ALBERT

Description: In this paper a description is given of a new occurrence of glacial striae on Upper Muschelkalk near Burgstemmen, 30 km south of Hannover. Of the two crossing striation systems — N 10° E and N 60° E — the latter is the younger one. Since the striae are overlain by gravels of the Drenthe stadium it is not possible up to now to decide whether the striae have been caused by the Elster ice or by an older glacial advance of the Drenthe stadium.

Description: The biostratigraphic classification of the Pleistocene in northwestern and central Europe is still unsufficiently known, in spite of numerous geological and vegetation-history investigations. The question is not even clear, for example, how often a warm-period vegetation with thermophilous trees such as Quercus, Ulmus, Tilia, Carpinus etc. could develop here. In past years, on the basis of several geological and vegetation-history findings, suspicion has often been expressed that some of the classical stages of the Pleistocene could include more warm periods than heretofore assumed, and as a result of recent investigations the period between the Waal and Holstein interglacials seems to include at least two warm periods, of which the Cromer is one. This paper contributes to this problem. The interglacial sediments coming from the Elm-Mountains near Brunswick and from the Osterholz near Elze — both within the limits of the German Mittelgebirge — were investigated by pollen analysis. In both cases a Pinus-Betula zone and a QM zone were found. The vegetation development of the Pinus-Betula zone is characterized in both sequences by the early appearence of Picea. Because of strong local influence at the Osterholz a detailed correlation is difficult. However, vegetation development at the time of the QM zone at both sites was similar; it is especially characterized by the facts that Ulmus clearly migrated to the site earlier than Quercus and was very abundant throughout this time. Furthermore, both diagrams show very low amounts of Corylus. The interglacial from the Osterholz shows in addition to the above, a Carpinus-QM-Picea-zone in which Eucommia reaches a relative high value and in the upper part of which Azolla filiculoides was also found. The similarity of vegetation development justifies acceptance of the same age for the occurences. A comparison of the vegetation development at the Elm and the Osterholz with those of the Eem, Holstein, Waal, and Tegelen warm periods as well as with all the Cromer sites so far investigated shows that only a correlation with the Cromer Complex is possible. This correlation is supported by the geologic relations in the Osterholz (the deposit is overlain by Elster till). Therefore the till-like material with Scandinavien rock fragments underlying the deposit at Elm is of particular interest. The "Rhume" interglacial beds at Bilshausen, only 60 km south of Osterholz, is also assigned to the Cromer complex, but the two deposits cannot be of the same age because the vegetation development differs. Therefore the Cromer complex must include at least two warm periods. Further conclusions about the relative stratigrapnic position of these two occurences and correlations of other Cromer sites are at this time not possible, however.

Description: By the combination of land and sea data the author came to the conclusion that the duration of the Middle and Upper Pleistocene glacial ages was of the same order of magnitude. The temperature of the glacial ages was not exactly the same, but each younger glacial age was a little colder than the preceding one. Similarly, each younger interglacial age was a little cooler than the preceding one. Bringing together all known data the complex Pleistocene generalized paleotemperature curve is constructed showing the main trend of the temperature evolution from Mindel glacial until now, spanning the time of about 400,000 years.

Description: Five halved heel bones (Calcaneum) of the cave bear are described from the Balver-Höhle in southern Westphalia. Similar finds out of three different caves in southern Germany are mentioned for comparison. The question is whether these remains are the liftovers of a hyena's spoils or artifacts. As there are no traces of feeding damage such as the scratch marks of eye teeth, the author suggests, though with reserve, that these remains could be artifacts. Additionally he believes that the marks of blows delivered by sharp stones are to be made out on the pieces of bone. If a definite use is sought for the bones they could have been employed as skin posilhers; or they might have been used as play pieces or kept as hunting trophies. They could even have been threaded to make a necklace of some sort. Whatever the explanation similar halved heel bones could surely be found in many old museum collections.

