A PALEOECOLOGICAL STUDY IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN AREA - THE UPPER PLEISTOCENE POLLEN RECORD FROM COVA BENEITO (ALICANTE, SPAIN)

Results are presented of palynological analyses of Pleistocene deposits at Cova Beneito, an archaeological site on the southern slopes of the Sierra de Benicadell, Alicante province (SE Spain), 650 m a.s.l. with a WSW orientation. The chronology is supported by radiocarbon dating, archaeological evolution, previous local sequences, and recourse to several wider correlations. For the first time in the region, a warming event is defined in the mid-last glacial stage- During this event, vegetation took on a Mediterranean character with sclerophyllous elements such as Olea, Phillyrea, Rhamnus, Helianthemum, etc. The rest of the sequence shows a predominance of Pinus within the AP. phases of steppe-like character, and an aridity-crisis immediately after the climate improvement. Due to local conditions, forest cover was never very great.