Sharp turnovers in Pliocene hydroclimate variability in the Levantine Corridor, East Mediterranean

The Pliocene (5.33-2.58 Ma) was comparatively warmer (+ 1.8-3.6 ⁰C) than today and was characterized by elevated CO₂ concentrations (400 ppmv). Thus, studying sedimentary sequences dated to this interval can serve as excellent analogues for comparing present conditions and provide tools for better modeling future trends. Yet, while most studies rely on marine archives, continental data dating back to this interval are scarce, particularly from boundary regions such as the Levantine Corridor. Sediments from the Erk-el-Ahmar Fm. (lacustrine, 3.9 Ma, Jordan Valley, Israel) and Bnot Lot member of the Sedom Fm. (lagoonal/lacustrine, 3.2-4.0 Ma, Dead Sea, Israel) highlight as one of the few well-exposed continental archives in the region that date back to that time.

In the present contribution, we explore these two sedimentary archives and integrate in a multi-proxy fashion the physical, chemical, and biological properties of both outcrop and core sections (with the latter only retrieved from the Erk-el-Ahmar sequence). This study aims to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental setting and changing hydroclimatic conditions in the Levantine Corridor during these time intervals. By amalgamating the datasets, we show that while the region is characterized by increased warmth and augmentation in precipitation patterns, occasional cooling phases coupled with drought punctuate the Pliocene climatic history in the Levantine region.

By synthesizing these diverse datasets into a consistent narrative, the project illuminates how precipitation, evaporation, and ecosystem processes interact under high-CO₂ and high-temperature conditions. The outcomes provide the first robust benchmark of Pliocene hydroclimate evolution in the Levantine Corridor, offering critical insight into thresholds of lake resilience, feedback mechanisms, and the persistence of aquatic systems under sustained global warmth.