Middle Pleistocene deposits at Rechitsa, western Belarus, and their input to MIS 12-6 stratigraphy in central Europe

Abstract

A correlation of stratigraphic subdivisions of the late Middle Pleistocene (MIS 12-6) in central Europe is extremely difficult, because of abundant hiatuses. Therefore, the site Rechitsa in western Belarus is extremely important for a regional stratigraphy, because of its well documented sediments of the Alexandrian Interglacial (Holsteinian; MIS 11) and a crucial palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental record of the Middle Pleistocene. The sequence starts with proglacial delta deposits formed at the termination of the Berezinian Glaciation (Elsterian; MIS 12), overlain by organic deposits of the Alexandrian Interglacial (Holsteinian; MIS 11) and the early glacial cooling of the Pripyatian Glaciation (Saalian). The hiatuses in MIS 10, 9 and 7 are interrupted by occasional occurrence of a periglacial lake, accompanied with open vegetation communities in MIS 8, characteristic by alternate temperate and cold episodes with significant climate-induced environmental transformations with extremely cold and dry conditions recorded by huge frost wedges with primary infilling. Extremely severe climatic conditions of MIS 6 favoured development of huge frost wedges with primary infilling, overlain by sediments of a periglacial lake. The Rechitsa section was overbuilt by glaciofluvial and aeolian deposits during the Pripyatian Glaciation (Saalian). The recorded huge hiatuses in MIS 10, 9 and 7 are common in central Europe represent presumably arid conditions and lack of deposition. The sedimentary sequence at the site Rechitsa is an important link of central and eastern European stratigraphic subdivisions of the Middle Pleistocene.