Lateglacial vegetation development in Northeast Germany

Abstract

This paper describes Lateglacial vegetation development in Northeast Germany, linked to the climate changes and compared to the climate changes that are recorded in the Greenland ice cores. This was done by analyzing the organic content, carbonate content, oxygen isotope record, vegetation development and tephro stratigraphy. In the organic content, carbonate content and vegetation development 4 zones could be distinguished. These zones show that there was a sequence of a cold period that is followed by a warm period, then a cold period again and at last a warm period. The tephro stratigraphy points out that the first warm period correlates to the Allerød warm period and the last cold period correlates to the Younger Dryas (GS - 1). The last warm period correlates to the Holocene. The first cold period is difficult to correlate to a certain cold phase in the Lateglacial. If there was a hiatus this period is most likely to be the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. However, it could also be the Older Dryas. Dating this zone should be conclusive.