Stratigraphic interpretation of loess in the marginal zone of the Dnieper I ice sheet and the evolution of its landscape after deglaciation (Dnieper Upland, Ukraine)

Authors

  • Maryna Komar 1 Institute of Geological Sciences, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Gonchara 55B, 01 601 Kiev, Ukraine; phone 38 044 4869446, fax 38 044 4869334, dir@igs-nas.org.ua, maryna.kom@gmail.com 2 National Museum of Natural History, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine, 15 Bohdan Khmelnitsky , Kiev, 01601, Ukraine; phone 380 442356266, maryna.kom@gmail.com
  • Maria Łanczont Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, Maria Curie–Skłodowska University, Al. Kraśnicka 2d, 20–718 Lublin, Poland; phone 48 81 5376838, fax 48 81 5376862
  • Stanisław Fedorowicz Department of Geomorphology and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Geography, University of Gdańsk, ul. Bażyńskiego 4, 80–950 Gdańsk, Poland; phone 48 58 523 65 43; fax 48 58 5236505
  • Petro Gozhik Institute of Geological Sciences, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Gonchara 55B, 01 601 Kiev, Ukraine; phone 38 044 4869446, fax 38 044 4869334
  • Przemysław Mroczek Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, Maria Curie–Skłodowska University, Al. Kraśnicka 2d, 20–718 Lublin, Poland; phone 48 81 5376838, fax 48 81 5376862
  • Andryi Bogucki Ivan Franko National University, Department of Geomorphology and Palaeogeography, Doroshenka 41, 79000 Lviv, Ukraine; phone 38 0322394598; fax 38 032 2394302

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7306/gq.1434,

Keywords:

loess, paleosol, luminescence dating, reconstruction, Pleistocene, Dnieper, Ukraine

Abstract

Litho-, pedo- and palynological analyses constrained by radiometric dating of two loess–palaeosol sequences, Nahirne and Velyka Andrusivka, exposed in a cliff at the eastern edge of the Dnieper Upland, Ukraine, document regional environmental changes in the western marginal zone of the Dnieper lobe. The postglacial loess sedimentation cycle was initiated during MIS 8, immediately after the ice sheet recession. On the basis of palaeorelief analysis, subsequent morphogenetic stages of the original postglacial relief, associated with the modifying and masking role of the loess, and destructive slope processes were reconstructed. Periglacial steppe with consistently present scattered trees formed the Pleistocene landscape in the Middle Dniester area during the last three glacial periods. In such an environment, the following loess beds, correlated with marine isotope stages (MIS), were deposited: Dnieper (dn) – MIS 8, Tyasmyn (ts) – MIS 6, Uday (ud) – MIS 4 and Bug (bg) – MIS 2. During the last two warm periods: Kaydaky (kd) – MIS 7 and Pryluky (pl) – MIS 5, the landscape was not fully forested. As a result, the individual palynological features of these soils show a diverse character. The TL and OSL dates form a sequence with numerous inversions that are difficult to interpret. Although these data do not significantly influence the interpretation, they show that: 1) there are loesses that undoubtedly formed after the maximum extent of the ice sheet by short-distance transport of dust material from local fresh glacial deposits and the underlying Paleogene rocks; 2) date distortions result from the activities of an exceptionally rich pedofauna that has contaminated the material not only in the soil sections of the profile but also in the adjacent loess. It is possible to delimit a few stages of pedofaunal activity in each of the soil units.

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Published

2018-10-25

Issue

Vol. 62 No. 3 (2018)

Section

Articles

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