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What is the boundary for the quaternary period and Pleistocene epoch? The contribution of turnover patterns in large mammalian complexes from North-Western mediterranean to the debate

Quelle limite pour le quaternaire et le pléistocène ? L’apport de l’étude du renouvellement des faunes à grands mammifères de la méditerranée nord occidentale durant le pliocène moyen et supérieur et le pléistocène inférieur
Maria Rita Palombo
p. 35-53

Résumé

Assuming that the Quaternary has to be recognized as a formal chronostratigraphic/geochronological unit (having a Sub-Erathem/Sub-Era rank, as recommended by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), or better a System/ Period rank, as suggested by several scientists), what boundary should be chosen? Should the lower boundary of the Quaternary coincide with the base of the Gelasian Stage (2.6 Ma) as proposed by the ICS? If so, should the Quaternary and Pleistocene lower boundaries be the same or should be different? To contribute to the debate, the Villafranchian large mammal fossil record from the North‑Western Mediterranean region have been revised in order to correlate the diversity and structural dynamics of reconstructed faunal complexes with the changes in environmental conditions occurring from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene. According to the results obtained, two major faunal renewals are detectable at the transition from the early to middle Villafranchian [~2.7-2.5 Ma, about at the time of the transition from the Middle (Zanclean Stage) to the Late Pliocene (Gelasian Stage)], and from the middle to late Villafranchian (~2.0 ‑ ~1.9 Ma, shortly before the official Plio-Pleistocene boundary). The faunal renewal from the early (V1) to the middle (V2) Villafranchian faunal complexes (that means from the MN16a “zone”/Triversa FU to MN16b “zone”/Montopoli FU) is linked to the Middle Pliocene climate worsening, in turn related to the onset of bipolar glaciations followed by glacial‑interglacial cycles of moderate amplitude (orbital periodicity of 41 ka). The resulting increase in aridity and more intense seasonality caused the disappearance of several forest-dwelling taxa, especially small carnivores and arboreal-scansorial taxa, whereas new large grazers, mixed feeders or even browsers appeared. This renewal (already called the “Equus-elephant event”) can be regarded as a true turnover phase, due to the high percentage of last and new appearances, and to the important ecological structural changes in faunal complexes, involving mainly the herbivore guild. These faunal changes indicate that forests or woodlands gradually gave way to more open environments (including Artemisia steppe) alternating with warm-temperate deciduous forests. Moreover, this event can be considered as the starting point for a dispersal phase leading to a progressive standing richness increase during the following Pliocene (middle Villafranchian, V3). Around 2.0-1.8 Ma (late Villafranchian, V4), despite the extinction of some small browsing and grazing ruminants, diversity notably increased due to the progressive appearance of a number of carnivores. Indeed, the so‑ called “wolf-event” involved several large and small Carnivora, such as the powerful scavenger Pachycrocuta brevirostris, the jaguar-like Panthera gombazsoegensis, and cooperative foraging canids. On the other hand, minor phyletic adjustments and some new appearances (especially grazers) affected herbivore guild. This relatively long dispersal phase, and correlated moderate turnover pulses, seems to be less important than the early/middle Villafranchian renewal phase, especially as far as France and the Italian peninsula are concerned. As a result, taking into account the importance of faunal renewal at the Middle to Late Pliocene transition, it seems more reasonable to extend the base of the Pleistocene downwards from 1.81 Ma (official Plio/Pleistocene boundary) to 2.6 Ma (base of Pliocene Gelasian Stage). Accordingly, the base of the Gelasian seems to be the most appropriate lower boundary for both the Quaternary Period and Pleistocene Epoch.

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Texte intégral

Thanks are due to Prof. C. Guerin and J-F. Pastre for their useful comments.

The English version was revised by Dr. Mary Groeneweg, English Language Lecturer at Cagliari University. Work supported by MIUR 60% grants 2005 Prof. M.R. Palombo (“Evoluzione degli ecosistemi continentali dell’Italia peninsulare durante il Plio-Pleistocene: un approccio multidisciplinare”).

1Introduction

2La plupart des chercheurs conviennent que le Quaternaire devrait être reconnu comme une unité chronostratigraphique/géochronologique formalisée, Sub-Erathème/Sub-Ere, comme cela a été recommandé par la Commission Internationale pour la Stratigraphie (ICS) (cf. Clague, 2005, 2006) ou mieux Système / Période, comme suggéré par plusieurs chercheurs. Mais, il n’existe pas encore d’accord au sujet de cette unité. La limite inférieure du Quaternaire devrait-elle coïncider avec la base de l’étage Gélasien (2.6 Ma), comme cela a été proposé par l’ICS ? Si oui, les limites inférieures du Quaternaire et du Pléistocène devraient-elles coïncider ou bien devraient-elles être différentes ?

3Pour contribuer au débat et en rappelant que le « Pléistocène » et le Quaternaire ont été créés en s’appuyant sur des donnés soit paléontologiques, soit climatiques (ex. Desnoyers, 1829 ; Lyell, 1833, 1839 ; Reboul, 1833 ; Agassiz, 1840 ; Forbes, 1846), les faunes à grands mammifères de la région méditerranéenne nord-occidentale ont été révisées dans le but d’envisager quels ont été les changements les plus importants des complexes fauniques (fluctuations de la diversité et changement de la structure) qui se sont produits durant le Pliocène moyen et supérieur et le Pléistocène inférieur, lorsque d’importants changements climatiques ont modifié l’environnement.

4Le renouvellement des faunes et de la structure des paléocommunautés et leurs rapports avec les changements globaux du climat ont été considérés. En particulier, la dynamique des deux plus importants « turnovers » du Villafranchien, l’“elephant-Equus event” (Lindsay et al.,1980) (qui s’est déroulé grosso modo entre la fin du Zancléen et le début du Gélasien), et le « wolf event » (Azzaroli, 1983 ; Palmqvist, 1999 ; Sardella & Palombo, 2007), auparavant placé au début du Pléistocène, a été analysée dans le but d’envisager lequel des deux était le plus remarquable, en précisant si et de quelle façon le climat et les changements de l’environnement avaient entraîné le renouvellement des faunes.

5En effet, écologistes et également évolutionnistes ont débattu depuis longtemps du rôle que les changements du climat ont et ont eu sur l’évolution de la faune, et il semble que nous n’ayons pas encore trouvé d’accord. Les modèles les plus importants – tel que le « Stationary model » (Rosenzweig, 1975) et les théories qui privilégient le rôle de l’environnent (Vrba, 1992, 1995 ; Brett & Baird, 1995), ou par contre les modèles et les théories qui regardent comme plus important la compétition intra- et inter-spécifique (Red Queen Hypothesis, Van Vallen, 1973 ; Bell, 1982 ; Prothero 2004) ; ou, enfin les hypothèses dont la vision est un peu plus complexe (“Coevolutionary disequilibrium Model”, Graham & Lundelius, 1984) ou stochastique (Court Jester Hypothesis, Barnosky 2001) – semblent être à la fois confirmés ou réfutés par les donnés paléontologiques. Dautre part, si le climat et les changements de l’environnement ont causé le renouvellement des faunes, soit par migration, soit par apparition et extinction, les variations dans la structure des paléocommunautés devraient être en accord avec ces changements du climat.

6Dans ce but, nous avons analysé les turnovers et les variations en richesse, diversité et structure écologique, des complexes faunistiques à grands mammifères du Pliocène moyen et supérieur et du Pléistocène inférieur de la zone méditerranéenne nord occidentale.

7Matériaux et méthode

8Les listes fauniques de 112 faunes locales (LFAs) d’Espagne, de France et d’Italie, les plus riches ou les plus irréfutables au point de vue chronologique, ont été révisées aussi bien que la taxonomie et la distribution chronologique des espèces (fig. 1, tab. 1 et 2). Des complexes faunistiques proches des « paléocommunautés » ont été déterminés également à l’aide d’analyses multivariées (analyses de cluster), permettant de reconnaître des complexes fauniques (FCs) cohérents au point de vue chronologique et écologique (biochrones). Ces complexes peuvent être regardés comme des « block of coordinated stasis » (sensu Brett & Baird 1995 ; Bret et al., 1996), puisqu’on assume que, pendant le temps qu’ils renferment, aucun turnover ne se produisit (cf. Palombo, 2005, sous presse et références bibliographiques citées).

