missing in the Neogene of Hungary or the Carpathians. WALTER (1964) mentioned summergreen forests (Alnus, Juglans, Sambucus, Prunus) in the subtropical rainforest zone above 1200 m in Mexico, foothills of the Himalaya, SE Asia, southern Japan. In the early Egerian there was similar warm subtropical climate at Eger: 19 °C annual mean temperature, cca. 1000–1200 mm precipitation. Rain was produced by a summer monsoon, arriving from the Paratethys in the SE, and by westerlies blowing from the Atlantic.
Late Egerian climate
Upper Egerian palynofloras are from the Eger, Wind brickyard profile. Surface samples were taken in 1959 from the then worked wall (for bed notation see BÁLDI
1966). The first interpretable Upper Egerian sample is from Bed k. The overlying 40 m sand is barren. The uppermost 20 m profile was sampled every 20 cm. Late Egerian mean temperatures do not differ much from those of the Early Egerian: mean 18.97 °C, minimum 16.9 °C, maximum 21.9 °C. Floral composition is very similar to the Lower Egerian profile: Sandy seashore supported low diversity of ferns, reducing calculated temperature values. However, a few new taxa appear (Gleichenia, Poly-podiaceaesporites gracillimus). River influx is indicated by rarely abundant Calamus palm pollen. Sapotaceae is persistent, together with other tropical taxa (Araliaceae, Symplocos). The latter might indicate increasing aridity, together with Dodonaea, Ilex, Myrtaceae pollens. Temperate taxa (Pinus, Alnus, Ulmus,etc.) occur, especially in the upper section of the profile. Precipitation was variable, indicated by xerophylic taxa. A few samples indicate higher precipitation, with increased amount of temperate gallery forest pollen (Alnus, Salix, Coniferae). These variations are reflected in percentage curves of tropical subtropical, and temperate taxa (Table I, figure b). Tropical taxa range from 20.8% to 68.4%, i.e. these ones are not always dominant anymore.
Subtropical taxa are dominant in samples 8, 12, 14, 32. However, total percentage of tropical and subtropical taxa is always higher than that of temperate ones.
A relatively long Upper Egerian profile was found by Fót–1 borehole. The rich sporomorph material corroborated the calculations based on the holostratotype. Mean annual temperature is 17 °C, almost 2 °C lower than at Eger, due to more open condi-tions. Location of Fót profile received large amount of temperate conifer pollen from the Veporide Mountain chain in the north. Insect-pollinated tropical vegetation, pro-ducing much less pollen, was easily dominated by Coniferae pollen (Table I, figure c).
The two Upper Egerian profiles yielded 18 °C average temperature for the Late Egerian.
Eggenburgian climate
Longest Eggenburgian profile is Püspökhatvan–4 borehole. There are no extremes in the temperature curve, average temperature is 18.17 °C (Table II, figure a). There is no significant change in the vegetation: tropical ferns decrease, certain taxa disappear, others appear. Amount of xerophylic taxa increases. Probably the monsoon effect
decreased. Average annual precipitation was cca. 1000 mm. Boreholes Lajos-komárom–1: 17.77 °C, Balaton–26: 18.8 °C, Budajenő–2: 16.66 °C, Püspökhatvan–4:
18.17 °C yielded an Eggenburgian average temperature of 17.8 °C. Plots based on cli-matic requirements of sporomorphs display both very high and very low values.
Tropical values range from 75.8 to 15.3%, subtropical ones from 43.7 to 3.4%, while temperate ones range from 73.3 to 6.2%. Subtropical elements lie in the lowest posi-tion, sometimes tropical ones dominate, in other case the temperate ones. The latter, the temperate Coniferae pollen were derived from mountain environments in the distant background.
Ottnangian climate
The short Ottnangian age was the first dominated by swamp forests, lasting through-out the Neogene under uniform conditions. Climate was lower in temperature than in non-swamp areas. Hungarian and Slovakian localities expose the Salgótarján Lignite Formation. The author’s studies were carried out mostly on the Borsod county profiles.
