Upper Pleistocene loess-palaeosol and vegetational successions in the Middle Dnieper Area, Ukraine

The loess-palacolsol successions of the Middle Dnieper Area provide high-resolution records of the Last Interglacial-Glacial cycle. In the paper, the palaeoenvironmental information is based on the results of pedostratigraphic and pollen studies. The Last Interglacial is recorded by pollen succession of the Mikulino (Eemian) type in the Kaydaky pedocomplex, overlying the deposits of the Dnieper Glaciation. The soils of the Pryluky pedocomplex are correlated with the Early Glacial interstadials, and the Tyasmyn loess and the silt beds of the Pryluky unit are compared with the stadials of the Early Glacial. Two main loesses of the Pleniglacial are separated by the Middle Pleniglacial Vytachiv pedocomplex. It includes three interstadials (boreal soils) and two stadials (silt beds formed in subperiglacial environments). The Bug loess corresponds to the first half of the Late Pleniglacial. It documents frequent oscillations in humidity at the beginning of the interval and strong stable loess input during the second half of the Bug time. The Dofinivka pedocomplex of subarctic soils separates the Bug and Prychernomorsk loesses. The last one corresponds to the end of the Late Pleniglacial (the last strong loess input) and to the Late Glacial stadials and interstadials. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.