Palaeovegetational and palaeoclimatic changes during the early miocene in central Taurus, Turkey

This study presents palynological records from the Ermenek Basin during the Early Miocene to evaluate paleoenvironmental changes. The pollen spectra was dominated by coniferous trees during this time period. Especially, Cedrus was abundant in Ermenek flora and cedars occupied on the mountain areas with Abies and Picea, indicating cooler climate in the area. However, an increase in mega-mesothermic trees, mainly Taxodiaceae swamps show that the climate slightly turned to warmer and humid conditions at the uppermost part of the Ermenek section. The low occurrence of herbeceous taxa imply that the vegetation cover was mainly forest.