9Les méthodes de Harper (1975) et Foote (2000) ont été utilisées pour calculer la richesse standardisée et la diversité, celles de Torre et al. (1999) et Foote (2000) pour calculer l’index de turnover entre deux FCs successives et les taux d’apparition et d’extinction dans chaque FC respectivement.

10Résultats

11L’analyse de similitude montre l’évidence d’une séparation plus importante entre le LFAs du Villafranchien inférieur et moyen qu’entre celles du Villafranchien moyen et supérieur.

12Les valeurs des indices de turnover calculés à la transition entre deux FCs successives confirment le caractère progressif du renouvellement qui se développe durant le Pliocène supérieur. Les taux d’apparition et d’extinction soulignent d’un côté ce turnover, et de l’autre mettent en évidence la phase de dispersion qui se déroule pendant le Pliocène supérieur (bien que d’une façon différente en chaque région), lorsque les nouvelles apparitions sont toujours plus nombreuses que les extinctions. En revanche, une phase de disparitions progressives et de réduction de la biodiversité caractérise le Pléistocène inférieur. Cette tendance est confirmée par les fluctuations de la diversité et de la richesse qui augmentent durant le Pliocène final, atteignant leur maximum au début du Pléistocène inférieur.

13En ce qui concerne l’habitat, les taxons qui préfèrent un milieu forestier, bien que plus nombreux en Italie qu’en Espagne, diminuèrent durant le Pliocène et le Pléistocène inférieur. Parmi les herbivores, on peut remarquer la diminution des brouteurs, lorsque les « mixed-feeders » deviennent plus nombreux, peut-être à cause d’une fragmentation plus importante du milieu. Le début du Pliocène moyen est marqué aussi par la disparition des taxons de petite taille et l’apparition de mammifères de grande taille.

14Discussion

15D’après les résultats obtenus, durant le Pliocène moyen et supérieur et le Pléistocène inférieur, les renouvellements majeurs sont détectables à la transition entre les complexes fauniques du Villafranchian inférieur (V1 FC) et du Villafranchien moyen ancien (V2 FC) (~2.7-2.5 Ma), et entre le complexes du Villafranchien moyen (V3 FC) et supérieur (V4 FC) (~2.0-1,9 Ma). Le premier peut être mis en relation avec le début des glaciations bipolaires, suivi par des cycles glaciaire/interglaciaire d’amplitude modérée (périodicité orbitale de 41 ka), qui favorisent des variations du climat et du milieu. La saisonnalité plus marquée et une augmentation de l’aridité causent la disparition de plusieurs taxons de milieu forestier, des petits carnivores et des espèces « scansorial » ou arboricoles, alors que des herbivores de grande taille, « mixed‑feeders » ou bien brouteurs, apparaissent. Ce renouvellement (elephant‑Equus event” Lindsay et al., 1980) peut être considéré comme un vrai turnover, et marque aussi un changement de la structure des complexes fauniques, qui affecte surtout la guilde des herbivores/frugivores. De plus, cet événement peut être considéré comme le point de départ de la phase de dispersion qui mène à une augmentation progressive de la richesse pendant le Pliocène supérieur (Villafranchien moyen, V3 FC, et début du Villafranchien supérieur, V4 FC). En effet, au début du Pléistocène inférieur, en dépit de l’extinction de quelques broyeurs ou tondeurs d’herbe de taille moyenne, la diversité acquiert son maximum en raison de l’apparition progressive pendant le Pliocène supérieur de plusieurs carnivores (“wolf event”, Azzaroli, 1983 ; Palmqvist et al., 1999 ; mais voir aussi Sardella & Palombo, 2007), tel que des canidés solitaires ou chassant en groupes, et Pachycrocuta brevirostris et Panthera gombazsoegensis. Une situation équivalente (un turnover suivi par une phase de dispersion), mais beaucoup plus accentuée, caractérise aussi le turnover de la fin du Pléistocène inférieur (Palombo et al., 2005 ; Palombo & Valli, 2005 avec références). Ces deux turnovers sont précédés par une phase plus ou moins prolongée de réduction de la diversité, pendant laquelle les extinctions prévalent (Palombo, 2005, 2007). Il semble que les turnovers les plus importants se produisent d’une façon cyclique et qu’ils marquent le début d’une période caractérisée d’abord par la prévalence des apparitions de nouveaux taxons, puis par une réduction de la diversité. Les plus importants changements de faune semblent être déclenchés ou favorisés par les variations les plus importantes du climat et de la végétation, lorsque la structure des communautés va être aussi bâtie progressivement par la compétition intra- et inter-guilds.

16Conclusion

17Le renouvellement faunique qui se réalise au passage entre Villafranchien inférieur et moyen (Pliocène moyen et supérieur) semble être plus important que la restructuration du début du Pléistocène inférieur. En réalité, le renouvellement qui marque le passage entre Villafranchien moyen et supérieur arrive au cours du Pliocène tardif. En outre, le turnover au passage Pliocène moyen– Pliocène supérieur (début du Gélasien) marque le début d’un cycle de renouvellement faunique qui se terminera à la fin du Pléistocène inférieur. Les données relatives aux faunes à mammifères de la zone méditerranéenne nord occidentale indiquent donc que le Gélasien pourrait être considéré comme le premier étage du Pléistocène et le début du Quaternaire.

1- Introduction

18In the revised geological time scale (Gradstein et al., 2004), it has been propose to extend the Neogene System (Period) up to the present, de facto deleting the “Quaternary”. Actually, when in 1985 the Plio-Pleistocene boundary was formally defined (Aguirre & Pasini, 1985), the status of the Quaternary within the chronostratigraphical scale remained undefined and later was never formally resolved. Pillans (1998, 2004) proposed the Quaternary should be redefined as a Subsystem (Subperiod) of the extended Neogene System (Period), and that its base be defined at the base of the Pliocene Gelasian Stage at 2.6 Ma, opening a new debate (e.g. Ogg, 2004; Pillans & Naish, 2004; Clague, 2005, 2006). In point of fact, paleontological and climatic peculiarities of the “Quaternary” were recognized since the beginning of the 19th century (e.g. Desnoyers, 1829; Lyell, 1833, 1839; Reboul, 1833; Agassiz, 1840; Forbes, 1846) and “Quaternary” has been traditionally considered to be an interval of climate worsening during which climate had oscillating extremes. Currently a formal decision on the “Quaternary” status is pending. Anyhow, assuming that the Quaternary is to be recognized as a formal chronostratigraphic/geochronological unit (having a Sub-Erathem/Sub-Era rank, as recommended by the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), or better a System/ Period rank, as suggested by several scientists), what boundary should be chosen? Should the lower boundary of the Quaternary coincide with the base of the Gelasian Stage (2.6 Ma) as proposed by the ICS? If so, should the Quaternary and Pleistocene lower boundaries be the same or should be different?

19According to the ICS proposal (Clague, 2005, 2006), the base of the Quaternary becomes 2.6 Ma, but the base of the Pleistocene remains at 1.8 Ma, as ratified in 1985 (Aguirre & Pasini, 1985). On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that the base of the Gelasian corresponds to the beginning of significant global changes: for instance the first major influx of ice-rafted debris, in the middle latitudes of the North Atlantic, or the onset of extensive loess deposition in China around the Gauss/Matuyama boundary (marine isotopic stage MIS104, Ding et al., 1997; Shackleton, 1997; Partridge, 1997a, b; and reference therein) coincided with a profound change in the Eurasian flora and faunal assemblages (for instance Zagwijn, 1974; Grichuk, 1997; Lindsay et al., 1980; Steininger et al., 1985; Azzaroli et al., 1988). Shackleton (1997, p. 34) pointed out that the lower part of the proposed Upper Pliocene Gelasian Stage approximates the culmination of a series of cycles over which the intensity of the glaciations gradually increases (“glacial” stages 104, 102 and 100 represent clearly defined events; they are succeeded by less well‑defined fluctuations). Accordingly, since the global change that occurred at MIS 104, several authors have considered the lower boundary of the Gelasian Stage as a more appropriate lower boundary for the Pleistocene Period.

20In point of fact, the Gelasian corresponds to the beginning of significant evolution not only of Earth climatic system but also of the biosphere. As a matter of fact, during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, large mammal species and “palaeocommunities” have turned over several times, moreover a plentiful literature debates whether these taxonomical and structural changes in the course of time are more greatly influenced by biotic interactions (for instance Prothero, 1999, 2004), or by random perturbations to the physical environment (for instance “Court Jester hypotheses”, Barnosky, 2001). Actually several models have been proposed that emphasised the role of density-dependent factors (Rosenzweig 1975) or changes in the physical environment (Vrba, 1992, 1995, 2000; Brett & Baird, 1995).

