There was a climate change 9 million years ago

Researchers have confirmed that a climate change occurred in the Iberian Peninsula during the Late Miocene, around 9 million years ago, based on dental enamel from horse fossils. The study, led by the Complutense University of Madrid and involving the National Museum of Natural Sciences, indicates a marked increase in seasonal variability, particularly in the Batallones-10 site compared to Segovia. This change aligns with the 'Vallesian Crisis,' a period of faunal renewal and ecosystem transformation in Europe. Despite climatic changes, both sites' animals maintained a diet primarily based on C3 vegetation. The study analyzed 141 enamel samples from Hipparion teeth to reconstruct seasonal climate variations and dietary changes. Future research aims to expand this analysis to other Iberian sites to further understand these climatic shifts.