Loess in the Vojvodina region (Northern Serbia): an essential link between European and Asian Pleistocene environments

Abstract

Loess deposits in the Vojvodina region, northern Serbia, are among the oldest and most complete loess-paleosol sequences in Europe to date. These thick sequences contain a detailed paleoclimatic record from the late Early Pleistocene. Based on the correlation of detailed magnetic susceptibility (MS) records from Vojvodina with the Chinese loess record and deep-sea isotope stratigraphy we here reconfirm and expand on a stratigraphic model of the Vojvodinian loess-paleosol chronostratigraphic sequence following the Chinese loess stratigraphic system.Variations in MS, dust accumulation rates, and the intensity of pedogenesis demonstrate evidence for a Middle Pleistocene climatic and environmental transition. The onset of loess deposition in Vojvodina also indicates a direct link between dust generation in Europe and that in the interior of Eurasia since the Early Pleistocene. The youngest part of the Early Pleistocene and oldest part of the Middle Pleistocene is characterised by relatively uniform dust accumulation and soil formation rates as well as relatively high magnetic susceptibility values. In contrast, the last five interglacial-glacial cycles are characterised by sharp environmental differences between high dust accumulation rates during the glacials and low rates observed during soil development. The data presented in this study demonstrate the great potential of Vovjodina's loess archives for accurate reconstruction of continental Eurasian Pleistocene climatic and environmental evolution.

Črvenka loess-paleosol sequence revisited: local and regional Quaternary biogeographical inferences of the southern Carpathian Basin

“…Thus the youngest loess layer, V-L1L1, would have accumulated during the upper last glacial period and V-S0 formed during the Holocene. The lithostratigraphical and chronological analysis of the črvenka profile [9] were published in other studies [27,[30][31][32].…”

“…Since the sampling range was 25 cm [27,30,32,85,86], the faunal changes have been examined at a scale of approximately 1250 years (Fig. 5, 6, 7 and 8).…”

“…The MZ2 developed between 9.5 and 7.7 m. Based on the chronological data [27,[30][31][32] and Granaria frumentum (Fig. 5).…”

Danube loess stratigraphy — Towards a pan-European loess stratigraphic model

“…While some plateau deposits may contain short hiatuses, luminescence dating and palaeomagnetic profiling have demonstrated that these are generally of short duration (<4 kyrs; Stevens et al, 2007;Zhu et al, 2007) and that on the longer timescales that are relevant to basin-wide, long-term unified stratigraphic models, these are not significant. Many Danubian sequences are formed in plateau-like depositional environments comparable to the Chinese Loess Plateau, where relatively continuous, uniform and well-preserved loess records facilitate relatively straight-forward cross correlations between sites (Marković et al, 2012a). We deliberately target these and avoid using other Danubian non-plateau loess sequences, which are characterised by a greater influence of erosional or slope processes (e.g.…”

“…Austrian, Slovakian, Czech and geomorphologically more dynamic slope loess linked with fluvial terrace landscapes and local tectonic basins Hosek et al, 2014;Sprafke et al, 2014) yield more complex and incomplete stratigraphic records than those in Hungary or Croatia (Novothny et al, 2009;Wacha and Frechen, 2011;Wacha et al 2013), or in the semi-arid Serbian, Romanian and Bulgarian loess plateau zone (Buggle et al 2009;Marković et al, 2012a). These environmental differences limit the preservation of primary palaeomagnetic and environmental magnetic records, as well as dictating the post-depositional magnetic overprints.…”