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Correlation and interpretation of paleosols and loess across European Russia and Asia over the last interglacial–glacial cycle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Nathaniel W. Rutter ,
Dean Rokosh ,
Michael E. Evans ,
Edward C. Little ,
Jiri Chlachula  and
Andrei Velichko
Nathaniel W. Rutter*
Affiliation:
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E3
Dean Rokosh
Affiliation:
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E3
Michael E. Evans
Affiliation:
Institute for Geophysical Research, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6E 2G1
Edward C. Little
Affiliation:
Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office, Box 2319, Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada X0A 0H0
Jiri Chlachula
Affiliation:
University of Zlin, Palaeoecology Laboratory, Zlin 76272, Czech Republic
Andrei Velichko
Affiliation:
Institute of Geography RAS, Laboratory of Evolutionary Geography, Staromonetny Lane 29, Moscow 109017, Russia
*
* Corresponding author. E-mail address: nat.rutter@ualberta.ca (N.W. Rutter).
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Abstract

Loess-paleosol sequences of the last interglacial-glacial cycle are correlated from European Russia to central Siberia and the Chinese Loess Plateau. During cold periods represented by marine oxygen isotope stages (OIS) 2 and 4, loess deposition dominated in the Russian Plain and the Loess Plateau. In central Siberia, loess deposition took place also, but five to seven thin, weakly developed paleosols are identified in both stages. OIS 3, in the Chinese Loess Plateau near Yangchang, consists of a loess bed that is flanked by two weakly developed paleosols. At Kurtak, Siberia, OIS 3 is represented by two distinct, stacked paleosols with no loess bed separating the paleosols. In the Russian Plain, OIS 3 consists of a single, possibly welded paleosol, representing upper and lower stage-3 climates. Brunisols and Chernozems dominate the profiles in China and Siberia, whereas Regosols, Luvisols, and Chernozems are evident in the northern and southern Russian Plain, respectively. OIS 5 is represented in China and the Russian Plain by pedo complexes in a series of welded soils, whereas in contrast, the Kurtak site consists of six paleosols with interbedded loess. The paleosols consist largely of Brunisols and Chernozems. Although the three areas examined have different climates, geographical settings, and loess source areas, they all had similar climate changes during the last interglacial-glacial cycle.

Keywords

PaleoclimateLoessPaleosolLast glacial maximumQuaternaryRussian PlainSiberiaIsotope stageChinese loess plateauStratigraphy

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 60 , Issue 1 , July 2003 , pp. 101 - 109
Copyright
University of Washington

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