Palaeoclimatic record in the loess-palaeosol sequence of the Strelitsa type section (Don glaciation area, Russia) deduced from rock magnetic and palynological data

Until now, palaeoclimatic reconstructions for the major stages in the devel opment of the Quaternary loess-palaeosol sequence on the Russian Plain have been based on pedological, palynological and faunal (vertebrates and mollu scs) analyses, in order to demonstrate the palaeoclimatic influence on the magnetic properties of this sequence, the magnetic susceptibility signature of the Strelitsa type section in the Upper Don basin is compared with a de tailed landscape - climate reconstruction of loess and soil from palynologi cal data. Large amplitude fluctuations of palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironme nt are reflected clearly in the lithology and in the rock magnetic properti es, which usually are enhanced in wet and warm interglacial periods, but st ay at low levels during cold glacial epochs. Palynological climate zonation , however, is sometimes in conflict with the pedologic-magnetic record. Str ong climate fluctuations, as indicated by changing pollen assemblages, are not always paralleled by corresponding changes in lithology and/or rock mag netic properties. Alternatively, light coloured illuvial horizons with low magnetic signal sometimes appear to have formed during early stages of inte rglacials, and the top parts of some palaeosols apparently formed during gl acial stages. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.