Oligocene to Pliocene palaeoclimate reconstructions from 18 sites in Hungary

Flora and vegetation patterns are based on well-documented and studied fossil plant assemblages (macrofloras, primarily leaves). A general but slow cooling trend is definitely observable after the Early Miocene as reflected by both quantitative climate reconstructions and floristic change, i.e. decrease of diversity, slow disappearance of thermophilous and exotic elements, as well as decrease in the variety of vegetation types.

A significant decline of coldest month temperatures (as compared to warmest month temperatures) must have played a defining role in forming flora and vegetation through the Neogene.