Format: ORAL

Jos S. Carrin1, Manuel Munuera2, Juan Ochando3,1, Gabriela Amors1

1. University of Murcia, Spain 2. University Polytechnic of Cartagena, Spain 3. University La Sapienza, Roma, Italy

The Quaternary flora and vegetation records of the Iberian Peninsula provide insights for biological conservation strategies in the context of large projects like Rewilding Europe and other initiatives aimed at restoring ecosystem dynamics and functionalities from pre-anthropogenic periods. It is crucial to integrate information derived from the identification and characterization of glacial plant refugia, considering their significance as biodiversity sinks and sources of geographic expansion during critical moments in the glacial history of the European continent. It is important to note that many of these refuges are more hydrorefuges than thermorefuges, as aridity conditions became the limiting factor in many stadial episodes across extensive territories of the southern Mediterranean peninsulas. Likewise, it is worth considering that refuge areas were located on emerged coastal platforms and intramountain valleys at medium altitudes. From a structural perspective, many pre-anthropogenic Quaternary forests were influenced by herbivory, a factor that has been overlooked for decades and is now emerging as a consideration in the renaturation of protected or pilot areas. During the Holocene, it is important to analyze cultural collapses resulting from state changes in the paleoecosystem caused by anthropogenic disturbances. An example of ecocide could be the Argaric collapse. Finally, the dynamics of Quaternary vegetation aid in understanding the explanatory patterns of the floristic and ecological configuration of current plant communities, while also allowing the establishment of plausible scenarios in the near future under the influence of climate change and environmental crisis.