Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction of a Lower Pleistocene Stratigraphic Section in Sousaki Basin, Greece, Using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps

This work aims to test and introduce a newly developed methodological approach for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions using advanced intelligent controls, namely fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs). The new methodology is presented to the scientific community through the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of a Lower Pleistocene sedimentary sequence in the Sousaki Basin (north-eastern Corinth Gulf, Greece). The palaeoenvironmental analysis using FCMs revealed the presence of an unstable lagoonal environment with minor zonation in the study area. Five palaeoenvironmental units were identified, while only four were found using conventional statistical methods. The newly developed approach removes subjectivity from biostratigraphical data and provides automated and more accurate results, as fuzzy theory examines the given data from a more general perspective. It also highlights natural variations existing among evolving environments in species abundance gradients. This work suggests the great potential for creating a new method that could serve as a useful complement to the established statistical methods to exploit more detailed results on the palaeoenvironmental features of past fossil assemblages.