Recurrent humid phases in Arabia over the past 8 million years.

ABSTRACT: The Saharo-Arabian Desert is one of the largest biogeographical barriers on Earth, impeding dispersals between Africa and Eurasia, including movements of past hominins. Recent research suggests that this barrier has been in place since at least 11 million years ago¹. In contrast, fossil evidence from the late Miocene epoch and the Pleistocene epoch suggests the episodic presence within the Saharo-Arabian Desert interior of water-dependent fauna (for example, crocodiles, equids, hippopotamids and proboscideans)^2-6, sustained by rivers and lakes^7,8 that are largely absent from today's arid landscape. Although numerous humid phases occurred in southern Arabia during the past 1.1 million years⁹, little is known about Arabia's palaeoclimate before thi

SUBMITTER: Markowska M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12018461 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature