CLIMATIC INFERENCE FROM THE HISTORY OF THE TAXODIACEAE DURING THE PLIOCENE AND THE EARLY PLEISTOCENE IN WESTERN-EUROPE

The Taxodiaceae are present throughout Western Europe during the Early Pliocene. Chronological data show that their extinction begins during the Middle Pliocene in the French Mediterranean area and that it occurs later (during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene) in northwestern Europe, in elevated regions and in Italy. This chronology is difficult to understand if we accept cooling of the climate as the only determining factor of this extinction. The non-synchronous extinction of the Taxodiaceae in Western Europe reflects the more complex pattern of climatic phenomena which include variations in precipitation and temperature at different times and with differing intensity according the area. A decrease in precipitation forced the extinction of the Taxodiaceae in southeastern France (summer drought) and it occurred before the temperature threshold for Taxodiaceae was reached in the other parts of Europe. © 1979.