Vegetation variability in Greece during the last interglacial

The extent of regional variability in vegetation development in mainland Gr eece during the last interglacial is considered. Three pollen sequences - I oannina (northwest Greece),Tenaghi Philippon (northeast Greece) and Kopais (central Greece) all located in different environmental settings, extend in to the last interglacial. Examination of the vegetation histories of the th ree sites during the last interglacial reveals the influence of local clima tic conditions with closed mixed forests in the northwest, becoming progres sively more open and less diverse farther to the east and south. All three sequences contain a number of similar trends, however, in the expansion of certain taxa. In addition, they also show the presence of a two-step late g lacial interval, a short episode of forest reduction in the second part of the interglacial and a final small expansion of tree populations at the ver y end of the interglacial. Comparison with other European records shows a n umber of common features, but also suggests differences consistent with the particular environmental setting of the Greek sites.