Reference section of the Log Krasnyi loess and soil formation of the lowerPleistocene in upper reaches of the Don River

Materials of geological, paleontological (small mammals and freshwater moll usks), paleopedological, palynological, paleomagnetic and magnetic studies are considered to characterize the Log Krasnyi loess-and-soil formation of the lower Pleistocene in the upper reaches of the Don River. The comprehens ive investigation revealed four thermochrons in the lower Pleistocene seque nce. The upper three thermochrons are within the Brunhes Chron. The second thermochron from the top and partly the underlying cryochron span the inter val of geomagnetic excursion. Alluvium corresponding in time to the Matuyam a Chron and underlying the loess-and-soil deposits yielded the most represe ntative collection of the early Tiraspel' theriofauna that was studied in d etail. The Log Krasnyi section can be considered as a stratotype of the loe ss-and-soil formation in the upper reaches of the Don River.