Paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental research for the comprehension of the present and future environmental sustainability in Serbia

Abstract

Environmental and climate changes are a threat for the survival of global ecosystems and biodiversity. Climate changes can alter rainfall, influence crop fields, affect human health, cause changes to forests and other ecosystems, and impact energy supply. Paleoclimatic research, even not completely analogue, can illustrate how temperatures, precipitation patterns, cryospheric extent, and biospheric adaptations are affected by greenhouse gas emissions. It is the opportunity to observe Earth s system respond to high carbon dioxide, and paleoreconstructions can help us learn how resilient ecosystems become in a time of change. Investigation of small mammal fossils is very useful for Pleistocene terrestrial environment reconstructions. The methods include: Bioclimatic analysis and actualistic methods. Serbia within the Balkan Peninsula, is an interesting place to study the transition between the Late Pleistocene and Holocene and contribute to the knowledge about the formation of the current biodiversity in central Balkan. In the future, Serbia is expected to be especially affected by climate change. Understanding the response of natural systems to changing climate is important for sustainability, and can guide society in adaptation and mitigation, in order to improve present and future resilience of the country.