What was the climate and vegetation of Europe?

The climate of Europe has varied greatly over the past 100 million years. During the warm, humid climate of the Eocene, some 55 million years ago, palm trees and other subtropical trees grew in the north of the continent. At the other extreme, during the cold, dry glacial periods of the Pleistocene epoch, about 1 million to 10,000 years ago, the northern part of Europe was covered by a sheet of ice hundreds of metres thick.

The present-day climate of Europe is generally temperate, except for the cold Arctic climate in the north, the continental climate in the east, with its hot summers and cold winters, and the Mediterranean climate in the south, with its hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

The vegetation of Europe reflects this range of climates. In the north, coniferous forests (taiga) dominate, while in the south, broadleaf deciduous forests are more common. In between, there is a zone of mixed forests, with both coniferous and broadleaf trees. The Alps and other mountain ranges have their own distinct vegetation zones, including alpine meadows, subalpine forests, and coniferous forests.

The climate and vegetation of Europe have been influenced by a number of factors, including the movement of the tectonic plates, changes in the Earth's orbit, and changes in the ocean currents. The Mediterranean Sea, for example, played a key role in the development of the Mediterranean climate. The presence of the sea helped to moderate the temperature and create the ideal conditions for the growth of Mediterranean plants and animals.