The Orlovat loess-paleosol section - link between lowland loess plateaus and upland hills slope loess sediments in the Pannonian Basin

Abstract

Carpathian (Pannonian) Basin presents an important part of dispersal of the anatomically modern human (Homo Sapiens Sapiens sp.) corridor from Africa to Central Europe. This area currently lies at the border between Atlantic, Continental and Mediterranean climate zones and therefore is potentially extraordinarily sensitive to past and present climate change. During Quaternary, huge amount of loess deposits have been accumulated over Carpathian Basin. In frame of the CRC 806 “Our Way to Europe” project, we investigate plateau like loess sections from Carpathian Basin and slope loess and loess-like sediments from the edge of Carpathian Mountains aiming to better understand climate and environmental changes during Last Glacial period. We assume that long and high resolution plateau like sediment from lowlands compared with upland hills slope sediments from highland can give us much better and more detailed insight into climate and environmental changes during Last Glacial for whole region.
Orlovat section is located on the right side of Tamiš river in Serbian part of Banat region (Southeast Carpathian Basin). This section is part of small Tamiš loess plateau. Tamiš loess plateau was probably much larger in past, but influenced with strong erosion now present smallest loess plateau in this region. However, this section is recognized as a transition section from pure loess plateaus to slope like loess sediments, and therefore can be important for better understanding of paleoenvironmental conditions. Using multidisciplinary analysis (geochemical, grain size analysis and OSL-dating) compared with already existing results of magnetic susceptibility, color analysis and OSL-dating, beside paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental reconstruction, we try to better understand influence of geomorphology and erosion on loess-paleosoil sediments in region. Also, this section will help to understand and improve correlation between lowland plateau like loess sediments and upland hills loess sediments.

Resources

Bibliography

Obreht, I. F., Zeeden, C., Marković, S., Hambach, U., Bösken, J., Eckmeier, E., Schulte, P. (2014): The Orlovat loess-paleosol section - link between lowland loess plateaus and upland hills slope loess sediments in the Pannonian Basin. Loessfest 2014, 8.-9.9.2014, Wrocław, Poland.