Description: Pollenanalytical studies of diatomaceous earth (Kieselgur) discovered for the first time in Schleswig-Holstein (south of Neumünster) indicate a firm Eemian Interglacial date. The small layer of earth was deposited in an early-formed, groove-like bottom depression of the southern third of a glacial basin during the Saale Glacial. The bottom of the basin consists mainly of ice-folded clays, with dislodged slices of sand, underlain by boulder-clay. In one case analysis of boulders from this clay suggested the Drenthe Glacial. The basin is filled up with well-bedded silty clays and clayey silts. Pollenanalysis of the lower basin sediments under the "Kieselgur" does not indicate the presence of any significant vegetation cover at that time. They could be true glacial sediments. Higher layers were deposited during the "Late Saale Glacial" and covered by the Early Eemian muds which preceded the sedimentation of the Eemian diatomaceous earth. Overlying beds are Weichsel Age sands of the "Neumünster Sander". The interest and value of this section lies in the apparent complete representation of the Late Saale Glacial, a fact which allows the succession of different vegetation covers to be traced. From the floristic point of view, there seems to have been considerable analogy with the Older Dryas Age of the later Weichsel Glacial. In spite of this it is clear that the development of the vegetation proceeded without significant reverses or interstadial pauses. Three periods may be distinguished: A) An oldest, treeless period probably belonging to the "Pleniglacial". B) An interval when copses of sea-buckthorn flourished in association with a low, light-needing vegetation cover. C) A second period of copses of sea-buckthorn but this time with juniper in addition. This last period was followed by a stage in which the birchtree flourished representing the first part of the Eemian Interglacial. The present studies, linked to those that have been made by the Geologisches Landesamt in Schleswig-Holstein over the past few years, have led to a comprehensive knowledge of the main characteristics of the historical development of the vegetation in the area from the Late Saale to the Early Weichsel Glacial.

Description: The subject of this research are slope sediments in front of ridges and cuestas built up by Triassic limestone (Muschelkalk) in the hilly southern part of Lower Saxony. The stratigraphical and geomorphological significance of the different layers is explained. The young Würm loess covers a limestone debris, generally without admixture of loess, or a series of limestone débris/clayey Roth detritus. These layers caused by solifluction, overlay a waste (limestone and Röth detritus), which in some horizons shows a remarkable content of loess. By analysing the sedimentary type of these older layers slope-wash debris frequently could be detected.

Description: In the Vosges and the Black Forest there are many glacial cirques. Using statistical methods regarding the altitude of their floors and the exposition of the whole forms, four groups can be destinguished. Because of the parallelism between these groups and the well-known four "Würm"-stadials of the glaciers in the southern part of the Black Forest, they can be related to each other. On the second hand there is the opportunity to relate indirectly (of course only, if proved in the terrain) all other moraines connected with the fully developed glacial cirques. In this conduct the "Würm"-glacial history of the glacial cirques and the valleys in the northern part of the Black Forest could be clarified. Otherwise it is possible to guess relatively correct, where up to now unknown moraines beneath fully developed glacial cirques in the southern part of the Black Forest and especially the Vosges should be located.

