New macrofossil evidence detail the Holocene vegetation of the Iberian Central System

This paper presents the results of the explorations carried out in the western sector of the Iberian Central System (western Gredos, Béjar, Gata and Estrela mountain ranges). The macroremains found allow detailing the model of the landscape transformation, the composition and extension of their vegetal formations throughout the Holocene. Ninety-nine woody macroremains, 3 bark remains and 8 pinecones were located from eight sites between 875 and 1860 m above sea level, among which 15 radiocarbon dates were made. The taxonomic identification of two trunks found in Estrela allows us to document the local presence of Pinus cf. sylvestris ca. 6600 cal BP in this site. The same taxon also appears at the western end of Gredos between ca. 1700–2800 cal BP at approximately 1300 m. These remains expand the Holocene distribution of P. cf. sylvestris in the Central System known to date, both temporally and geographically. In parallel, the macroremains analysed document the composition of high mountain scrub (Cytisus type, Erica cf. arborea) in Béjar (ca. 1860 m), as well as mixed scrub-woodland formations in Gata (975–1180 m), which included deciduous Quercus, Betulaceae and Ericaceae. The presence of P. pinaster at ca. 6200 cal BP and 1180 m in this mountain range constitutes the earliest palaeobotanical evidence of this species recorded in Gata. The main results support the continuous persistence of plant formations in which P. sylvestris, P. nigra, and P. pinaster would have formed part throughout the Iberian Central System during the Holocene in a wide altitudinal range (1100–1840 m). •Above one hundred Holocene macrofossils from eight different sites were analysed.•Pinus sylvestris recently disappeared from the western Central System.•P. gr. sylvestris remained in Serra da Estrela until ˜6650 years ago.•First evidence of Pinus pinaster has been found in Gata ˜6200 years ago.•Betula, Quercus, Alnus and Ericaceae Holocene macroremains were found in Gata.