During the early Palaeocene (zones P1 to P2), the southeastern Tethyan
margin experienced a warm and humid climate with high rainfall as
indicated by the abundance of kaolinite within marine sedimentary rocks.
Subsequently, in Zone P2, arid climatic conditions evolved in the
coastal basins of the southern Tethys margin as indicated by the gradual
disappearance of kaolinite and the increased abundance of palygorskite
and sepiolite. Arid climatic conditions persisted during the Selandian
and Thanetian (late Palaeocene) and reached a maximum in the Ypresian
(early Eocene). During the late Palaeocene thermal maximum, warm
climatic conditions were associated with increased aridity and led to
sea surface warming, though not bottom water warming., as suggested by
the planktic delta(18)O excursion observed at the Zomet Telalim basin
(Negev, Israel). Strongly reduced surface productivity accompanied by
unusually light delta(13)C are associated with the late Palaeocene
thermal maximum in the Negev as well as globally.