Palaeoenvironmental changes in the Mediterranean region 250-10 kyr BP

The Mediterranean region is characterised by two features that make it especially interesting for palaeoclimatic studies over the last 250,000 years. On the one hand it has yielded a number of long terrestrial records, in some cases spanning with continuity more than one interglacial-glacial cycle. These complement the Mediterranean Sea records, providing a useful measure for comparison with global climatic signals. On the other hand, the palaeoclimatic evidence shows considerable complexity and sometimes conflicting features. These are likely to be a reflection of the large degree of heterogeneity that also at present characterises the geography and climate of the region.