21On the other hand, following to the “Red Queen hypothesis”– in this Macroevolutionary (Van Valen, 1973) and Microevolutionary (Bell, 1982) sense, changes in equilibrium may be due to the internal dynamics of competitive relationships, and do not necessarily predict a close interdependence between major climatic changes and evolutionary events. Actually, due the fact that climate change removes keystone species causing changes in interactions between species and the restructuring of ecosystems (“Coevolutionary disequilibrium Model” by Graham & Lundelius, 1984), the internal dynamics of competitive relationships might also have played an important role in mammalian fauna evolution (see e.g. Alroy et al., 2000; Prothero, 2004). As regards to the Plio-Pleistocene boundary and taking into account the climatic changes characterizing the Pliocene and those at the beginning of the Pleistocene, when, and for what reason were faunal communities most significantly reconstructed?

22In the middle latitudes of the North Atlantic, the first major influx of ice-rafted debris around the Gauss/Matuyama boundary coincided with a profound change in the Eurasian flora assemblage and with a reorganisation of mammalian communities. This important biotic event, linked to the Middle Pliocene climate worsening, in turn related to the onset of bipolar glaciations, has been already recognized (the so-called “elephant-Equus event” Lindsay et al., 1980; Steininger et al., 1985; Azzaroli et al., 1988), and has been chosen as the boundary between the early and middle Villafranchian (Caloi & Palombo 1996). The profuse changes in flora and fauna during this event have prompted several authors to propose placing the Plio-Pleistocene boundary here (cf. inter alios Alberdi et al., 1997; Kolfschoten & Gibbard, 1998; Suc et al., 1997 and the references therein).

23After the Middle Pliocene climate worsening, in the time span included between the Reunion normal magnetic episode and the Olduvai magnetostratigraphic event, a slight decrease in temperature altered the vegetation, at least in the Western Mediterranean area, giving rise to more open environments (Suc et al., 1995; Torre et al., 2001). Moreover, at the transition from the middle to the late Villafranchian (~2.0-1.9 Ma) a further faunal renewal can be detected, involving the dispersal of a canid closely related to Canis etruscus (the already called “wolf-event”, first defined by Azzaroli, 1983, but see Palmqvist et al., 1999; Sardella & Palombo, in press for a discussion). This event was supposed to be connected with the climatic changes occurring at the end of the Pliocene and regarded as a signal of the transition to the Pleistocene.

24Thus the question is: what was the most important faunal turnover? Is it the Middle to Late Pliocene renewal or the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene one?

25To contribute to the debate, the large mammal fossil records from North‑Western Mediterranean region have been revised in order to analyse the diversity and structural dynamics of reconstructed faunal complexes in the light of the changes in environmental conditions occurring from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.

2- Material and methods

26Biochronological ranges of 149 Pliocene and Early Pleistocene taxa, whether commonly found at Spanish, French and Italian sites or having a particular biochronological significance, have been revised and carefully reassessed (tab.1 and 2).

Tab. 1: Biochronological range of selected Carnivora and Primata of the North‑Western Mediterranean, dating from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.

Tab. 1: Biochronological range of selected Carnivora and Primata of the North‑Western Mediterranean, dating from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.

Habitat. Taxa inhabiting: O  =  open environments, grassland, steppe or savanna; W  =  forests and closed woodland; Wc  =  open woodland, bushland and wooded Mediterranean-type vegetation; W-Wc  =  miscellaneous woodland; Wc-O, O-Wc  =  flexible taxa, which can live in shrubland or open woodland, as well as in more open landscapes, or at the edge of both; Feeding behaviour: Br  =  browser; B-G  =  mixed-feeder Gr  =  grazer; Fr  =  Frugivore; Om  =  omnivore; C  =  carnivores. Body mass: BM1 I  =  1000 kg. (*) Authors disagree on tassonomy, systematic and phylogenetical relashionships of the Plio-Pleistocene deer belonging to the so-called Dama-like group (see inter alios Azzaroli, 1992; Di Stefano & Petronio, 1998, 2003; Pfeiffer, 1999, 2005; Croitor, 2001, 2005; Croitor & Bonifay, 2002; van der Made, 1999; Valli et al., 2006 for a discussion).

Tab. 2: Biochronological range of selected Perissodactyla and Artiodactyla of the North-Western Mediterranean, dating from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.

Tab. 2: Biochronological range of selected Perissodactyla and Artiodactyla of the North-Western Mediterranean, dating from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.

2.1 - Faunal complex detection

27To better outline the chronological distribution of species in the NW Mediterranean region, it is imperative to define a common chronological framework matching Spanish, French and Italian local biochronological schemes (MN, MNQ, MmQ and FUs) already erected on the basis of selected palaeobioevents, as well as on the evolutionary stage displayed by taxa belonging to a well-defined phyletic lineage or on typical taxa associations (Mein, 1975, 1990, 1998; Azzaroli, 1977, 1982; Guérin, 1982, 1990;

28Agustí, 1986; Bruijn et al., 1992; Agustí et al., 1987, 2001; Gliozzi et al., 1997; van Dam, 2001; Palombo, 2005).

29Disparities among Spanish, France and Italian fossil records increase the well-known difficulties in establishing correlations among local faunal complexes (FCs) (Palombo, 2005; Palombo & Sardella, 2007). Moreover, the comparison is often problematic because of the actual disparities in the composition of local faunal assemblages (LFAs) (due to discontinuities in the stratigraphic record, to taphonomical biases, and to the fact that only a small part of the whole fossil record is actually known), the uncertain chronology of some classic LFAs (see for instance Pastre, 2004) as well as different opinions regarding the taxonomic determinations of some taxa.

30Given these considerations, to re-assess the Middle Pliocene-Early Pleistocene mammalian complexes of the NW Mediterranean region, a multivariate analysis has also been performed. 112 LFAs (lists of the species identified from the fossil remains retrieved at a given site, and/or recovered from the same stratigraphic horizon; 20 from Spain, 46 from France, 46 from Italy) ranging in age from the Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene (Ruscinian to early Aurelian land mammal ages, LMAs, sensu Gliozzi et al.,1997; Palombo, 2004, 2005) have been selected because of their unusually complete faunal record, their richness, or because they are the only representatives of a biochron. Selected Ruscinian (MN14-15) and Galerian plus Aurelian LFAs have been considered for comparison purpose.

31Similarities have been evaluated based on the Jacquard binary coefficient, and of cluster analysis performed using the UPGMA method (NTSYS-PC programme, version 2.0, Rohlf, 1998). According to this method, each member of a cluster has equal weight at all levels of clustering (cfr. Hazel, 1970; Shi, 1993). Taxa occurring in a very few faunas are not relevant for this type of quantitative analysis, even if characteristic of a well-defined span of time. The cophenetic correlation coefficient (CCC) was computed as a measure of distortion (Farris, 1969). Preference was shown for the Q-Mode dendrogram, particularly suitable in biochronologically-oriented studies (Hazel, 1970).

2.2 - Biochronogical setting

32The Plio-Pleistocene biochronology of large mammals from North-Western Mediterranean region has been re-assessed taking into account the results of similarity analysis as well as the regional data supplied by the empirical documentation of the stratigraphical ranges of fossils in local sections. From the Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene, the following FCs have been considered (fig. 1):

  • R =  Ruscinian, including the Early Pliocene LFAs already ascribed to MN14-15. We have chosen to consider these faunas as a group due to the very poor fossil record of French and Italian LFAs belonging respectively to MN14 and MN15 “zones”.

  • V1 =  Villafranchian 1, corresponding to the Middle Pliocene LFAs already ascribed to MN16a or Triversa FU (early Villafranchian sensu Palombo et al., 2003).

  • V2 =  Villafranchian 2, including the early Late Pliocene LFAs ascribed to MN16b or Montopoli FU

33(early middle Villafranchian sensu Caloi & Palombo, 1996).

  • V3 =  Villafranchian 3, to which the Late Pliocene LFAs such as the Spanish and French LFAs belonging to MN17 and the Italian ones already attributed to “Saint Vallier”/Collepardo and Costa San Giacomo FUs have been ascribed. We have chosen to include the latter FU in this faunal complex, although in the Costa San Giacomo LFA (Italy) a true “Canis” of C. etruscus group lowest occurred side by side with typical middle Villafranchian taxa (Rook & Torre, 1996) due to The compositional affinity shown by these FUs.

