RIVER RESPONSE TO HIGH-FREQUENCY CLIMATE OSCILLATIONS IN SOUTHERN EUROPE OVER THE PAST 200 KY

A 200 k.y. chronology of river response to climate-related environment al change has been established for northeast Spain using newly develop ed luminescence dating techniques. This constitutes the best-documente d record of late Quaternary river behavior currently available for the North Atlantic region and enables fluvial stratigraphies to be compar ed with high-resolution ice core and marine oxygen isotope climate ser ies. Pleistocene and Holocene river aggradational episodes coincide wi th stadial or neoglacial events, while phases of river incision occur during interstadial or interglacial periods. Alluviation and erosion c ycles would appear to track variations in sediment supply controlled b y vegetation cover and winter storm frequency.