Pollen analytical biostratigraphy of the last five climatic cycles from a long continental sequence from the Velay region (Massif Central, France)

In the volcanic region of Velay (Massif Central, France), lake sediment seq uences derived from maar craters situated close to one another (Ribains, Pr aclaux and Lac du Bouchet) have been correlated on the basis of tephrostrat igraphical analyses. This has enabled the construction of a sequence (2980 pollen spectral that begins during the glaciation preceding the Holsteinian and ends in the present. This sequence covers the period from 450 ka, i.e. from the end of marine oxygen isotope stage 12, to the present time, and i ncludes five climatic cycles. The study of a second core from the Praclaux site completed the long Velay sequence. The biostratigraphy of the whole se quence is described in detail and illustrated by a synthetic and simplified pollen diagram. Thirteen temperate forest episodes (interglacials or inter stadials) and as many cold periods (glacials or stadials) are defined. Each temperate episode is characterised by particular forest development and ve getation dynamics, and all of them, with the exception of the Holocene, beg in and end with a Pinus forest. The vegetation dynamics observed during the Holocene resemble more closely those recorded during the interstadials tha n during the interglacials. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.