  • V4 =  Villafranchian 4, including the latest Pliocene and earliest Pleistocene LFAs (early late Villafranchian sensu Gliozzi et al., 1997). We choose to include in the same FC the assemblages previously referred to Olivola and Tasso FUs (Azzaroli et al., 1988; Gliozzi et al., 1997) for two reasons: the scantiness of French and Spanish fossil record in this interval (roughly corresponding to MNQ18 and MmQ-1 biozones), and the compositional affinities shown by the latest Pliocene-earliest Pleistocene Italian LFAs (Palombo, 2005).

  • V5 =  Villafranchian 5, including the Early Pleistocene renewed LFAs referred to Farneta and Pirro FUs, and to MNQ 19 and MNQ2 (herein MNQ2 a) “zones”. Even in this case, we group together different LFAs not only due to the paucity of the fossil record in some regions, but for the substantially similar composition.

  • G1 =  Galerian 1, including the late Early Pleistocene LFAs. They are characterised by a few “Galerian” taxa, together with a stock of Villafranchian faunal elements. Such LFAs have been considered as “transitional faunas” in previous works (Bonifay 1978; Azzaroli et al., 1988 and references there in) or as Epivillafranchian faunas (cf. Kahlke, 2005) or as representative, as far as Italy is concerned, to the beginning of the Galerian MA. G1 includes the LFAs referable to MmQ2 (here MmQ2b), MNQ20 “zone” and Colle Curti FU.

34As suggested by the “minimum census technique” (Rosenzweig & Taylor, 1980; Stucky, 1990), ‘rangethrough’ or Lazarus taxa (Barry et al., 1995; Maas et al., 1995) have been assumed to occur in intervals where they were actually not found, provided that they can be identified in preceding and successive intervals.

Fig. 1: Biochronological scheme of Spain, French and Italian faunal complexes.

Fig. 1: Biochronological scheme of Spain, French and Italian faunal complexes.

2.3 - Faunal complex characterisation

35Three main approaches have been used to explore the palaeoclimatic significance of faunal evolutionary changes: shifts in diversity; shifts in origination/immigration and extinction rates (turnover, dispersal, extinction phases); shifts in relative abundance of specific ecological categories.

2.3.1 - Diversity and Richness

36Richness (herein considered as a proxy of the γ diversity, which measures the overall diversity for different ecosystems within a region, Whittaker, 1972) can be measured by the total number of taxa actually or potentially occurring in each biochronological interval. Nevertheless, the richness of a single time interval may be overestimated when first local appearances have been considered as occurring at the beginning of the interval and the taxa that disappeared as persistent up to the end of it, whereas they might not actually overlap in time. In order to reduce this bias, and since taxonomic diversity relates to origination/immigration and extinction/emigration rates, data have been analysed using the methodology developed by Foote (2000) calculating “Total Diversity” and “Estimated mean standing diversity” as well as “Diversity minus singletons”. [“Total Diversity” (Ntot)  =  NFL + NbL + NFt + Nbt; and “Estimated mean standing diversity” (Nemd)  =  Ntot –No/2 – Ne/2; “Diversity minus singletons” (NDmS)  =  +NbL + NFt + Nbt; where No (Number of originations)  = NFL + NFt; Ne (Number of extinctions)  =  NFL + NbL; NFL  =  taxa that exist only in the interval; NbL  =  taxa that originate before the interval but go extinct within it; NFt  =  taxa that originate in the interval and persist beyond it; Nbt  =  taxa that originate before the interval and persist beyond it].

37Moreover, it is possible to standardise the number of taxa that potentially occur at a given time interval by considering species richness at the midpoint of each time interval as standing richness value calculated according to Harper’s method (Harper, 1975) [Standing Richness (Nsr)  =  Nbda + Nrt + ½ (Nf + Nl– No) where Nsr  =  number of taxa that potentially occur at a given time interval, Nbda  =  number of species present before-during and after the faunal unit, Nrt  =  number of species present before and after but not in the faunal unit, Nf  =  number of first appearances, Nl =  number of last appearances, No  =  number of taxa confined in the interval].

2.3.2 - Faunal Renewal

38Actually, species richness patterns strictly relate to origination and extinction rates, thus richness changes and turnover patterns are closely connected. Increases or decreases in richness indicate respectively dispersal or extinction events, whereas a change in taxonomical composition between two successive biochrons can be regarded as a true faunal turnover when changes in species composition result from the concurrent extinction of existing species and replacement by the immigration/origination of new species. Both speciation and immigration have been treated as first appearances ( =  ‘lowest occurrences’ in the local stratigraphic succession) and extinctions or migration as last appearances ( =  ‘highest occurrences’ in the local stratigraphic succession) (cf. Palombo, 2005 for a discussion). To compute origination and extinction rates, a taxon is assumed to have originated within the biochron where it is first observed, while a taxon is assumed to have become extinct within its last observed biochron. Per-taxon rates of origination (ORpt) and extinction (ERpt) are calculated as ORpt  =  (NFL + NFt)/Ntot/t, and ERpt  =  (NFL + NbL)/Ntot/t following Foote (2000) (t  =  span of time).

39Faunal renewals can also be estimated from the number of extinctions and new occurrences at the end of a biochron and at the beginning of the successive one. Turnover indices (TI) are calculated using the first appearance (FA) and last appearance (LA) percentages (% FA  =  FA / RM x 100) (% LA  =  LA / RM × 100) that have normalised the LA and FA using a running mean [RM  =  N – (FA + LO) / 2], as in Torre et al. (1999) [TI  =  (% FA + % LA) / 2]. Using this method, faunal complexes have been considered as “blocks of coordinated stasis” (sensu Brett et al., 1995, 1996); thus taxa were assumed to be present during the whole time span corresponding to the biochron in which they first /last appeared (even if this was not necessarily true).

2.3.3 - Taxon-Free Characterisation of Faunal Complexes

40“Palaeocommunity” types were established, assigning species to several ecological categories by means of feeding behaviour, preferred habitat and body mass (Taxon-free characterization, Damuth, 1992).

41Feeding behaviour has been inferred on the basis of skull and mandible morphology, the extension of masticator muscle insertions, hypsodonty index, relative dimensions of premolar and molar rows, occipital bone and condylus inclination, apophysis of dorsal vertebra length and inclination, etc. (see Palombo, in press and references there in).

42Herbivores were separated into grazers (Gr, concentrating feeding on grasses and sedges), browsers (Br, concentrating feeding on leaves, seeds, shoots, etc., with a reduced amount of grasses), and mixed-feeders (MF, taxa which on a seasonal, regional or occasional basis, eat grass or leaves, bark, seeds, etc. indifferently). The trophic categories of frugivores (Fr) and omnivores (Om) have been considered as a single group. Carnivora consuming more than 10% of flesh are included in “Carnivores” (C).

43Three major ecological habitat groups were retained encompassing taxa inhabiting: 1) forests and closed woodland (W); open woodland, bushland and wooded Mediterranean-type vegetation (Wc); miscellaneous woodland (W-Wc); 2) open environments, grassland, steppe or savanna (O); as well as 3) more flexible taxa, which can live in shrubland or open woodland, or even in more than one landscape or at the edge of two different ones (Wc-O, O-Wc).

44Body mass, the most useful describer of species adaptations in fossil species, was considered a proxy of body size, according to Gingerich et al., (1982). Body mass was estimated using different allometric equations, tested as the most adequate for each taxon (see Palombo, in press; Palombo & Giovinazzo, 2007). The following categories have been utilised: BM1  =  <10 kg; BM2  = 10-60 kg; BM3 = 60-200 kg; BM4  =  200-1000 kg; BM5 =  >1000 kg.

45Palaeosynecological analysis was based on the relative abundance of ecological categories for each faunal complex.

3- Results

3.1 - Similarity

46Clustering of the entire dataset based on species occurrence from the Pliocene to the middle Pleistocene (fig. 2) clearly divides local faunal assemblages (LFAs) into two main groups: cluster A with Pliocene-Early Pleistocene LFAs (from the Ruscinian up to the late Villafranchian, pre-Jaramillo event) and cluster B with Middle Pleistocene LFAs (Galerian and early Aurelian sensu Gliozzi et al., 1997; but see Palombo, 2005). However, the Italian LFAs correlated with the Jaramillo event (early Galerian, sensu Gliozzi et al., 1997) fall within the group made up of the “late Villafranchian” Spanish and French LFAs highlighting the main gap separate that occurs between the Italian “archaic” and “modern” fauna (cf. Palombo, 2005).

