Relating postglacial relict plants and Holocene vegetation dynamics in the Balearic Islands through field surveys, pollen analysis and GIS modeling

An inventory of the current Balearic plants occurring in mesophyllous environments, with climatic conditions similar to those in the first half of the Holocene, was compiled. The presence of these floristic elements, extending mainly into the postglacial time, has been related to pollen records of different localities in the Balearic Islands. GIS techniques have been applied in order to map the past and the present-day vegetation suitability of some of these mesophyllous species using pollen surface samples, forest inventory data and Digital Climatic Models. We integrated the information provided by field survey, pollen records and suitability mapping in order to discuss the vegetation dynamics of different habitats. We focused on the nature and the possible causes of the vegetation landscape change that occurred approximately 5000 - 6000 uncal. years BP, when Fagus, Corylus and Buxus formations were replaced by xeric-type formations with Olea dominance. © 2007 Società Botanica Italiana.