Pleistocene glaciation in Mediterranean Slovenia

Abstract

Abstract Geomorphological research on glacial features in Slovenia has a long tradition; the first studies were published in the late nineteenth century by Brückner. Evidence of glacial erosion and deposition is preserved in the Slovenian Alps and on the highest plateaus of the Dinaric Mountains, including traces of ice fields and ice caps with outlet glaciers on the edges and some valley glaciers. The prevailing bedrock in all the glaciated areas is limestone, forming complex glacio-karst morphological systems. Modern glacial reconstruction techniques have been applied in the last few years, focusing on the interpretation of palaeoglacial topography and local equilibrium-line altitudes. Both past and present studies, however, lack precise chronological frameworks for the glacial advances, which should be the main goal of future research on glaciation in Slovenia.