47Within cluster A, two sub-clusters can be detected: the first, A1, includes in separate groups the Ruscinian (A11) and the early Villafranchian (A12) LFAs; the second (A2) includes the middle-late Villafranchian ones. The gap dividing A1 from A2 is definitely more important than the separation between middle (A211) and late (A212) Villafranchian LFAs. It is worth mentioning that the latest Villafranchian LFAs (as well as the Italian LFAs ascribed to Colle Curti FU) set separately, confirming the renewal characterising the second part of the Early Pleistocene (A22).

48Within cluster B, a gap clearly separates two other groups: B1 (late Early Pleistocene and early Middle Pleistocene, early Galerian and the most archaic middle Galerian LFAs) and B2 (Middle Pleistocene, middle and late Galerian, early Aurelian LFAs). B1 subcluster includes French LFAs which have been calibrated with the Jaramillo event or LFAs considered very close in age to it (Huescar, Spain) as well as the Italian Ponte Galeria LFA, probably because of the presence of exclusive taxa such as Hemibos galerianus (Martinez Navarro & Palombo, 2004) and of the long-surviving Villafranchian herbivores, such as the medium-sized cervids belonging to the “Pseudodama” group (but see Di Stefano & Petronio, 2003). Interestingly, this sub-cluster set together Italian and French localities that in separate analyses set with the latest

49Villafranchian and Galerian (early Middle Pleistocene) LFAs respectively. This fact highlight the “transitional” character of latest Early Pleistocene LFAs confirmed by the persistence of several Villafranchian taxa together with new taxa that will survive until the following middle Pleistocene.

50On the whole, the results obtained seem to indicate that, although the heterogeneity of the fossil record in each region does not enable us carry out analyses on the basis of a comparable number of LFAs for each interval (for instance, large mammalian faunas are poorly represented in the Ruscinian fossil record of Italy and the late Villafranchian record of Spain and France), the main clusters emphasise on the significance of the middle to late Pliocene faunal reconstruction.

Fig. 2: Dendogram for 112 Spanish (20) French (46), and Italian (46) local faunal assemblages (Q-mode) based on un-weighteddataof 149 species. Cophenetic correlation coefficient  =  0.9467.

Fig. 2: Dendogram for 112 Spanish (20) French (46), and Italian (46) local faunal assemblages (Q-mode) based on un-weighteddataof 149 species. Cophenetic correlation coefficient  =  0.9467.

Spain: Layna   =   Layna-MN15; Villaroya   =   Villaroya MN16a; Helago   =   Huel-MN16b; La Puebla de Valverde   =   PVal-MN16b; Fonelas   =   Fonelas-MmQ1; Cueva Victoria   =   Cvict-MmQ2; Venta Micena; Venta del Moro   =   VentaMMmQ2; Quibas   =   Quibas-MmQ2; Barranco Leon   =   BLeon‑MmQ2; Fuente Nueva 3   =   FNueva-MmQ2; Ponton de la Oliva   =   POliva-MmQ2; Huescar   =   Huescar-MmQ3; Atapuerca TD4   =   AtTD4-MmQ3;Atapuerca TD6   =   AtTD6-MmQ3; Cullar de Baza   =   CullarBaza-MmQ4a; Torralba   =   Torr-MmQ4b; Ambrona   =   Ambr-MmQ4b; Atapuerca TD10  =   AtTD10-MmQ4b; La Solana del Zamborino   =   SolZam-MmQ4b; El Congosto   =   Cong-MmQ4b ; France : Montpellier, yellow sands   =   Mont-14; Montpellier, Palais de Justice   =   Just-14; Celleneuve   =   Celle-14; Trévoux   =   Tré-14; Saint Laurent des Arbres  =  SLA-14; Perpignan  =  Perp-15; Autrice  =  Autr-15; Vialette  =  Vial-16; Les Etuaires  =  Et-16; Chagny  =  Cha­16; Roca Neyra  =  Roc-17; Saint Vallier  =  StVal-17; Pardines  =  Pard-17; Saint Vidal  =  SVid-17; La Rochelambert  =  Lamb-17; Corneillet  =  Corn-17, Chilhac  =  Chil-17; Montoussé 5  =  Mt5-18; Le Coupet  =  LCop-17; Senèze  =  Sen-18; Peyrrolles  =  Pey-19; Blassac la Gironde  =  Blas-19; Sartenette  =  Sart-20; Le Vallonet  =  Vallo-20; Sainzelles  =  Sz-20; Saint Prest  =  SPrest-20; Durfort  =  Durf-20; Sohleilac  =  Sol-21; L’Escale  =  Esc-22; Vergnac  = Verg-22; Nautire  =  Naut-22; Céou-22; Caune de L’Arago, lower complex  =  AraI; Caune de L’Arago, middle complex 1  =  AraII; Caune de L’Arago, middle complex 2  =  AraIII; Aldène  =  Ald-23; Burg-23; Montoussé 3  =  Mt3-23; Lunel Viel  =  LunV-23; Combe-Grenal  =  CGren-23; Verchizeuil  =  Verz-23; Orgnac  =  Or3-24; Pech d’Aze  =  Az7-24; La Fage  =  Fag-24; Cedres  = Cedr-24; Grotte du Lazaret  =  LazIII-24 ; Italy : Val di Pugna  =  Pugna-MN15; Ponzano di Magra  = Ponz; Barga, Pieve Fosciana  =  Barga; Triversa  =  Tr; Gaville, Santa Barbara  =  Gav./Barb-Tr; Montopoli  =  Montop-Mo; Valle Catenaccio  =  V.Caten.-Mo; Colle Pardo  =  C.Pardo-Mo; Costa San Giacomo  =  C.Giacomo-CsGTorre Picchio  =  T.Picchio-CsG; Quercia  =  Quercia-CsG; Olivola  =  Olivola-OT; Upper Valdarno (already ascribed to Olivola FU)  =  Valdarno1-OT; Poggio Rosso  =  PoggioRos-OT; Matassino  =  Matassino-OT; Casa Frata  =  CasaFrata-OT; Casa Sgherri  =  C.Sgherri-OT; Faella  =  Faella-OT; Fontana Acetosa  =  F.Acetosa-OT; Upper Valdarno (already ascribed to Tasso FU)  =  Valdarno2-OT; Bacino Tiberino  =  B.Tiberino-OT; Monte Riccio  =  Mt.Riccio-OT; Pantalla  =  Pantalla-OT; Mugello  =  Mugello-Fa; Val di Chiana  =  ValChiana-Fa; Selvella  =  Selvella-Fa; Pietrafitta  =  Pietrafita-Fa; Pirro Nord  =  Pirro-Pr; Colle Curti  =  C.Curti-CC; Cava Redicicoli  =  Redicicoli-Pr; Slivia  =  Slivia-Sl; Ponte Galeria 2  =  P.Galeria-Sl; Pagliare di Sassa  =  Sassa-Sl; Valdemino  =  Valdemino-Is; Isernia La pineta  =  Isernia-Is; Cesi  =  Cesi-Is; Notarchirico  =  Notarch-Is; Venosa Loreto =  Loreto-Fr; Fontana Ranuccio  =  Ranuccio-Fr; Visogliano  =  Visogliano-Fr; Sedia del Diavolo  =  S.Diavolo-TP; Torre in Pietra, lower level  =  T.Pietra-TP; Capri Quisisana  =  CapriQ-TP;Bucine  =  Bucine-TP; Torre in Pietra, upper level  =  T.Pietra2-TP; Campo Verde  =  Cverde-TP ; Tr  =  Triversa FU; Mo  =  Montopoli FU; CsG  =  Costa San Giacomo FU; OT  =  Olivola+Tasso FU; Fa  =  Farneta FU; Pr  =  Pirro FU; TP  =  Torre in Pietra FU.

3.2 - Diversity and richness

51The trend of total diversity (Ntot), measured on the basis of species occurrences in the faunal complexes defined above (fig. 3), reveals that periods of lower diversity alternating phases of an average species increase occurred throughout the whole Plio-Pleistocene. A decrease in Ntot characterised the transition from the Middle to Late Pliocene (early, V1-MN16a, to middle, V2-MN16b, Villafranchian). The following increase in number of species during the Late Pliocene (middle Villafranchian, V3-MN17) was more gradual and was eventually completed at the beginning of the Early Pleistocene (early late Villafranchian, V4), when a peak in Nemd and Nsr can also be detected (fig. 3). During the following Early Pleistocene (latest Villafranchian-Early Galerian sensu Gliozzi et al., 1997, V4-G1), richness decreased reaching a minimum at the end of the Early Pleistocene. This late Early Pleistocene negative peak was followed by a significant increase in the number of species at the transition to the Middle Pleistocene (middle Galerian sensu Gliozzi et al., 1997, G2).