A profile from the eastern part of this basin yielded the following palaeoclimatological data: the underlying Eggenburgian (Kurittyán–630 borehole) has an average tempera-ture of 18.4 °C, the 4 m thick Seam V above yielded 15.9 °C. Two boreholes exposed the overlying barren rock: Tardona–30 borehole with 5 samples (327–340 m) yielded 17.2 °C, five samples of Diósgyőr–366 borehole (333.8–350.5 m) yielded 18.7 °C.
Average temperature of the 2 m thick Seam IV is 15.89 °C. The overlying barren rock in 10 samples of Tardona–72 borehole (182.5–314.8 m) yielded 14.65 °C. No samples were available from Seam III and from barren rock between Seams III and II. Fourteen samples from the 1 m thick Seam II of Edelény yielded average temperature of 15.4 °C.
There were no samples available from either Seam I or the barren rock above. Five sam-ples from barren rock above Seam I, taken from Diósgyőr–366 borehole (34.6–209.1 m) yielded average temperature of 14.8 °C.
Temperature values are consistently lower for swamp forests than for the barren interlayers. Gradual upward decrease of temperature is recognized. Tropical sporo-morphs reached highest percentage in the lowermost seam at Feketevölgy (32%), low-est percentage (3.3%) in Seam V of Feketevölgy (Table II, figure b). Highlow-est tropical percentage in the barren rock is 58.8 %, while the minimum is 15% (Tardona–30 bore-hole — Table II, figure c). Percentage curve of tropical taxa usually takes the lower-most position in the plots. Seams are dominated by subtropical taxa. Tropical and sub-tropical percentage decrease, the dominance of the swamp forests is clear in the Seam IV of Lyukóbánya and Seam II of Edelény is by swamp forest taxa (Table III, figure a and b).
Dominance of temperate taxa in Várpalota–133 (Bakony) (Table III, figure c) and Tekeres–1 (Mecsek) (Table IV, figure a) boreholes are local results of pollen invasion from mountain temperate conifer forests. Plots of Alsóvadász–1 and Szászvár–8 bore-holes (Table IV, figure b) represent swamp forests, while Zengővárkony–45 and Pusztakisfalu–VI profiles display characters of Ottnangian warm subtropical climate (Table IV, figure c, Table V, figure a).
Average of all Ottnangian localities yield 16.7 °C aveage temperature, almost 1 °C decrease compared to the Eggenburgian. This is probably due to the extensive appear-ance of swamp forests. Precipitation is hard to determine (WALTER1964) due to signif-icant humidity of soils. Development of Ottnangian swamp forests was certainly relat-ed to changing sea levels. Sporomorphs indicate aridity sometimes, corroboratrelat-ed by decrease of ferns in this warm subtropical climate.
Early Miocene climate
No particular boundary can be drawn between the Early and Late Egerian based on palynology.
Early Miocene has seen the warmest period of the Miocene in the Pannonian Basin.
Sporomorphs indicate warm subtropical climate. Tropical taxa are high in number and in diversity. Number of tropical taxa decrease faster upwards than number of species. Most tropical taxa can find appropriate environment for survival under subtropical climate. Slow but recognizable decrease of temperature is proven between the Egerian and Ottnangian.
Early Egerian average temperature was 19 °C, Late Egerian 18 °C, Eggenburgian 17.8 °C, and Ottnangian 16.7 °C. Tropical taxa dominate the vegetation in all three ages (see Table I, figure a, b, c). Fót–1 borehole yielded large number of pollen from tem-perate forests growing on nearby mountains. There is slight change in vegetation, bare-ly visible within the Egerian. Earbare-ly and Late Egerian has seen xerophylic elements, too.
Temperature plot of the Egerian is straight, dominated by tropical taxa (Table II, figure a). Neighbouring mountains and prevailing winds helped to change this picture by introducing overwhelming amount of temperate pollen. Sea level lowstand brought for-mation of extensive marshes duing Ottnangian, resulting in reduced temperature.
Temperatures calculated from coal seam samples are always higher than those calculat-ed from scalculat-ediment interlayers.
Middle Miocene
Karpatian climate
Sea surface increased during the Karpatian. Vegetation changes indicate climate change. Almost all Lower Miocene species, which are remnants from the Palaeogene, dis-appear. New taxa appear, tropical ones among others, as suggested by their morphological characters, e.g. Mecsekisporites. However, living forms of newly appearing liverworts mostly live in the temperate zone. Boreholes in and around Mecsek Hills yielded many tropical taxa, although many of the new appearances thrive in the Mediterranean.