Description: Die paläolithische Freilandstation Budino liegt im Lourotal, Südwest-Galizien (Spanien), und wurde 1963 von E. de Aguirre teilweise ausgegraben. Die Werkstätten und vermutlichen Lagerplätze weisen eine Vielfalt von Steintechniken und Artefaktentypen auf, die in ungestörter Assoziierung und geologischer Lagerung gefunden wurden. Aus Quarzit und Quarz hergestellt, enthält das Werkzeuginventar Haugeräte, dreiseitige Hacken, sogenannte Camposancos-Hacken, clactonartige Abschläge und Kerbstücke, Proto-Faustkeile, gezahlte Stücke und andere Abschlagswerkzeuge. Trotz der starken morphologischen Beziehungen zum Camposanquien (oder Languedocien) einerseits, zum Asturiense andererseits, deuten die geologischen Verhältnisse und Radiokarbonbestimmungen auf ein Mittelwürm-Alter. Die Täler des niederen Mino und des Louro weisen einen Hochterrassenkomplex (+76/80 m, 65/68 m, 52/59 m), zwei Mittelterrassen (+42/44 m, 34/36 m), Nieder- (+22/24 m) und Überschwemmungsterrassen (+3/10 m) auf. Da Hinweise auf Kryoturbation oder Frostsprengung in den Terrassenbildungen fehlen, wurden sie wohl unter warmzeitlichen Bedingungen aufgeschottert, hauptsächlich als Auswirkung verschiedener hoher Meeresspiegelstände. Die oberste Mittelterrasse ist unmittelbar mit einer 44/49 m Strandterrasse der Atlantikküste verknüpft, während die untere Mittel- sowie die Niederterrasse wahrscheinlich mit Strandniveaus von +33/36 m bzw. +23/24 m zu parallelisieren sind. Die Überschwemmungsterrasse ist Postglazial, zeigt ein steileres Gefälle als die pleistozänen Terrassen und könnte der Entwaldung und Bodenerosion zuzuschreiben sein. Die Oberfläche des Hochterrassenkomplexes (Altpleistozän?) ist stark verwittert und von einer Rotlehmdecke überzogen. Entsprechende Meeresspiegelstände sind an der Küste nicht nachzuweisen. Das Alter der Mittelterrasse (mit Hinweisen auf rote Paläoböden) und Niederterrasse (ohne Paläoböden) ist unsicher (Mittelpleistozän?). Kleintektonik, Flußeinschneidung sowie niedrige Strandausbildungen in +10/12 m, +6/7m und +2,5 m sind insgesamt zwischen der Niederterrasse und den jungpleistozänen Ablagerungen einzuschalten. Drei stratigraphische Einheiten können auf Grund des geologischen Befundes und der Radiokarbonbestimmungen unterschieden werden: die Mougás-Schichten (Frühwürm, älter wie 40000 J.), die Sanjián-Schichten (Mittelwürm, ca. 28000 - 16000 v. H.), und die La Guardia-Schichten (Spätwürm). Normalerweise geht jede vertikale Schichtfolge von einem organischen Kolluvium, das vermutlich von Tangelranker-Paläoböden zusammengeschwemmt wurde, in Hangschuttdecken, Schwemmfächern oder -kegel über. Da Frostsprengung, kryoturbate Störungen sowie andere periglaziale Lagerungserscheinungen nicht festzustellen sind, können diese grobkörnigen Aufschüttungen der Flächenspülung und dem Gekriech zugeschrieben werden. Die Fundstelle Budino ist gleichaltrig mit den Sanjián-Schichten und datiert aus der Zeit zunehmender Kälte, die dem „Paudorf“-Farmdale Interstadial folgte.

Description: Peat from Keewatin and Manitoba contained macrofossil and palynological evidence of former latitudinal movements of the forest — tundra boundary probably in response to the changing location of the mean summer position of the Arctic front. There was very rapid melting of the large late-Wisconsin icesheet between 8000 and 6000 years B. P., and swift immigration of Picea, with no evidence of tundra vegetation after deglaciation. From 6000 to 3500 years B. P. the Boreal forest extended far north of its present limit, with a short-lived cooler phase about 5000 years ago. This generally warm period was followed by cooler and variable climatic episodes after 3500 B. P. and by a climatic deterioration about 2600 years ago. There was an amelioration between 1500 and 600 B. P., followed by a prolonged cold episode which terminated peat growth in the tundra. The approximate mean summer temperatures at Ennadai Lake have been estimated from the changing location of the northern limit of forest. The radiocarbon dates for these climatic events coincide with a number of changes recorded in the climatic history of northwest Europe.

Description: The value of fossil and relict soils as indicators of past climates or periods differs greatly. It is rather high when we want to reconstruct former climates, of which we can often find out the general type and partly also the approximate amount of temperature and precipitation. On the other hand reliable statements on the time which fossil soils take for their development are largely confined to relative data, which we can only get under very favourable circumstances. Absolute estimates of time can always be done only approximately. These results, however, are only useful, if the state of development of the fossil soils under discussion can be determined with sufficient reliability. Beyond all factors which influence the exactness of our statements we must keep in mind the principle, that fossil climates can only be reconstructed out of climax soils, whereas the estimation of the duration of soil development is only possible with immature soils.