Publication Date:
2021-05-06
Description:
The sedimentary and morphological evidence for Lateglacial glacier fluctuations in the Lienz area provides a strong case against the currently used pentapartite stratigraphic subdivision of the Alpine Lateglacial (ALG; c. 19–11.7 ka) i.e. the timespan between the Würmian Pleniglacial (= Alpine Last Glacial Maximum; AlpLGM) and the beginning of the Holocene. The results of comprehensive geological mapping (including the detection of mass movements) supported by geochronological data and pollen analysis revealed that the ALG- record of the Schobergruppe mountains and the Lienz Dolomites can be subdivided into four unconformity-bounded (allostratgraphic) units which are linked to three climatostratigraphically-defined phases of glacier activity. Delta deposits and till of local glaciers document the phase of ice-decay after the AlpLGM. Between this period and the Bølling/Allerød (B/A) interstadial only one glacier stabilisation with massive end moraines, correlated with the Gschnitz stadial, is evident. Multiple end moraines prove the presence of very active glacier tongues during the Younger Dryas aged Egesen stadial. The 10Be exposure dating of an end moraine, previously attributed to the Daun stadial (pre-B/A interstadial) based on ΔELA values, provided an age of 12.8 ± 0.6 ka indicating it is of Younger Dryas age. This case highlights the pitfalls of the commonly used ΔELA-based stratigraphic ALG subdivision and the subsequent derivation of palaeoclimatic implications. ΔELAs are still considered as a useful tool for correlation on the local scale e.g. in one mountain group with a quite comparable topography and lithology and taking into account the limitations, especially the impact of debris cover. However, our results show that a stratigraphic correlation across the whole Alpine chain via ΔELAs is not a successful approach potentially leading to bias and, eventually, to circular arguments.
Description:
research
Keywords:
551.7
;
palynology
;
alps
;
late pleistocene
;
lateglacial
;
younger dryas
;
geological mapping
;
allostratigraphy
;
climatostratigraphy
;
exposure dating
;
deformable bed
Language:
English
Type:
article
,
Verlagsversion
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