Komló–120 borehole (Table V, figure b) succeession was probably surrounded by moun-tains, as indicated by many temperate Coniferae. Boreholes in Bakony Hills (Várpalota, Berhida) yielded extremely rich floras, indicating favourable local environment. Plots indi-cate increasing dominance of temperate vegetation in line with Alpine uplift (borehole
Hidas–53 — Table V, figure c; borehole Litke–17— Table VI, figure a). Tropical elements gain space in Berhida–3 (Table VI, figure b), Fót–1 (Table VI, figure c), and Piliny–8 bore-holes (Table VII, figure a). Even Nógrádszakál–2 borehole (Table VII, figure b), yielding very poorly preserved sporomorphs display this change. Subtropical elements have the lowest percentage during the Karpatian. Northern localities yielded many xerophylic taxa.
There was subtropical climate duing the Karpatian, with 16 °C average temperature.
Early – Middle Badenian climate
Lower Badenian transgression extended beyond that of the Karpatian. Extensive swamp forests were established. Transgression progressed from the SW to the NE. There was swamp forest at Hidas–53 borehole already in the Early Badenian, becoming more extensive during Middle and Late Badenian (Table VII, figure c). Berhida–3 borehole did not yield swamp-forest pollen sporomorphs either in Lower, or in Middle Badenian sedi-ments, while significant amount occurred in the Upper Badenian (Table VIII, figure a).
Szokolya–2 borehole yielded only a few pollen grains at the bottom of the succession.
(Table VIII, figure b). Comparison of plots of Szokolya–2 and Nógrádszakál–2 boreholes (Table VIII, figure c) show considerable similarity, indicating similar climate.
Lower Badenian successions yielded extremely rich palynological spectra. Average temperature of the Early Badenian is almost identical with that of the Karpatian: 16.2
°C, a bare 0.2 °C higher only. Spectra practically do not contain Palaeogene forms any-more, but those tropical ones which survived under favourable subtropical conditions.
A possible dominance was prevented by massive influx of temperate conifer pollen (e.g. at Szokolya).
Selective fossilization was partly due to contemporaneous volcanic activity, occa-sionally destroying all palynomorphs. Certain successions in the north yielded spectra only with mountain conifer pollen and seashore plankton.
Middle Miocene climate
There was warm subtropical climate, where new tropical taxa appeared (Mecsekisporitesgenus, new Bifacialisporites species). Early Badenian transgression and uplift of Alpine and Carpathian mountains produced favourable local climate for a new, rich vegetation.
Late Miocene
Late Badenian climate
Late Miocene transgressions prograded from the SE towards the NW (HÁMOR
1997). Mean annual temperature lowered to 15.37 °C from Early Badenian 16.2 °C, and Middle Badenian 16.3 °C.
Sarmatian climate
Extensive sedimentary cover is available from Sarmatian time, with very few sporo-morphs preserved due to volcanism. Sarmatian/Pannonian boundary in Berhida–3 borehole is assigned to 225.6 m depth, where a 5 cm thick biotitic dacite tuff layer has a 12.6±0.5 My age (RAVASZ-BARANYAIet al. 1991). Transgression towards the NW is corroborated by the appearance of certain new pollen and diatom species of eastern ori-gin. Percentage plots display marked reduction of tropical taxa.
Cserhátszentiván–1 borehole (HÁMOR1985) contains almost all the Sarmatian stage.
Percentage plots of pollen spectra (Table IX, figure a) display reduced percentage of trop-ical taxa (max. value 25%, min. value 3%). Subtroptrop-ical conifers and broadleaves have maximum value of 86%, minimum value of 7%. Temperate species dominate the spec-tra: max. 88%, min. 14%. There was warm temperate climate during Sarmatian age.
Average temperature was 14.2 °C, more than 1 °C lower than during Late Badenian.
Pannonian climate
Transgression from the SE to the NW fed a sea larger than in the Sarmatian, of lesser salinity. There are few tropical taxa only, however the flora is rich in subtropical and tem-perate taxa; many of them is of eastern origin. Average Pannonian temperature was 13 °C;
the region was in a transition zone between subtropical and warm temperate climates.