52It is worth noting that the declining in biodiversity at Middle (V1) to Late Pliocene (V2) transition is possibly related to the dwindling of forest dwellers. This tendency is less evident or disagrees with the trends of forest dwellers’Nemd and Nsr (fig. 3) because of following Harper’s (1975) and Foote’s (2000) methods the number of taxa confined in the interval are underestimated. On the other hand, the high values of Ntot, Nemd and Nsr characterising the North-western Mediterranean region at the beginning of the Early Pleistocene were mainly related to the increase in ubiquitous taxa (fig. 3).

Fig.3: Trends of diversity from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene in the North‑Western Mediterranean faunal complexes and in ecological categories established on the basis of the preferred habitat.

Fig.3: Trends of diversity from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene in the North‑Western Mediterranean faunal complexes and in ecological categories established on the basis of the preferred habitat.

Standing richness value calculated according to Harper’s method (1975) [Standing Richness (Nsr)  =  Nbda + Nrt + ½ (Nf + Nl– No) where Nsr  =  number of taxa that potentially occur at a given time interval, Nbda  =  number of species present before-during and after the faunal unit, Nrt  =  number of species present before and after but not in the faunal unit, Nf  =  number of first appearances, Nl  =  number of last appearances, No  =  number of taxa confined in the interval]. “Total Diversity”, “Estimated mean standingdiversity” and “Diversity minus singletons”,calculated accordingto Foote’s (2000)method.[“Total Diversity” (Ntot)  =  NFL + NbL + NFt + Nbt; “Estimated mean standing diversity” (Nemd)  =  Ntot – No/2 – Ne/2; “Diversity minus singletons” (NDmS)  =  + NbL + NFt + Nbt; where No (Numberoforiginations) =  NFL + NFt; Ne (Numberofextinctions) =  NFL + NbL;NFL  =  taxa that exist onlyin the interval;NbL  =  taxa that originatebefore the interval but go extinct within it; NFt  =  taxa that originate in the interval and persist beyondit; Nbt  =  taxa that originate before the interval and persist beyond it].

3.3 - Faunal renewal

53The general trend shown from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene in biodiversity is confirmed by trends in origin/extinction rates (fig. 4). At transition from the Middle to Late Pliocene (from V1 to V2), the number of last appearances was greatly enhanced, leading to a moderate extinction phase that mainly involved forest dwelling taxa (fig. 5), followed by a dispersal period, during which first appearances (open landscape dwelling and, subordinately, ubiquitous taxa, fig. 5) clearly prevailed.

54For most of the Early Pleistocene extinctions, once again prevailed. This period was followed by a new dispersal phase at the transition to the middle Pleistocene, leading to the increase in diversity mentioned above (fig. 3, 4).

55The trend in turnover indexes calculated at the transition between two successive biochrons (fig. 6) shows two important faunal renewals at the early to middle Villafranchian (V1 toV2+V3) (first mainly involving forest dwellers and later ubiquitous taxa), and at the early to the middle Galerian (sensu Gliozzi et al., 1997) (G1-G2) transition. The highest turnover indexes correspond to extinction bioevents characterising the Early Pleistocene (V4 and V5) and especially concern ubiquitous taxa (fig. 6).

56Accordingly, four different phases ensued in a rather cyclical way: an “extinction” phase took place during the Early and Middle Pliocene (Ruscinian and early Villafranchian), followed by a dispersal phase during the Late Pliocene (middle and Earliest Villafranchian); a new extinction phase took place during the ensuing early Pleistocene, even if the faunal complexes (V5-G1) were relatively static. At the transition to the Middle Pleistocene new appearances again prevailed.

Fig. 4: Trends in origination and extinction rates in the North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.

Fig. 4: Trends in origination and extinction rates in the North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.

Origination (ORpt) and Extinction (ERpt) rates calculated according to Foote’s (2000) method (ORpt  =  (NFL + NFt)/Ntot/t, and ERpt  =  (NFL + NbL)/Ntot/t ; t  =  span of time).

Fig. 5: Trends in origination and extinction rates (following Foote, 2000), from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene, in the ecological categories established on the basis of the preferred habitat of species characterising the North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes.

Fig. 5: Trends in origination and extinction rates (following Foote, 2000), from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene, in the ecological categories established on the basis of the preferred habitat of species characterising the North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes.

Fig. 6: Faunal renewals from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene of North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes (above) and in the ecological categories established on the basis of the species’ preferred habitat (below).

Fig. 6: Faunal renewals from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene of North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes (above) and in the ecological categories established on the basis of the species’ preferred habitat (below).

Turnover indices (TI)  =  (% FA + % LA) / 2; % FA  =  FA / RM x 100; % LA  =  LA / RM x 100; FA  =  first appearance; LA  =  last appearance; RM (running mean)  =  Ntot – (FA + LA) / 2.

3.4 - Changes in ecological structure over time

57Even if faunal renewal is related to extinctions, origination/immigration and local evolution affecting faunal richness, it does not always imply structural reconstruction of mammal communities. Changes in community structure can, however, be detected during the whole time-span examined here.

58During the Middle Pliocene (early Villafranchian, V1) distribution by habitat type for large mammals and by feeding behaviour for categories of herbivores did not noticeably differ from that typically recorded in modern forest or scrubland environments: forestdwellers dominated, and among the herbivores, browsers attained their maximum percentage, along with the trophic category of frugivores and omnivores (fig. 7).

59Starting from the Late Pliocene until the Early Pleistocene (middle and late Villafranchian, V2-V5), the frequency of taxa inhabiting forest woodlands progressively decreased, whereas taxa suggesting open environments and more arid climatic conditions progressively augmented, especially during the Early Pleistocene, reaching their maximum at the end of the late Villafranchian (V5) (fig. 7). Actually, the late Early Pleistocene (V5) was the time span during which the lowest frequency of forest-dwelling taxa has been found. Moreover, starting from the Late Pliocene (V3), grazer frequency progressively increased, reaching its maximum during the latest Villafranchian (V5), when browsers reached their minimum.

60It is worth noting that mixed feeders were the dominant category, and reached their maximum at the beginning of the Late Pliocene, starting to decrease only at the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene (G2), when grazers slightly augmented along with open landscape and forest dwellers, possibly due to the occurrence of more diversified environments.

61A comparison of body mass categories (fig. 7) shows an average decrease in small taxa (BM1 < 60 kg) from the early (V1) to middle Villafranchian (V2), when medium-sized species (BM3) became dominant. Mediumsized species were particularly frequent during the late Early Pleistocene (late Villafranchian, V4-V59), whereas larger mammals (BM4) and pachyderms (BM5) were especially frequent during the middle Villafranchian (V2) and the Galerian (G1-G2). These trends substantially agree with environmental data.

Fig. 7: Bar charts of species frequency in each ecological category established on the basis of the species’ preferred habitat, feeding habit and body mass in the North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes from the Middle Pliocene to the early Middle Pleistocene.

Fig. 7: Bar charts of species frequency in each ecological category established on the basis of the species’ preferred habitat, feeding habit and body mass in the North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes from the Middle Pliocene to the early Middle Pleistocene.

4- Discussion

62As mentioned above, ecologists and evolutionists have been concerned mainly with problems related to climatic influence on faunal renewal, and two central questions have been widely debated. Could progressive changes in the composition of mammal faunal complexes (fluctuations in biodiversity, biomass, changes in frequency between forest- or woodland-dwellers and more open environment dwellers, of browsing, grazing and mixed-feeder ungulates, etc.) be interpreted as a response to climate changes (which in turn paralleled significant changes in temperature, moisture and vegetational cover)? Are intrinsic biotic controls more important than extrinsic environmental controls as regards faunal renewal? The results obtained support the argument that, in the North-western Mediterranean region and during the time span considered here, the most important faunal renewals occurred at the transition from the early to middle Villafranchian (Middle to Late Pliocene, ~2.7-2.5 Ma) and from the early to middle Galerian, (latest Early to Middle Pleistocene ~1.1-0.7 Ma). A progressive faunal renewal also took place during the latest Pliocene (middle to late Villafranchian transition). As expected, more or less significant changes in faunal taxonomical composition (leading to biochron distinction) correspond to faunal structural reconstructions.

