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Why did many temperate tree species disappear from Europe after ice ages?
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Temperate forest
Worldwide distribution of temperate forests.
Many temperate tree species disappeared from Europe during the ice ages primarily due to the rapid, repeated climatic fluctuations of the past two million years, which forced species to migrate to survive.1
The extinction of these species was driven by two main factors:
- Migration Distance: During glacial intervals, ice sheets covered vast areas of the continent. Trees were forced to migrate long distances to remain within suitable climates, and those unable to disperse their seeds far enough simply died out.21
- Geographic Barriers: Unlike in other regions, the southward retreat of European trees was obstructed by physical barriers, specifically the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea. These barriers trapped many species, preventing them from reaching southern refuges and leading to significant losses in biodiversity.31
As a result, Europe’s modern flora is considered "floristically impoverished" compared to other regions, with many formerly native species now restricted to small refuge areas like the Balkans and the Caucasus.1