Photograph of a big plane tree growing on a dry-stone wall bordering the peat deposit (photo: T. Pedrotta, May 2012).

<p>Photograph of a big plane tree growing on a dry-stone wall bordering the peat deposit (photo: T. Pedrotta, May 2012).</p

Synthesis of key environmental proxies from the AG11 core (Asi Gonia, Crete, Greece), Cretan historical information (compiled from [25]), and Mediterranean recent Late Holocene climate data [7, 67].

<p>a) Vegetation: summary pollen diagram and richness-evenness curve; b) Grazing: fungal spore accumulation rate; c) Fire: frequency and mean peak magnitude inferred from charcoal accumulation rate (CHAR) analysis; d) Sediments: LOI analysis and sediment accumulation rates.</p

Complete percentage pollen and spore diagram from the AG11 core (Asi Gonia, Crete, Greece).

<p>Taxa excluded from the TLP sum are in grey; LDT* = long-distance pollen (Pollen of pines and trees absent in the modern ecosystems of Crete is likely to result from long-distance transport onto the island [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0156875#pone.0156875.ref053" target="_blank">53</a>]); c = clump of pollen grains indicating the proximity of the plant of origin; the white bar indicates the presence of oak macro-remains (leaf, acorn) in the peat.</p

Saprophytic and dung fungal spore taxa and summary pollen diagram from AG11 core (Asi Gonia, Crete, Greece).

<p>Saprophytic and dung fungal spore taxa and summary pollen diagram from AG11 core (Asi Gonia, Crete, Greece).</p

Age-depth model of the AG11 sequence (Asi Gonia, Crete, Greece) developed with Bacon 2.2 (acc.mean = 3.5 (yr cm^-1) and acc.shape = 0.50; [29]).

<p>Age-depth model of the AG11 sequence (Asi Gonia, Crete, Greece) developed with Bacon 2.2 (acc.mean = 3.5 (yr cm^-1) and acc.shape = 0.50; [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0156875#pone.0156875.ref029" target="_blank">29</a>]).</p

Macro-charcoal data from the AG11 core (Asi Gonia, Crete, Greece) and reconstructed fire regime parameters: fire episodes, fire-episodes frequency, fire-episodes magnitude (CHAR residual-peak), and mean fire-episodes magnitude.

<p>Macro-charcoal data from the AG11 core (Asi Gonia, Crete, Greece) and reconstructed fire regime parameters: fire episodes, fire-episodes frequency, fire-episodes magnitude (CHAR residual-peak), and mean fire-episodes magnitude.</p

Principal component analysis (PCA) of the terrestrial and regional pollen data grouped in vegetation zones (in color).

<p>Principal components one (PC1) and two (PC2), eigenvectors (arrows), and temporal boundaries of the main vegetation zones (black dots) are shown. Wetland taxa (<i>Sphagnum</i>, ferns spores, Cyperaceae and <i>Platanus</i>) have not been included.</p