Climatic variability over the last two millennia in the Mediterranean area: a review from marine paleoarchives

Abstract

A review of the climatic variability over the last two millennia based on oxygen stable isotopic (δ18OG. ruber) signals from different areas of the Mediterranean Basin (Minorca Basin, central and south Tyrrhenian Sea, Taranto Gulf, south Adriatic Sea and Israel) has been proposed. The correlation of data testifies an almost synchronicity of the identified climate events, suggesting an homogeneous response of the marine system to climate oscillations. This overall picture documents that the collapse of the Western Roman Empire results chronologically related to cold event Roman III solar minimum and that the Roman IV solar minimum (Dark Age), marks the transition vs a long-term cooling trend, spanning ca. 1100 years, that culminates during the Maunder solar minimum (LIA). In addition, during the Maunder cold event, the strong increase in abundance of planktonic foraminifer Globlorotalia truncatulinoides, suggest the establishment of vertical mixing during the winter season induced by strong winds linked to an atmospheric blocking event.