Climatic and environmental conditions from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age (7000–3000 BP) in the Iberian Peninsula assessed using small-mammal assemblages

We have analyzed the palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate of the beginning of theHolocene in the Iberian Peninsula on the basis of the small-mammal assemblages fromthree sites within the geography of the Iberian Peninsula: Mirador (Sierra de Atapuerca,Burgos), Colomera (Sant Esteve de la Sarga, Lleida) and Valdavara-1 (Becerreá, Lugo). Theseassociations reveal that the palaeoenvironment was more humid than today in the sitesunder study, and the landscape was dominated by woodland and woodland margins in allthe studied layers. Further, the climatic conditions were stable, but with winters colderthan at present, above all in the Mediterranean area. Finally, our data have been comparedwith other environmental and climatic proxies, showing that human activities exerted littleimpact on the palaeoenvironmental conditions that occurred from 7000 to 3000 BP in theIberian Peninsula.