Palynostratigraphy of some Pleistocene deposits in the Western Alps: A review

In the Alps, interglacial and interstadial deposits are rarely preserved due to the intense erosive effect of glaciers in the valleys. Fortunately, some outcrops and cored sequences located in the field area ranging from Lyon to Evian provided sedimentary profiles datable by palynostratigraphy in a highly documented geomorphological context. An overview of several palynological sequences studied in this large area is proposed, and their position in a general chronostratigraphical pattern is discussed. Particular attention is paid to palynostratigraphical evidence whose relevance is tested with systematic comparisons with long reference European pollen sequences spanning several glacial cycles. Minimum ages are suggested for non-glacial episodes corresponding to the deposits studied. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.