A unique property of the Paleolithic record is the possibility to observe human societies in large areas and over long periods of time. At these large spatial and temporal scales, a number of interesting phenomena can be observed, such as dynamics in the distribution of populations in relation to equally large-scale environmental patterns. In this paper, we focus on phenological patterns of vegetation and discuss their explanatory potential for differences in site densities in different periods and parts of Europe. In particular, we present a case-transferable approach to diachronically estimate the timing of the vegetation period and resulting phenological gradients. We discuss results for two complementary case studies. First, we look at the Aurignacian in Western and Central Europe, a period of dynamic population dispersal in a topographically heterogeneous region. Second, we focus on the Middle and Late Upper Paleolithic in the East European Plain, a period after the arrival of anatomically modern humans in a topographically rather uniform area. We visualize phenological trajectories and boundaries otherwise invisible in the archaeological record with certain explanatory potential for the observed archaeological patterns. Importantly, we do not intend to reconstruct specific plant communities or dispersal routes of animals or humans. Rather, we aim at highlighting gradients which in themselves and on small temporal scales might be comparatively weak, but over the course of millennia may potentially influence the distribution of animal biomass and human populations by biasing the aggregate of at times opposing actions of individuals towards particular directions.

旧石器时代记录的一个独特特性是可以在大范围和长时间内观察人类社会。在这些大的空间和时间尺度上，可以观察到许多有趣的现象，例如与同样大规模的环境模式相关的人口分布动态。在本文中，我们重点关注植被的物候模式，并讨论它们对欧洲不同时期和部分地区场地密度差异的解释潜力。特别是，我们提出了一种可案例转移的方法来历时估计植被周期的时间和由此产生的物候梯度。我们讨论两个互补案例研究的结果。首先，我们来看看西欧和中欧的奥里尼亚克时期，这是一个地形异质地区人口动态扩散的时期。其次，我们关注东欧平原旧石器时代中期和晚期，这是解剖学上的现代人类到达地形相当均匀的地区之后的一段时期。我们将考古记录中看不见的物候轨迹和边界可视化，对观察到的考古模式具有一定的解释潜力。重要的是，我们并不打算重建特定的植物群落或动物或人类的扩散路线。相反，我们的目的是强调梯度本身和小时间尺度上可能相对较弱，但在数千年的过程中可能会通过使个体有时相反的行为偏向特定的行为来影响动物生物量和人口的分布。方向。