Middle Pleistocene Stratigraphy Research Articles

Lower–Middle Pleistocene Stratigraphy of the Southern West Siberian Plain: New Data

Abstract—The Quaternary stratigraphy of the southern West Siberian Plain is considered in the context of the updated International Chronostratigraphic Scale, with the Neogene/Quarternary boundary at 2.588 Ma. New geological, lithological, paleontological, and paleomagnetic data from a reference Quaternary section in the Irtysh River valley near Isakovka Village provide more rigorous constraints on the Lower–Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy and the respective deposition conditions. The Isakovka outcrop exposes two stratigraphically expressed and paleontologically characterized units that were deposited during regional Pleistocene interglacial events of different ages: the Strunino and Serebryanoe alluvium beds lying over eroded surfaces. The species of the Corbicula genus coexisting with numerous species of Palearctic molluscs, small mammals Allophaiomys deucalion, Mimomys reidi, and last rooted lagurids Borsodia found in the Strunino alluvium are known also from continental equivalents of the warm upper Gelasian Stage in different parts of northern Eurasia. Judging by the presence of extant corbicules, the Strunino alluvium was deposited in a warm climate, with a mean annual air temperature above +16 °C and a mean winter temperature no colder than –8 °C, in rivers that remained free from ice all year round. On the basis of fauna constraints for the Serebryanoe alluvium, along with the first appearance of the European Pisidium clessini molluscs in West Siberia, the unit can be correlated with one of the earliest Middle Pleistocene interglacial events. The faunal assemblages and spore-pollen patterns of the two units indicate that the climate during the Serebryanoe deposition was slightly cooler and wetter than during the Strunino deposition, though steppe landscapes predominated on watersheds in both events. The two alluvial beds, which are traceable in river bluffs, at 30 m above the modern water level in a tectonically stable part of West Siberia, mark the hypsometrically higher position of the river network during the Early Pleistocene and early Middle Pleistocene interglacials.

Revision of the late Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy and palaeoclimate in Poland

The aim of this paper is a critical verification of the late Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy in Poland in connection with stratigraphical schemes in the neighbouring countries. Although a terrestrial record of the Middle Pleistocene is almost complete in western and southern Europe, it is full of gaps in central and eastern Europe. Eight key sites in Poland and one in Belarus were selected to compile environmental and palaeoclimate data for a revised stratigraphy from the termination of MIS 12 to MIS 6, and the chronology was based on correlation with oxygen isotope stratigraphy and OSL ages. The late Middle Pleistocene record starts with the Holsteinian lake sequences, some of which have been initiated already at the end of MIS 12, persisted through MIS 11 and terminated in mid-MIS 10. In the examined sites, MIS 11 is represented also by deposits of meandering rivers in a temperate climate. In contrast, there is no evidence for deposition in most of MIS 10 and in MIS 9. A warmer and presumably wet episode at the beginning of MIS 8 lead to local erosion, followed by development of small lakes. Modest ice sheet advance into central Europe occurred in the second part of MIS 8, as reflected by a till, glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine deposits and presumably, also by permafrost and ice wedges in western Belarus. MIS 7 seems to have been generally warm and wet when small lakes and meandering rivers could develop. Such mild conditions were interrupted with cool and probably drier episodes when braided rivers and limited pedogenesis occurred. Saalian ice sheet cover of central Europe in MIS 6 was widespread, but even more importantly, in this stage periglacial environments were dominant, as shown by continuous permafrost, intensive aeolian activity and development of ice wedges and involutions. Braided rivers developed during short wetter intervals.

An attempt at correlation between the Velay pollen sequence and the Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy from central Europe

Long continuous lacustrine sequences constitute on the continent a precious tool for coupling the long term continental environmental changes with deep sea and ice core records, using the ‘count from the top’ method. Moreover, they can contribute to long distance correlation on the continent itself and thus help to classify discontinuous sedimentary records. Palynostratigraphical correlation is proposed here between the Velay long sequence and the late Middle Pleistocene series from Central Europe with special attention to temperate episodes. The similarities between the Praclaux and the Holsteinian Interglacial suggest that they are both contemporaneous with marine isotopic stage (MIS) 11, even if absolute dates are still divergent. The evidence of two major warm periods with an interglacial type of vegetation between the Holsteinian and the Eemian is confirmed by the Velay record.

Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy and archaeology around Mildenhall and Icklingham, Suffolk: report on the Geologists' Association Field Meeting, 27 June, 1992

Four sites in the Mildenhall-Icklingham district, all of which are known for their Lower Palaeolithic archaeological assemblages, are described and their stratigraphy is summarized. Three of these sites were visited by members of the Geologists' Association during a field excursion in June, 1992. Clast lithological data are used to differentiate between gravels of differing origin, emphasis being placed upon the presence of certain lithologies considered to be indicative of (1) pre-Anglian drainage from the English Midlands, and (2) Anglian glacial inputs. The quartzite and quartz-rich gravels at Warren Hill, Mildenhall, and Rampart Field, Icklingham, make up part of the Ingham Sand and Gravel, a pre-Anglian glaciation fluvial sequence, whereas the gravels at Weatherhill Farm Pit, Icklingham and Beeches Pit, West Stow are conspicuously glacial in their character. The archaeological evidence from these sites is reviewed and several new flint artefact finds are described. This information is placed in stratigraphie context based upon lithostratigraphy and the differentiation of pre-Anglian fluvial and Anglian glaciofluvial sands and gravels.

Field Meeting to North Essex and West Suffolk 20-22 June 1980

Sections within the Tertiary and Drift deposits of North Essex and West Suffolk were examined during the field meeting of 20-22 June 1980. The structures and interrelationships of the various Drift deposits were demonstrated and current interpretations of Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy were discussed in detail.

Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy in southern East Anglia

Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy in southern East Anglia

Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy in southern East Anglia (Reply)

Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy in southern East Anglia (Reply)

Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy in south-east Suffolk

A conspicuous horizon of rubification, clay and iron enrichment, involutions and ice-wedge casts is attributed to two stages of soil formation. It comprises a rubified sol lessivé formed in warm temperate conditions, which was altered to an arctic structure soil by periglacial processes. These palaeosols indicate that the sand and gravel deposits beneath the Lowestoft Till comprise two units, and provide the basis of a revised Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy. The Kesgrave Sands and Gravels were formed during the Beestonian in a periglacial environment by a major river which drained towards the north-east. Subsequently the Valley Farm Rubified Sol Lessivé was formed during the Cromerian Interglacial, and the Barham Arctic Structure Soil and the associated Barham Loess were formed during the early Anglian Glacial. Both soils and the wind-blown sediments were formed on low relief terrace topography and are the remnants of a formerly extensive land surface. This feature was subsequently trimmed by meltwater rivers, then overlain by the Barham (outwash) Sands and Gravels and the Lowestoft Till which were deposited during the Anglian Glaciation.

Middle Pleistocene stratigraphy in southern East Anglia

A STUDY of Quaternary deposits in south-east Suffolk revealed a complex, and hitherto unrecognised Middle Pleistocene stratigraphic sequence1. The probable ages of the units in the sequence are, from the base upwards, river sands and gravels of Beestonian age, a rubified palaeosol of Cromerian age, and a periglacial palaeosol, loess, glacifluvial gravel, and till of Anglian age (Table 1). A preliminary survey of the Quaternary deposits in Essex has revealed a similar sequence. We here outline the main characteristics of this sequence, which has now been recognised over some 2,000 km2 in southern East Anglia, and discuss its palaeoenvironmental significance.