63However, which among the above mentioned faunal renewal was most affected by climatic and environmental changes? The faunal renewal from the early to middle Villafranchian faunal complexes and the ensuing (V2 – V3) reorganisation of palaeocommunities was probably driven by the Pliocene climate worsening, in turn related to the onset of bipolar glaciations and changes in the periodicity and amplitude of the glacial-interglacial cycles (orbital periodicity of 41 ka, deMenocal & Bloemendal, 1995). The resulting increase in aridity and more intense seasonality (Suc et al., 1995) caused the disappearance of forest-dwelling taxa, especially small carnivores and arborealscansorial taxa, whereas new large grazers, mixed feeders or even browsers appeared.

64This renewal (already called “elephant-Equus event”, Lindsay et al., 1980; Azzaroli, 1983; Azzaroli et al., 1988) can be considered as the starting point for a dispersal phase leading to a progressive diversity increase during the following Pliocene and up to the beginning of the Early Pleistocene. These faunal changes indicate that forests or woodlands gradually gave way to more open environments (including Artemisia steppe), alternating with warm-temperate deciduous forests. Indeed, from an ecological point of view, early Villafranchian faunal complexes developed in environments slightly resembling those of modern forests, especially due to the relatively high frequency of frugivores and the presences of scansorial species (especially Carnivora), whereas the middle Villafranchian faunal complexes show more affinities with modern bush-woodland. The faunal renewal was primarily due to immigration, mainly from Eastern Europe, of large and medium-sized herbivores, both grazers and mixed-feeders, but also very large browsers (such as a primitive Mammuthus), while evolutionary substitutions within surviving phyletic lineages were rather negligible (tab. 1 and 2). The dispersion of incoming herbivores is consistent with the spread of grassland and Artemisia and Ephedra steppe during “glacial” phases, while closed forests gave way to warm-temperate deciduous or coniferous forests during the “interglacial”, under more arid global conditions. Moreover, during the late Pliocene, the appearance of cooperative foraging ubiquitous canids and, perhaps, the powerful scavenger hyaenid Pachycrocuta brevirostris, inhabiting more or less open environment, affected the carnivore guild. Indeed, the already-called “wolfevent” (Azzaroli, 1983, 1995; Palmqvist et al., 1999), possibly a more gradual phenomenon than previously believed, had already been completed at the beginning of the Early Pleistocene (Palombo, 2005; Sardella & Palombo, 2007). The latest Pliocene dispersal phase primarily involved carnivores, since among new taxa none belong to species which evolved in loco (tab. 2), whereas new appearances among herbivores were principally linked to the origination of new species within pre-existing phyletic lineages [such as Mammuthus, Equus, Eucladoceros, “Pseudodama” ( = Axis Rusa after Di Stefano & Petronio, 2003) and some Leptobos] and subordinately to immigration of large ruminants both browsers and mixed feeder (e.g Cervalces, Praevibos) (tab. 2).

65Accordingly, around 2.0-1.8 Ma (beginning of the late Villafranchian), the diversity peaked, despite the extinction of some small browsing and grazing ruminants. The Early Pleistocene faunal reconstruction was possibly affected both by climatic worsening and modification of the internal dynamics of competitive relationships, also depending on the disappearances of some pre-existing key taxa and ensuing available empty niches (Walker & Valentine, 1984; Rosenzweig & McCord, 1991). During the late Early Pleistocene, the drop in temperature, along with an increase in dryness, undoubtedly led to the spread of wooded grassland and savanna, especially in the southernmost region (for instance the Iberian and Italian peninsulas). The increase in grazers and the appearance of new taxa inhabiting grasslands, and among other of Theropithecus, a mixed feeder primate dwelling in open landscapes (Martinez-Navarro et al., 2005; Rook et al., 2005), is consistent with this environmental change. This evidence of African immigration to southernmost Europe stresses the importance of “out of Africa” migratory waves, taking place approximately around 1.6 /1.3 Ma (Martinez Navarro, in press). Subsequently, the diversity dropped and a new faunal renewal took place at the end of the Early Pleistocene. Actually, the so-called “Galerian mammal turnover pulse” (Rodriguez et al., 2004) started approximately when glacial maxima attributed to massive Northern Hemisphere ice sheets (Suc et al.,1995; Shackleton, 1995) became more extreme, representing a major community reorganization in the Western Mediterranean area (see e.g. Azanza et al., 1999, 2000, 2004; Palombo, 2005, in press and references therein; Palombo & Valli, 2005).

5- Conclusion

66According to the results obtained, it seems that the most important faunal renewals, due both to immigrations and extinctions, can be linked to major global climatic changes (noticeably cold-shift oscillations). These turnovers are preceded by more or less prolonged phases during which diversity decreased, but represent a starting point for a dispersal phase, leading to a progressive enhancement of faunal diversity. Moreover, it seems that the most important turnovers occurred in a quasi-cyclical way, each cycle corresponding to a faunal reconstruction made up of a period of prevailing appearances and by a successive phase of predominant extinctions, leading to a reduction in diversity.

67The most important changes in faunas seem to be triggered by important climatic and vegetational changes, whereas the structure of the communities to be progressively reassessed by inter- and intra-guilds competition.

68As a result, what are the implications for “Quaternary” and Pleistocene boundaries? Actually, the faunal renewal from the early to the middle Villafranchian (from V1-MN16a to V2-MN16b) can be correlated with the beginning of significant evolution not only of the Earth’s climatic system but also of the biosphere corresponding to the dawn of the Gelasian. Moreover, taking into account on the one hand that the transition to the Late Pliocene marks the beginning of a more period of increasing of faunal diversity coupled with changes in community structure, and that on the other hand the tassonomical and structural changes characterising the Early Pleistocene faunas, depend on the previous dispersal phase, and correlated moderate turnover pulses, the middle to late Villafranchian transition seems to be less important than the early to middle Villafranchian renewal phase, as far as the NorthWestern Mediterranean faunas are concerned.

69Accordingly, it seems more reasonable to extend the base of the Pleistocene downwards from 1.81 Ma (official Plio/Pleistocene boundary) to 2.6 Ma (base of Pliocene Gelasian Stage). Hence, the base of the Gelasian seems to be the most appropriate lower boundary for both the Quaternary Period and Pleistocene Epoch.

