Pollen-analytical classification of the middle pleistocene in the German Democratic Republic

Abstract

The standard profile of Voigtstedt/Thuringia represents the entire lower Middle Pleistocene up to the Elsterian Glacial. The basal gravel deposits of the Unstrutian Glacial (menapian) are followed by the shell clays, whose lower part still belongs to the subarctic end of the preceding glacial, whilst the upper layers were formed during the Arternian Interglacial ( Pinus-Quercus-Ulmus-Picea) and the beginning Helmian Glacial. The Middle Pleistocene starts with the Unstrutian Glacial since a high percentage of Tertiary relics, so typical for the Early Pleistocene, is not present in the Artenian Interglacial. Above the lower gravel deposits of the Helmian Glacial sands and silts of the Voigtstedtian Interglacial come first. From these originate most of the famous Voigtstedt vertebrate fossils, whilst pollen-analyzed clays of the following loam zone have to be referred to the upper half of the interglacial ( Carpinus-Abies-Ulmus-Alnus-Picea) and to the beginning of the Elsterian Glacial. The Arternian and Voigtstedtian interglacials have to be positioned between the Waalian and Holsteinian because the upper gravel deposit, loess, varved clay and the ground moraine of the Elsterian Glacial represent the upper boundary. The Cromerian Complex consequently embraces two interglacials separated by the distinct Helmian Glacial. In the Holsteinian Interglacial of Pritzwalk/northwestern Brandenburg it was possible to cover the entire vegetational succession ranging from the Pinus-Betula over the Picea-Taxus-Corylus and the Abies-Carpinus period up to the concluding Pinus-Betula period. Brackish sediments of the period of the maximum Holsteinian transgression are within the bounds of both the middle phases. Layers in the same profile with subarctic and arctic flora which follow at the end of the Holsteinian, are followed by glaciolacustrine sands and again glacial silts contain remnants of an open vegetation leading over to the Dömnitzian Interglacial (Fuhnian/Saalian 1). Of the latter-mentioned period only the lower part with the following zones is preserved: Alnus-Pinus, Alnus-Quercus-Pinus, Alnus-Quercus-Pinus-Corylus-Carpinus-Taxus. Azolla filiculoides is abundant in this interglacial, as it is in the Holsteinian. The marine clays of Kap Arkona (island of Rügen) indicate the following pollen zones of the lower half of the Rügenian Interglacial (Saalian 2/3): Pinus-Betula-herbs, Pinus-Quercus, Pinus-Quercus-Taxus-Corylus and Quercus-Pinus-Carpinus-Taxus-Corylus. The pollen analytical differences from the Dömnitzian Interglacial are not very distinctive. Both interglacials can be clearly distinguished, however, from the Eemian and Holsteinian. It has not been possible so far in the G.D.R. to prove the existence of an interglacial between Saalian 1 and 2 by pollen analysis.