause of seedling mortality in this species. Understanding the interactions between silviculture and climate conditions is therefore crucial to inform sound adaptive forest management. However, the evidence on how forest thinning may contribute to enhanced regeneration remains divided and not fully understood, especially in the context of climate change. Hence, the general goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of thinning as a forest management strategy to promote the natural regeneration of P. pinaster stands in Mediterranean areas, and to understand how climatic, edaphic and topographic factors influence the effectiveness of this silvicultural practice. This was done by comparing 13 pairs of thinned and control plots along a thinning intensity gradient (23–69 % in stand basal area) in northeastern Iberian Peninsula and by measuring early-stage regeneration dynamics, namely the density, survival and growth of seedlings for 5 consecutive years. Thinning had a strong positive effect on the establishment and survival of P. pinaster seedlings as well as a weak positive effect on early primary and secondary growth. Not only was the number of seedlings and survival in thinned plots considerably higher than in control plots (15.0 ± 2.5 vs 1.5 ± 0.5 seedlings per plot; 23 ± 4 % vs 0.7 ± 0.3 % survival) but both seedling density and survival increased with increasing thinning intensity (3-fold and 5-fold, respectively), which matches the light-demanding nature of this species. Such a positive effect of thinning was further modulated by climatic and soil conditions. Overall, the advantage conferred by thinning to seedling establishment and survival was stronger under drier and warmer conditions, which suggests that thinning is particularly beneficial in alleviating competition in water-limited forest ecosystems. Considering that the Mediterranean region is predicted to become warmer and drier under global warming, our findings indicate that thinning will likely become an increasingly important management strategy to ensure the natural regeneration, adaptation and resilience of pine forests in the face of climate change.

Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction for the Last 3500 Years in the Southern Pyrenees from a Peat Bog Core in Clots de Rialba

Vegetation landscape dynamics are derived from the relationships established between anthropic activities and climate conditions over time. Paleoenvironmental research in the Pyrenees range (north-eastern Iberian Peninsula) has revealed what these dynamics were like in some regions during the Holocene. However, some fields of biogeography still present questions that need to be addressed, such as the patterns of Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba and the importance of the fire regime during the Meghalayan (late Holocene). We present a multiproxy study performed in a sedimentary record from the Clots de Rialba peat bog, located at 2093 m a. s. l. (Lleida, southern slope of the Pyrenees mountain range), that covers the last c. 3500 years. Analyses were performed on the organic matter content, pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, and sedimentary charcoals larger than 150 μm. The palynological spectra revealed a maximum extension of Abies alba at about 3500 cal yr BP in the Bronze Age, while Fagus sylvatica showed its maximum extent between 3300 and 2800 cal yr BP. A dominance of Pinus was detected throughout the studied period. Other taxa such as cereals, herbaceous plants, aquatic plants, and coprophilous fungi have also been discussed to identify anthropic pressure and climate pulses. In addition, the study of sedimentary charcoals reveals the main forest fire episodes and their recurrences, some of them linked to anthropogenic activities and/or climate variations. These anthropogenic activities would include the use of opening and maintaining forest fires in deforestation in order to obtain pastures and spaces dedicated to cereal agriculture and the appearance of some taxa linked to or introduced by human communities.

The Exceptional Presence of Megaloceros giganteus in North-Eastern Iberia and Its Palaeoecological Implications: The Case of Teixoneres Cave (Moià, Barcelona, Spain)

In this article we announce the discovery of the first remains of Megaloceros giganteus found in Catalonia (north-eastern Iberia) from the Late Pleistocene: a fragment of maxillary. Dated between 35,000 and 37,000 cal BP, it is also among the youngest occurrence of this taxon in the Iberian Peninsula, while its last known occurrence is dated to the Neolithic period. Through a comparison with the giant deer of the northern Pyrenees, we analyzed the herbivore guilds in which this taxon was associated to understand the context in which it was able to enter the Iberian Peninsula. By comparing its diet with those of specimens from Northern Europe, we detail the ecological adaptations of this taxon in this new environment. We suggest that Megaloceros accompanied the migrations of cold-adapted species by taking advantage of the opening of corridors on both sides of the Pyrenees during the coldest periods of the Late Pleistocene. The diet of the Iberian individuals, which is oriented towards abrasive plants, suggests an adaptation to a different ecological niche than that found in Northern European individuals. The northern Iberian Peninsula may have been an extreme in the geographical expansion of M. giganteus. More specimens will be needed in the future to establish the variability of the southern Megaloceros populations.

The end of Late Glacial in north-eastern Iberia: the small mammal assemblage from Cudó cave (Mont-Ral, Tarragona)

ABSTRACTOne of the markers of the Late Pleistocene is highly fluctuating climatic conditions, with the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 26.5–19 ka cal before present (BP)) known to be one of the coldest periods. This work explores how the environment of north-eastern Iberia changed in relation to global climatic changes experienced during the Late Pleistocene, specifically around the LGM. Small mammal assemblages from Cudó cave (Tarragona, Spain) were used considering their well-known reliability for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Based on the taxonomic identification and the taphonomic analysis, several methodologies covering both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to obtain the palaeoenvironmental information corresponding to level 107 and level 105 of Cudó cave (31.2–24.4 and 15.5–10.2 ka cal BP, respectively). The taphonomic results obtained point out owls (category 3) as the main accumulator of the small mammals. The palaeoenvironmental reconstruction shows that both levels experienced colder (−7.2oC/–4.4 °C) and wetter (+848 mm/ + 586 mm) climatic conditions than nowadays. However, in level 107 the environment was dominated by mid-European species and rocky landscape, while in level 105 it was dominated by Mediterranean species and woodland habitat. These conditions are consistent with the trend in north-eastern Iberia following several climatic events before and after the LGM coinciding with the period of Cudó cave assemblages.