Percentage plots testify to the dominance of temperate vegetation, in which there is sig-nificant amount of subtropical conifers and broadleaves; tropical ones are represented by a single fern species. Tata–26 borehole yielded the following data: maximum value of trop-ical taxa is 8.6%, minimum is 1.8%; maximum os subtroptrop-ical taxa 50%, minimum 12.7%, maximum of temperate taxa 83.6%, minimum 50% (Table IX, figure b).
Pontian climate
Large water body, surrounded by extensive swamps, and uplift of Alps and Carpathians provided very favourable climatic conditions. Average temperature is almost identical with that of the Pannonian: 12.8 °C. Naszály–1 borehole yielded maximum values of tropical taxa 11.3%, minimum value 1.4%, maximum of subtropical taxa 50%, minimum 4.7%, maximum of temperate taxa 91.8%, minimum 50% (Table IX, figure c). Percentage of tropical sporomorphs locally exceed that of the Pannonian. Otherwise tropical taxa are rep-resented in rare protected localities only by ferns. There are many east Asian and Mediterranean taxa among the subtropical and temperate ones. Mountain conifers domi-nate the temperate group, while swamp-forest trees domidomi-nate the subtropical one.
Late Miocene climate
Upper Badenian sporomorphs do not display any changes compared to older spec-tra, except in the appearance of marine plankton and in slight decrease of temperature.
The Sarmatian has seen 2 °C lower temperature and significant decrease of tropical taxa. However, several east Asian elements were recognized among subtropical and temperate taxa, too. Percentage of Mediterranean elements increased. Extensive Pannonian and Pontian sea and the protective mountain ranges provided a very pleas-ant, warm temperate climate, where even the summer season was not too dry.
Percentage plots show that tropical elements almost disappear, and subtropical taxa are reduced. Spectra are dominated by temperate taxa.
Pliocene (Dacian) climate
Pollen flora preserved in maar lakes of Bakony and Kemeneshát yielded 12 °C aver-age temperature, warmer than today. Vegetation developed under warm temperate cli-mate. Presence of tropical elements is due to favourable local conditions (nutrient-rich subsoil) (Pula–3 borehole, Table X, figure a). The flora derived from Upper Miocene floras, with East Asian and Mediterranean relationships.
The Miocene climatic curve
Eighty-five temperature plots ranging from 24.5 to 5 My (Egerian to Pliocene) are discussed, based on characteristic and data-rich localities studied by the author through decades.
Several methods were applied to illustrate palaeoclimatic data. NAGY(1958, p. 126, p. 256) correlated Pontian (Upper Pannonian) and Recent species — belonging to the same ecological assemblage — to determine palaeotemperature (Table X, figure b).
This method provided an easy solution to intepret a not very old swamp forest.
The Neogene climate of Mecsek Hills was described by percentages of temperature changes in areal plots for temporally arranged borehole samples (NAGY 1969, p. 510 (278), fig. 62).
In my Neogene climate studies (NAGY 1991, 1992) sporomorphs were grouped according to their climatic requirements, ranged in columnar diagrams and the result-ing three climate curves interpreted.
The present study is based in computer analysis, combining climate curves (NAGYand Ó. KOVÁCS1997). New data gained after the publication of NAGY(1992) are included.
Temperature data were calculated for each sample of selected borehole successions.
Climate parameters were determined for each locality, combining them to describe cli-mate of each Neogene age. Further, sporomorphs from one or two boreholes for each stage were grouped according to temperature requirements (tropical, subtropical, tem-perate). Percentages were calculated and plotted. This yielded an overview of plant groups and their temperature requirements stage by stage.
The climate curve is made of mean temperature data. Temperature is the most important parameter of climate, its variations characterize climate changes
particular-ly well. Highest value was 20 °C at the lower part of Late Egerian. Lowest value never reached 10 °C. Comparing the plot with the table of HÁMOR(1995 in: HÁMOR 2001), periods with intensive volcanism can be recognized. Comparing with the plot of NAGY
(1992, p. 277) one can easily recognize deviations from a general cooling trend.
