CLIMATIC ZONES OF THE PLEISTOCENE |
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| Abstract: | Although much emphasis has been placed on the effects of Pleistocene ice sheet as the determinant of Pleistocene climate in Europe, only through the combined evaluation of all useful climatic indicators can Pleistocene climatic zones be differentiated. The relationships between a paleoclimatically determined snowline and polar treelines and extent of loess deposition, determined stratigraphically, botanically, and morphologically, also indicate climatic conditions of Pleistocene Europe. Five great climatic-morphologic and plant-geographic zones, namely, forest-rubble tundra, forest tundra, loess tundra, loess steppe, and loess-forest steppe, may be distinguished. Considering these factors and their characteristics and spatial and temporal extents, it is possible to chronologically present the differentiation of the Würm glacial period independent of the retardation effect of ice sheets. --G. E. Denegar. |
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