Microfaunal proxies for the late Pleistocene climate and environment in Għar il-Fkieren (FIMBank site, Malta)

Abstract

This research investigates Għar il-Fkieren, a solution pipe fissure abundant with faunal remains dating to the Late Pleistocene (c. 63 – 53 ka). This study quantifies and analyses the microfauna (such as shrews, rodents and herpetofauna) using taxonomic, taphonomic, and morphometric techniques. This represents the novel use of microfauna as environmental proxies for the Maltese Late Pleistocene, providing a crucial contemporary comparison to the Għar Dalam records. The findings reveal a previously unrecorded colubrid species within local Quaternary features, as well as fossil Podarcis cf. filfolensis. The results also reveal significant evidence that the Maltese Islands constituted a relatively stable environment during the transition between Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 4-3, characterised by forested and shrubland habitats with freshwater sources and occasional flooding events. The unique climatic and ecological conditions of the Maltese Islands emphasise the importance of detailed, site-specific paleoenvironmental studies in island contexts, which is vital for understanding broader patterns of climate change, species survival, and ecosystem stability during periods of global climatic instability. This research advances the field of palaeoecology in Malta and the Mediterranean and has the potential to impact broader discussions on climate change, species adaptation to insular environments and conservation strategies.