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600.000 years of Quaternary landscape history in Southeastern Europe: A lipid biomarker perspective.

Björn Buggle1, Michael Zech2, Natalia Gerasimenko3, Slobodan Markovic4, Ulrich Hambach5, Bruno Glaser1
1 Bodenphysik, Universität Bayreuth
2 Bodenphysik, Universität Bayreuth, Lehrstuhl Geomorphologie, Universität Bayreuth
3 Earth Science and Geomorphology Department, Tarasa Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
4 Chair of Physical Geography, Faculty of Sciences, Novi Sad
5 Lehrstuhl Geomorphologie, Universität Bayreuth

P 4.7 in Klimaforschung

Background:

In the middle and lower Danube Basin loess paleosol sequences of several decametre thickness are widely distributed. They constitute valuable long-term archives for the reconstruction of Quaternary climate and landscape history. Paleopedological features indicate a trend of aridization and / or cooling during the Pleistocene. Older interglacial soils, for instance the S5 (formation of Marine Isotope Stages MIS 13-15), are often interpreted as fossil “forest soils”, whereas younger interglacial soils such as the S1 (MIS 5) and the recent soils are described as (fossil) “steppe soils”.  “Fossil organic molecules” such as n-alkanes can serve as biomarkers (trees/shrubs vs. grass) and as independent proxy of paleoecological conditions. The present study focus on the application of n-alkane biomarkers preserved in loess paleosol sequences for the reconstruction of Quaternary landscape history in SE-Europe.

 Methods:
 
- N-alkane analyses· 
- Development of a procedure to correct for degradation effects in n-alkane data  

Results/ Discussion:

- The present results represent the longest existing terrestrial n-alkane biomarker record of Europe and the first record of n-alkanes in SE-European loess paleosol sequences of the Midpleistocene.

- The classical paradigm of  cold stadial grasslands in the Danube Basin is questioned·      

- For the midpleistocene fossil “forest soils” the n-alkane data indicate less woody vegetation and / or more intense estival water-, heat stress (Romania) and warm temperate tree species (Serbia) than for the fossil “steppe soils”.  More intense soil development (cambisols, luvisols) may be caused by warm, wet winters, supporting a mediterranean type of climate during the lower Midpleistocene Interglacials.

Letzte Änderung 06.03.2009