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Table des illustrations

Titre Tab. 1: Biochronological range of selected Carnivora and Primata of the North‑Western Mediterranean, dating from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.
Légende Habitat. Taxa inhabiting: O  =  open environments, grassland, steppe or savanna; W  =  forests and closed woodland; Wc  =  open woodland, bushland and wooded Mediterranean-type vegetation; W-Wc  =  miscellaneous woodland; Wc-O, O-Wc  =  flexible taxa, which can live in shrubland or open woodland, as well as in more open landscapes, or at the edge of both; Feeding behaviour: Br  =  browser; B-G  =  mixed-feeder Gr  =  grazer; Fr  =  Frugivore; Om  =  omnivore; C  =  carnivores. Body mass: BM1 I  =  1000 kg. (*) Authors disagree on tassonomy, systematic and phylogenetical relashionships of the Plio-Pleistocene deer belonging to the so-called Dama-like group (see inter alios Azzaroli, 1992; Di Stefano & Petronio, 1998, 2003; Pfeiffer, 1999, 2005; Croitor, 2001, 2005; Croitor & Bonifay, 2002; van der Made, 1999; Valli et al., 2006 for a discussion).
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-1.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 103k
Titre Tab. 2: Biochronological range of selected Perissodactyla and Artiodactyla of the North-Western Mediterranean, dating from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-2.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 105k
Titre Tab. 2 (suite) :
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-3.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 129k
Titre Fig. 1: Biochronological scheme of Spain, French and Italian faunal complexes.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-4.jpg
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Titre Fig. 2: Dendogram for 112 Spanish (20) French (46), and Italian (46) local faunal assemblages (Q-mode) based on un-weighteddataof 149 species. Cophenetic correlation coefficient  =  0.9467.
Légende Spain: Layna   =   Layna-MN15; Villaroya   =   Villaroya MN16a; Helago   =   Huel-MN16b; La Puebla de Valverde   =   PVal-MN16b; Fonelas   =   Fonelas-MmQ1; Cueva Victoria   =   Cvict-MmQ2; Venta Micena; Venta del Moro   =   VentaMMmQ2; Quibas   =   Quibas-MmQ2; Barranco Leon   =   BLeon‑MmQ2; Fuente Nueva 3   =   FNueva-MmQ2; Ponton de la Oliva   =   POliva-MmQ2; Huescar   =   Huescar-MmQ3; Atapuerca TD4   =   AtTD4-MmQ3;Atapuerca TD6   =   AtTD6-MmQ3; Cullar de Baza   =   CullarBaza-MmQ4a; Torralba   =   Torr-MmQ4b; Ambrona   =   Ambr-MmQ4b; Atapuerca TD10  =   AtTD10-MmQ4b; La Solana del Zamborino   =   SolZam-MmQ4b; El Congosto   =   Cong-MmQ4b ; France : Montpellier, yellow sands   =   Mont-14; Montpellier, Palais de Justice   =   Just-14; Celleneuve   =   Celle-14; Trévoux   =   Tré-14; Saint Laurent des Arbres  =  SLA-14; Perpignan  =  Perp-15; Autrice  =  Autr-15; Vialette  =  Vial-16; Les Etuaires  =  Et-16; Chagny  =  Cha­16; Roca Neyra  =  Roc-17; Saint Vallier  =  StVal-17; Pardines  =  Pard-17; Saint Vidal  =  SVid-17; La Rochelambert  =  Lamb-17; Corneillet  =  Corn-17, Chilhac  =  Chil-17; Montoussé 5  =  Mt5-18; Le Coupet  =  LCop-17; Senèze  =  Sen-18; Peyrrolles  =  Pey-19; Blassac la Gironde  =  Blas-19; Sartenette  =  Sart-20; Le Vallonet  =  Vallo-20; Sainzelles  =  Sz-20; Saint Prest  =  SPrest-20; Durfort  =  Durf-20; Sohleilac  =  Sol-21; L’Escale  =  Esc-22; Vergnac  = Verg-22; Nautire  =  Naut-22; Céou-22; Caune de L’Arago, lower complex  =  AraI; Caune de L’Arago, middle complex 1  =  AraII; Caune de L’Arago, middle complex 2  =  AraIII; Aldène  =  Ald-23; Burg-23; Montoussé 3  =  Mt3-23; Lunel Viel  =  LunV-23; Combe-Grenal  =  CGren-23; Verchizeuil  =  Verz-23; Orgnac  =  Or3-24; Pech d’Aze  =  Az7-24; La Fage  =  Fag-24; Cedres  = Cedr-24; Grotte du Lazaret  =  LazIII-24 ; Italy : Val di Pugna  =  Pugna-MN15; Ponzano di Magra  = Ponz; Barga, Pieve Fosciana  =  Barga; Triversa  =  Tr; Gaville, Santa Barbara  =  Gav./Barb-Tr; Montopoli  =  Montop-Mo; Valle Catenaccio  =  V.Caten.-Mo; Colle Pardo  =  C.Pardo-Mo; Costa San Giacomo  =  C.Giacomo-CsGTorre Picchio  =  T.Picchio-CsG; Quercia  =  Quercia-CsG; Olivola  =  Olivola-OT; Upper Valdarno (already ascribed to Olivola FU)  =  Valdarno1-OT; Poggio Rosso  =  PoggioRos-OT; Matassino  =  Matassino-OT; Casa Frata  =  CasaFrata-OT; Casa Sgherri  =  C.Sgherri-OT; Faella  =  Faella-OT; Fontana Acetosa  =  F.Acetosa-OT; Upper Valdarno (already ascribed to Tasso FU)  =  Valdarno2-OT; Bacino Tiberino  =  B.Tiberino-OT; Monte Riccio  =  Mt.Riccio-OT; Pantalla  =  Pantalla-OT; Mugello  =  Mugello-Fa; Val di Chiana  =  ValChiana-Fa; Selvella  =  Selvella-Fa; Pietrafitta  =  Pietrafita-Fa; Pirro Nord  =  Pirro-Pr; Colle Curti  =  C.Curti-CC; Cava Redicicoli  =  Redicicoli-Pr; Slivia  =  Slivia-Sl; Ponte Galeria 2  =  P.Galeria-Sl; Pagliare di Sassa  =  Sassa-Sl; Valdemino  =  Valdemino-Is; Isernia La pineta  =  Isernia-Is; Cesi  =  Cesi-Is; Notarchirico  =  Notarch-Is; Venosa Loreto =  Loreto-Fr; Fontana Ranuccio  =  Ranuccio-Fr; Visogliano  =  Visogliano-Fr; Sedia del Diavolo  =  S.Diavolo-TP; Torre in Pietra, lower level  =  T.Pietra-TP; Capri Quisisana  =  CapriQ-TP;Bucine  =  Bucine-TP; Torre in Pietra, upper level  =  T.Pietra2-TP; Campo Verde  =  Cverde-TP ; Tr  =  Triversa FU; Mo  =  Montopoli FU; CsG  =  Costa San Giacomo FU; OT  =  Olivola+Tasso FU; Fa  =  Farneta FU; Pr  =  Pirro FU; TP  =  Torre in Pietra FU.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-5.png
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Titre Fig.3: Trends of diversity from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene in the North‑Western Mediterranean faunal complexes and in ecological categories established on the basis of the preferred habitat.
Légende Standing richness value calculated according to Harper’s method (1975) [Standing Richness (Nsr)  =  Nbda + Nrt + ½ (Nf + Nl– No) where Nsr  =  number of taxa that potentially occur at a given time interval, Nbda  =  number of species present before-during and after the faunal unit, Nrt  =  number of species present before and after but not in the faunal unit, Nf  =  number of first appearances, Nl  =  number of last appearances, No  =  number of taxa confined in the interval]. “Total Diversity”, “Estimated mean standingdiversity” and “Diversity minus singletons”,calculated accordingto Foote’s (2000)method.[“Total Diversity” (Ntot)  =  NFL + NbL + NFt + Nbt; “Estimated mean standing diversity” (Nemd)  =  Ntot – No/2 – Ne/2; “Diversity minus singletons” (NDmS)  =  + NbL + NFt + Nbt; where No (Numberoforiginations) =  NFL + NFt; Ne (Numberofextinctions) =  NFL + NbL;NFL  =  taxa that exist onlyin the interval;NbL  =  taxa that originatebefore the interval but go extinct within it; NFt  =  taxa that originate in the interval and persist beyondit; Nbt  =  taxa that originate before the interval and persist beyond it].
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-6.jpg
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Titre Fig. 4: Trends in origination and extinction rates in the North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene.
Légende Origination (ORpt) and Extinction (ERpt) rates calculated according to Foote’s (2000) method (ORpt  =  (NFL + NFt)/Ntot/t, and ERpt  =  (NFL + NbL)/Ntot/t ; t  =  span of time).
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-7.jpg
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Titre Fig. 5: Trends in origination and extinction rates (following Foote, 2000), from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene, in the ecological categories established on the basis of the preferred habitat of species characterising the North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-8.jpg
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Titre Fig. 6: Faunal renewals from the Middle Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene of North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes (above) and in the ecological categories established on the basis of the species’ preferred habitat (below).
Légende Turnover indices (TI)  =  (% FA + % LA) / 2; % FA  =  FA / RM x 100; % LA  =  LA / RM x 100; FA  =  first appearance; LA  =  last appearance; RM (running mean)  =  Ntot – (FA + LA) / 2.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-9.jpg
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Titre Fig. 7: Bar charts of species frequency in each ecological category established on the basis of the species’ preferred habitat, feeding habit and body mass in the North-Western Mediterranean faunal complexes from the Middle Pliocene to the early Middle Pleistocene.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/982/img-10.jpg
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Maria Rita Palombo, « What is the boundary for the quaternary period and Pleistocene epoch? The contribution of turnover patterns in large mammalian complexes from North-Western mediterranean to the debate »Quaternaire, vol. 18/1 | 2007, 35-53.

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Maria Rita Palombo, « What is the boundary for the quaternary period and Pleistocene epoch? The contribution of turnover patterns in large mammalian complexes from North-Western mediterranean to the debate »Quaternaire [En ligne], vol. 18/1 | 2007, mis en ligne le 01 mars 2007, consulté le 16 mai 2025. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/982 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/quaternaire.982

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Maria Rita Palombo

Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università “La Sapienza”, CNR – Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria, Piazzale A. Moro, 5 – 00185 ROMA, Italy. E-mail : mariarita.palombo@uniroma1.it

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