What Do Fossil charophytes Whisper to Us? Palaeoecological and Palaeoenvironmental Reports from Pleistocene Continental Deposits of Umbria (Central Italy)

The Early Pleistocene continental deposits of the Tiberino Basin (Central Italy) host exceptionally preserved fossil charophyte assemblages that provide critical insights into palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic dynamics during a key phase of the Mediterranean evolution. Integrated micropalaeontological and sedimentological investigations at three reference sections reveal distinct charophyte communities characterized by Chara cf. hispida (Hartman) Wood, 1962, Chara cf. vulgaris Linnaeus, 1753, Nitellopsis obtusa (Desvaux in Loiseleur) Groves, 1919, and Lychnothamnus barbatus (Meyen, 1827) von Leonhardi 1863, not reported until now. These assemblages reflect a mosaic of stable lacustrine, ephemeral swamp, and palustrine environments shaped by increasing climatic oscillations approaching the Early–Middle Pleistocene transition. Comparative data from Mediterranean basins, such as Laguna de Gallocanta, Lake Afourgagh, and Ilgin Palaeolake (Türkiye), highlight the role of charophytes as sensitive indicators of hydrological and climatic variability. This study strengthens the palaeolimnological and palaeoenvironmental significance of charophyte fossils and proposes new avenues for multidisciplinary research into Quaternary environmental evolution in Mediterranean continental basins.