@article {1176,
	title = {Late postglacial paleoenvironmental change in the northeastern Mediterranean region: Combined palynological and molecular biomarker evidence},
	journal = {Quaternary International},
	volume = {261},
	year = {2012},
	note = {Cited By (since 1996):5Export Date: 22 October 2014},
	month = {2012},
	pages = {118 - 127},
	abstract = {<p>Three gravity cores collected from the NE Mediterranean (NEMR) across a transect from the northern\&nbsp;Aegean Sea (North Skyros basin) to the south Cretan margin (SCM), were investigated for pollen and\&nbsp;terrestrial biomarkers derived from epicuticular waxes of vascular plants during the last ~20 ky. Pollen\&nbsp;data show diversified mixed temperate forest in the northern borderlands and enhanced Mediterranean\&nbsp;vegetation in the southern areas, documenting an N-S climatic trend. Terrestrial plant biomarkers and\&nbsp;their diagnostic geochemical indices exhibit latitudinal patterns which are interpreted in terms of the\&nbsp;different delivery pathways (fluvial/runoff vs. atmospheric transport), resulting from the climate\&nbsp;conditions during different periods. During the Late Glacial and early deglaciation periods (20-14 ka BP)\&nbsp;relatively increased humidity (H-index) is recorded in the north Aegean Sea, while in the South drier\&nbsp;climate was the limiting factor for vegetation development. During this interval, terrestrial n-alkanes\&nbsp;showed increased accumulation rates, suggesting massive transport of terrestrial organic matter through\&nbsp;runoffs and rivers, followed by weaker input after 14 ka BP. After ~11 ka BP a major expansion of forest\&nbsp;cover is evidenced in the NEMR, accompanied by a higher H-index because of the climatic amelioration.\&nbsp;The forest vegetation exhibited regionally different characteristics, with cool temperate taxa being more\&nbsp;abundant in the Aegean cores, while the SCM record is being featured by Mediterranean elements. At the\&nbsp;onset of the Holocene and throughout the Holocene Climatic Optimum the delivery of terrestrial\&nbsp;biomarkers increased and became more significant in the Aegean sites compared to the SCM site. Within\&nbsp;the Holocene, the average chain length (ACL) of long chain n-alkanes exhibits lower values in the\&nbsp;northern Aegean than in the southeastern Aegean and SCM, indicating the predominance of warmer\&nbsp;species southwards. Finally, the H-index records a conspicuous humidity increase between 5.4 and 4.3 ka\&nbsp;BP in the south Aegean that coincides with an increase in the terrestrial biomarker supply and the\&nbsp;deposition of a distinct sapropel-like layer, SMH (Sapropel Mid Holocene). Similar trends in T (temperature)\&nbsp;and H indices are slightly delayed and attenuated in the northern Aegean and are accompanied by\&nbsp;an increase in the ACL index. A noticeable increase in the accumulation rates (ARs) of terrestrial\&nbsp;biomarkers and the HPA index values during this period are clearly recorded in all three cores, indicative\&nbsp;of enhanced terrigenous inputs of organic matter along with higher in-situ preservation.</p>},
	url = {http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84860512576\&partnerID=40\&md5=1a9b14c2dd5d293c8292a2fd4f106dce},
	author = {Kouli, K. and Gogou, A. and Bouloubassi, I. and Triantaphyllou, M.V. and Ioakim, C. and Katsouras, G. and Roussakis, G. and Lykousis, V.}
}
