Coprolite palynology from Abrigo do Lagar Velho (Portugal) and a revision of Gravettian vegetation in the Iberian Peninsula

Palynological investigations on Gravettian coprolites of Abrigo do Lagar Velho (Vale do Lapedo, Leiria, Portugal) dated between ca. 30 to ca. 27.3 ka cal BP are presented. The palaeoecological data shows a semi-forested landscape with Pinus, Poaceae, Erica, Artemisia, Juniperus and Quercus as the dominant taxa. A diversity of trees, shrubs, and herbs is also noticeable, including broad-leaf trees, Mediterranean woody shrubs and trees, conifers, xerothermophytes, indicators of saline substrates and heliophytes such as Erica, Asteroideae, Cistaceae, Ephedra fragilis and E. distachya. The overall reconstruction is a mosaic of different landscapes or types of vegetation around the rock-shelter. Indeed, we provided approach on the Gravettian vegetation of the Iberian Peninsula, connecting the palaeoecosystem with the biogeography of past human populations during the late Pleistocene.