Quaternary glacial history of the Mediterranean mountains

Abstract

Glacial and periglacial landforms are widespread in the mountains of the Mediterranean region. The evidence for glacial and periglacial activity has been studied for over 120 years and it is possible to identify three phases of development in this area of research. First, a pioneer phase characterized by initial descriptive observations of glacial landforms; second, a mapping phase whereby the detailed distribution of glacial landforms and sediments have been depicted on geomorphological maps; and, third, an advanced phase characterized by detailed understanding of the geochronology of glacial sequences using radiometric dating alongside detailed sedimentological and stratigraphical analyses. It is only relatively recently that studies of glaciated mountain terrains in the Mediterranean region have reached an advanced phase and it is now clear from radiometric dating programmes that the Mediterranean mountains have been glaciated during multiple glacial cycles. The most extensive phases of glaciation appear to have occurred during the Middle Pleistocene. This represents a major shift from earlier work whereby many glacial sequences were assumed to have formed during the last cold stage. Glacial and periglacial deposits from multiple Quaternary cold stages constitute a valuable palaeoclimatic record. This is especially so in the Mediterranean mountains, since mountain glaciers in this latitudinal zone would have been particularly sensitive to changes in the global climate system.

Environmental change within the Balkan region during the past ca. 50 ka recorded in the sediments from lakes Prespa and Ohrid

“…1500 m a.s.l. (Hughes et al, 2006;Kuhlemann et al, 2008). The core from Lake Prespa does not record evidence of glaciation down to the shore of Lake Prespa, such as proposed by Belmecheri et al (2009).…”

Los efectos geoecológicos del cambio global en el Pirineo Central español: una revisión a distintas escalas espaciales y temporales

“…Dataciones mediante OSL han permitido situar el máximo glacial en el Gállego y en el Cinca durante el MIS 4, es decir, hace unos 60.000 años, si bien hay indicios de pulsaciones más externas en el mismo valle del Gállego (Peña et al, 2003). A conclusiones similares se ha llegado en otras montañas mediterráneas (por ej., Hughes et al, 2006). Durante el máximo periodo de frío, en torno a 20.000 cal.…”

Stratigraphic analysis of lake level fluctuations in Lake Ohrid: an integration of high resolution hydro-acoustic data and sediment cores

“…Today, this valley not drained by a significant river. However, higher discharge in the past, with a significant supply of clastic material forming the lower terrace, could have been due to abundance and advance of local glaciers, which are known to have reached mid-valley positions during MIS 6 in the region (Hughes et al, 2006). These glaciers might have supplied enough water and eroded material during spring-summer melt water pulses even though climate conditions were probably significantly drier than today.…”