Late Miocene fl ora from SE Bulgaria: vegetation, landscape and climate reconstruction

Abstract. The Neogene sediments of Southeast Bulgaria are poorly studied in terms of palaeobotany. This paper provides new data about the macro- and microflora from the upper undivided part of the Elhovo Formation (Toundzha Basin). Data from current palaeobotanical study contribute to the elucidation of evolution of the local and regional Late Miocene flora, vegetation patterns, palaeoecological peculiarities, and palaeogeography of the Balkan Peninsula. The taxonomic composition of the fossil flora includes 33 species identified as leaf imprints/carpo remains, and 47 palynomorph taxa. On the basis of palaeoecological analysis we suggest the development of riparian forests, mesophytic and xeromesophytic forests, herbaceous and hydrophyllous communities. Calculations of the quantitative climate data indicate a warm temperate climate, with mean annual temperature of 14.4–15.8 °C and annual precipitation over 800 mm