The history of the flora and vegetation of Georgia

Abstract

Paleobotanical investigations have been carried out in Georgia (South Caucasus) since the early 20th century. In this work, we bring together the great body of research on fossil material from Georgia’s Phanerozoic deposits to provide descriptions of the floras, plant communities and paleogeographic conditions of past geological epochs. The paleofloras of Western Georgia, from the stratotypical region of Eastern Paratethys, are considered in particular detail as the Black Sea deposits provide a continuous fossil record spanning the entire Neogene and Quaternary. These sediments, dated biostratigaphically using marine fauna, contain rich paleobotanical material of both macrobotanical remains and palynomorphs. Pollen and spore assemblages from complete sections of various Upper Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene stages have been interpreted using the landscape-phytocenological method, providing an almost uninterrupted reconstruction of vegetation and climate dynamics in Georgia. The work also contains complete flora lists of various stratigraphical units, palynological diagrams, maps of fossil localities and paleogeographical maps of Georgia.