Chronostratigraphy of silt-dominated Pleistocene periglacial slope deposits on Mt. Ślęża (SW, Poland): Palaeoenvironmental and pedogenic significance

Waroszewski, Jaroslaw; Sprafke, Tobias; Kabala, Cezary; Musztyfaga, Elżbieta; Kot, Aleksandra; Tsukamoto, Sumiko; Frechen, Manfred (2020). Chronostratigraphy of silt-dominated Pleistocene periglacial slope deposits on Mt. Ślęża (SW, Poland): Palaeoenvironmental and pedogenic significance. Catena, 190(104549), p. 104549. Elsevier 10.1016/j.catena.2020.104549

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Slope deposits with aeolian silt admixture are a widespread parent material of soils in the temperate zone but may be neglected when rates of soil production are quantified. The concept of periglacial cover beds differentiates slope deposits with or without aeolian silt admixture; yet there is a remaining debate on processes and the timing of their formation. A previous study done by us at Mt. Ślęża, SW Poland, concluded that slope deposits with variable aeolian silt admixture, or its lack, have a significant influence on the pathway of soil formation. The present work builds upon this finding, by adding further granulometric and micromorphological data from three representative profiles along a toposequence, in order to refine our understanding of local slope deposits and soil formation. Additionally, seven numerical ages using luminescence dating provide a chronological framework for our reconstructions and allow linking the forming processes of these pedosedimentary records to regional palaeoenvironmental conditions. The oldest aeolian deposits are of Middle Pleistocene age (>280 ± 19 ka) with interlayered palaeosol (marine isotope stage [MIS] 9 or older). Late Pleistocene slope deposits encompass the maximum loess thickness and are dated to MIS 2. Luminescence ages from the upper layers indicate shallow reworking, which we tentatively correlate to the Younger Dryas (YD). Two profiles with thick loess mantles have strong clay illuviation features, presumably formed during the Holocene. However, weak clay illuviation in the third profile with a thin loess mantle (having an age of YD) over granite regolith seems to have occurred before the Holocene, as only fragmented clay coatings (probably MIS 2 pedogenesis) could be found.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Physical Geography > Unit Paleo-Geoecology
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography
08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography > Physical Geography

UniBE Contributor:

Sprafke, Tobias

Subjects:

500 Science > 550 Earth sciences & geology
900 History > 910 Geography & travel

ISSN:

0341-8162

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Tobias Norbert Sprafke

Date Deposited:

14 Aug 2020 16:56

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:40

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.catena.2020.104549

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Quaternary, Pedogenesis, Loess, Slope sediments, OSL dating

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.145839

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/145839

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