The Auel sediment cores are vital for reconstructing "frozen" or glacial-era landscapes. Unlike many other sites, the Auel maar contains laminated (layered) sediments that acted as a natural trap, preserving pollen, spores, and chemical proxies of the surrounding environment.
: Research indicates that from roughly 60,000 to 48,000 years ago , the landscape was dominated by a boreal forest featuring cold-temperate wood taxa and steppe components. AUEL - Frozen Forests
: The data suggests that Neanderthals and later Anatomically Modern Humans were attracted to these areas by the abundant food supply. Crucially, researchers from the Nature journal study conclude that megafauna were not "overkilled" by humans but were instead victims of the drastic vegetation shifts caused by climate change. Ecological Resilience The Auel sediment cores are vital for reconstructing
: As the climate cooled toward the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) , the landscape underwent a "stepwise" change from these dense forests toward a "glacial desert" after 26,000 years ago. : The data suggests that Neanderthals and later
The Auel records highlight how vegetation cover dictates landscape stability.
: Large mammals (megafauna) actually reached higher numbers during colder stadial climates, likely because the shift from dense forest to open steppe provided more grazing material.