* * *
Acknowledgements
The author says sincere thank you to her family for tolerating hardships due to paly-nological work, and for providing optimal conditions to solve problems arising. Many thanks are due to her son for reparing the graphical palaeoclimatic curves. A great thank you is due to Géza Hámor for professional discussions concerning problems in Neogene palaeogeography and palaeoclimatology.
Table I — I. tábla
Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya
a) Lower Egerian, borehole Wind brickyard, Eger; b) Upper Egerian, outcrop Wind brickyard, Eger; c) Upper Egerian, borehole Fót–1
a) Alsó-egri, Eger, Wind téglagyár, fúrás; b) Felső-egri, Eger, Wind téglagyár, feltárás; c) Felső-egri, Fót–1 fúrás
a)
b)
c)
Table II — II. tábla
Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya
a) Eggenburgian, borehole Püspökhatvan–4; b) Ottnangian Seam V, Feketevölgy, Sajókaza; c) Ottnangian barren, borehole Tardona–30
a) Eggenburgi, Püspükhatvan–4 fúrás; b) Ottnangi, Sajókaza, Feketevölgy V; c) Ottnangi, Tardona–30 fúrás, meddő
a)
b)
c)
Table III — III. tábla
Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya
a) Ottnangian, Seam IV, Lyukóbánya; b) Ottnangian, Seam II, Edelény; c) Ottnangian, borehole Várpalota–133
a) Ottnangi, Lyukóbánya IV. telep; b) Ottnangi, Edelény II. telep; c) Ottnangi, Várpalota–133 fúrás
a)
b)
c)
Table IV — IV. tábla
Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya
a) Ottnangian, borehole Tekeres–1; b) Ottnangian, Borehole Szászvár–8; c) Ottnangian, borehole Zengővárkony–45
a) Ottnangi, Tekeres–1 fúrás; b) Ottnangi, Szászvár–8 fúrás; c) Ottnangi, Zengővárkony–45 fúrás
a)
b)
c)
Table V — V. tábla
Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya
a) Ottnangian, borehole Pusztakisfalu–VI; b) Karpatian, Borehole Komló–120; c) Karpatian, borehole Hidas–53
a) Ottnangi, Pusztakisfalu–VI fúrás; b) Kárpáti, Komló–120 fúrás; c) Kárpáti, Hidas–53 fúrás
a)
b)
c)
Table VI — VI. tábla
Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya
a) Karpatian, borehole Litke–17; b) Karpatian, borehole Berhida–3; c) Karpatian, borehole Fót–1 a) Kárpáti, Litke–17 fúrás; b) Kárpáti, Berhida–3 fúrás; c) Kárpáti, Fót–1 fúrás
a)
b)
c)
Table VII — VII. tábla
Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya
a) Karpatian, borehole Piliny–8; b) Karpatian, borehole Nógrádszakál–2; c) Lower Badenian, borehole Hidas–53
a) Kárpáti, Piliny–8 fúrás; b) Kárpáti, Nógrádszakál–2 fúrás; c) Alsó-badeni, Hidas–53 fúrás
a)
b)
c)
Table VIII — VIII. tábla
Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya
a) Badenian, borehole Berhida–3; b) Badenian, borehole Szokolya–2; c) Badenian, borehole Nógrádszakál–2
a) Badeni, Berhida–3 fúrás; b) Badeni, Szokolya–2 fúrás; c) Badeni, Nógrádszakál–2 fúrás
a)
b)
c)
Table IX — IX. tábla
Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya
a) Sarmatian, borehole Cserhátszentiván–1; b) Pannonian, borehole Tata–26; c) Pontian, borehole Naszály–1
a) Szarmata, Cserhátszentiván–1 fúrás; b) Pannóniai, Tata–26 fúrás; c) Pontusi, Naszály–1 fúrás
a)
b)
c)
Table X — X. tábla
a) Percentage curve of tropical, subtropical and temperate sporomorphs. Pliocene, borehole Pula–3 a) A trópusi, szubtrópusi és mérsékelt égövi sporomorphák százalékos aránya. Pliocén, Pula–3 fúrás
a)
b)
b) Climatic curve of Miocene b) A miocén éghajlati görbéje
A Magyar Állami Földtani Intézet 205. Alkalmi kiadványa