Maria Follieri

PALYNOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE LAST GLACIAL PERIOD IN THE VOLCANIC REGION OF CENTRAL ITALY

Abstract The summarized pollen records from the crater lakes of Valle di Castiglione, Lagaccione, Lago di Vico and Stracciacappa, in the Lazio region, are presented and correlated with each other. They outline the history of the vegetation during the last glacial period. The local name ‘Lazio Complex’ is used to describe seven main fluctuations of trees during the Pleniglacial. The succession of the main forest and non-forest periods of the last climatic cycle is generally similar to what is known in central and northern Europe, but the floristic composition and the vegetational configurations seem much more complex and sensitive to climatic changes. The history of Zelkova , Abies , Picea , Corylus , Ulmus , Carpinus betulus , Tilia and Fagus in central Italy is outlined.

Pollen stratigraphical synthesis from Valle di Castiglione (Roma)

Abstract A long bore-hole drilled in the ancient maar-lake sediments of Valle di Castiglione has enabled the history of the vegetation and climate of the region for the last 250,000 years to be reconstructed. The forest pollen zones are different from each other by the presence of species which are today extinct in Italy, and by the diversity of the dominant vegetational configurations. Before the Eemian, the pollen record from Valle di Castiglione can be compared with very few other European records. After the Eemian, the biostratigraphy corresponds by and large with what is known about southern and western Europe, but at the same time it has peculiar floristic and vegetational features, which may be due to the particular geographical position of Valle di Castiglione.

Fluttuazioni vegetazionali nel Lazio durante l'ultimo glaciale

Abstract The long pollen sequences from four volcanic lakes of the Lazio region are presented in order to outline the history of flora and vegetation on the Tyrrhenian side of Central Italy during the last hundred thousand years. The four long pollen records correlate satisfactorily with each other and reflect climatic changes at least at regional scale. Particular attention is paid to the development of arboreal vegetation during the last glacial. The local name “Lazio Complex” is given to the seven main fluctuations of trees of the Pleniglacial (from about 60,000 to about 30,000 years B.P.). The history of Zelkova, Abies, Picea, Fagus, Corylus, Ulmus, Carpinus betulus, Tilia in central Italy is outlined.

Pollen analysis of a diatomite near Mazzano (Rome)

Abstract Pollen analysis has been conducted of the lacustrine diatomaceous deposit in the volcanic area north of Rome. Some pollen assemblages which originated from a rich fossil arboreal vegetation are described. The high percentage of Fagus in some levels leads to interesting considerations concerning its diffusion in central Italy.

Vegetational features of some Mindel-Riss and Riss-Würn deposits in Italy and remaining Europe

Abstract Evidence is provided of the similarity of some essential features in each of the two last interglacial stages between the vegetation of some areas of Italy and that of northern Europe (Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, etc.). Features peculiar to the Upper Pleistocene vegetation of central and southern Italy are also indicated.