Austrian MIS 3/2 loess–palaeosol records—Key sites along a west–east transect

Autor(en)
Birgit Terhorst, Sergey Sedov, Tobias Sprafke, Robert Peticzka, Simon Meyer-Heintze, Peter Kühn, Elizabeth Solleiro Rebolledo
Abstrakt

Based on a W-E transect through the northern loess regions of Austria, palaeoenvironmental studies were carried out in three loess-palaeosol sequences (Gunderding, Krems-Wachtberg and Stillfried B locus typicus) to complement available results in the context of a multi-methodological approach. On the base of previously published datings, our study concentrates on the MIS 3/2 transition. The results of detailed micromorphological investigations prove that palaeopedogenesis, frost processes, and sedimentation rates differ in their spatial occurrence in the loess belt of Austria. All three sequences are in line with the general trend of a reduced intensity of pedogenic and cryogenic features from western to (south-)eastern Europe, which can be explained by lower Atlantic moisture influence towards the east. Interstadial cambic horizons are well developed in the MIS 3 sequence of western Austria, whereas the eastern loess profiles only show weak pedogenesis. In all studied sequences frost processes were active during the upper MIS 3 and MIS 2. The studied MIS 2 records are characterised by tundra soils with reductaquic horizons, which is a clear sign for prolonged phases of permafrost. On the spatial scale, the sedimentation rate increases in the eastern loess regions and particularly the Krems-Wachtberg sequence in the centre of the transect experienced an exceptionally high sedimentation rate and can thus be seen as one of the most important high resolution records for the MIS 3/2 transition in European loess regions.

Organisation(en)
Institut für Geographie und Regionalforschung
Externe Organisation(en)
Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Journal
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
Band
418
Seiten
43-56
Anzahl der Seiten
14
ISSN
0031-0182
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.10.020
Publikationsdatum
01-2015
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ÖFOS 2012
105402 Bodengeographie
Schlagwörter
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Earth-Surface Processes, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Oceanography, Palaeontology
Link zum Portal
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/austrian-mis-32-loesspalaeosol-recordskey-sites-along-a-westeast-transect(4cff5732-f5e6-45ff-8933-9cdf468a80d8).html