Mammals Biochronology and Paleoecology of the Euro-Mediterranean Quaternary

The Quaternary is a time of fundamental climatic shifts and environmental changes that highlight the need for a thorough investigation from different perspectives and at multiple scales to disentangle the factors involved in the biota response. In turn, recognizing bioevents (e.g., the dispersal or extinction of species) and relating them to geological time is crucial for correlating changes between distant geographic regions. The mammalian fossil record is widely used for biochronological correlations and paleoecological reconstructions of the Euro-Mediterranean region and represents an especially important proxy for inferring the timing, pattern, and paleoenvironmental context of the earliest events of hominin dispersal into Europe. Conducting research on the response of mammals to the paleoenvironmental changes in the Euro-Mediterranean Quaternary and developing a consistent and precise biochronological framework require the thoughtful integration of data and schemes from different geographic areas. This Special Issue aimed at fostering progress in this direction, resulting in articles that cover a large geographical scope, encompassing most of the northern Mediterranean region and adjacent areas, and a wide range of approaches, including biochronological to paleoecological research and more.