Bisnik Cave is an important site of Middle Palaeolithic, with the longest sequence of Neanderthal settlement phases in Central Europe. In the previous studies of the Bisnik sediments, different elements of palaeoenvironment in the periods of Neanderthal occupation have been recognised, except of palaeovegetation, which could not be derived because of lack of preserved plant micro- or macrofossils. The current work is an attempt to reconstruct palaeovegetation in vicinity of the Bisnik Cave, using analysis of composition of plant-derived n-alkanes, preserved in sediments. In our study, we analyzed one sample from each of the sediment's layers 11 - 19c (early Late Pleistocene and late Middle Pleistocene). Abundant n-alkanes (mostly n-C27, n-C29 and n-C31) were found in all the sampled layers except for the layers 12, 16 and 19d, showing no alkanes at all. There is clear diversification of n-alkanes composition and cpr (carbon preference index) values between layers. Analysis of this composition, allows us to claim that the layers 11 and 14 were accumulated when the cave's vicinity was covered by dense coniferous forests, hence upon warm climate. The layers 19, 19a lower, 19b and 19c, presumably originated during cold periods when open woodlands or grasslands dominated. The other analyzed layers could be counected with intermediate vegetation in form of open woodland. However, not all of the achieved results stay in compliance with the actual stratigraphy, established basing on lithological data and palaeoecology offossil fauna, and we hope that explanation of this discrepancy would be possible after more extensive studies of molecular fossils are done.

Analysis of weathering parameters of bones from cave deposits is presented as a useful tool of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. As an example, we studied profiles of sediments in two Palaeolithic sites: Nietoperzowa Cave and Deszczowa Cave. Our studies included histological and EDS analyses of bone remnants found in these profiles. This method allowed us to reconstruct the changes of palaeotemperature and palaeohumidity, and finally the climatostratigraphy of sediments. The results presented here put a new light onto the stratigraphy of Deszczowa Cave's filling. In particular, besides the Vistulian sediments (MIS 2-5d), we confirmed the presence oflayers formed during the Penultimate Glaciation (MIS 6) and Eemian Interglacial (MIS 5e).