Pollen analysis of the Pleistocene lacustrine succession of Vallo di Diano (Campania, Italy)

Five sedimentation facies were recognised: fluvial, fluvio-lacustrine, lacustrine, marshy and alluvial fan. The pollen analysis of the lacustrine succession enabled to point out two 'glacial-interglacial' cycles. The glacial periods are characterised by high amounts of herbaceous taxa. In particular, in the first glacial period a higher percentage of steppic elements, denoting arid climate, has been found. The interglacial periods are characterised by high amounts of arboreal taxa. The higher percentage of high temperature and water demanding taxa in the second interglacial period indicates that the climate was warmer and wetter than in the first one. The pollen diagram cyclicity together with the tephrostratigraphical and chronostratigraphical data enabled to correlate the analysed succession with the isotopic stages 13 to 16.