| Upper Pleistocene climate dynamics from malakofaunal data: records in loess sections of Bansko hill (NE Croatia)
Adrijano Morića, Oleg Mandićb, Davor Pavelićc, Pavle Ferića
aCroatian Geological Survey, Department of Geology, Sachsova 2, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
bGeological-paleontological Department, Natural History Museum Vienna, Burgring 7, A-1010 Wien, Austria
cFaculty of Mining and petroleum Engineering, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
ABSTRACT
Paleontological and taxonomy data from loess section in the Bansko hill (NE Croatia) provide records for climate variations in the upper Pleistocene of SE Europe. Gastropod species from 4 loess sections, suggest a slight dry/humid variations in climate, during upper pleistocene. Periods of dry and cold climate are more often then humid one. Most abundand from 12 species is Helicopsis striata, gastropod tipical for open and dry habitats. The high relative percentage of dry gastropod taxa in the loess sections, indicates a dry and cold climate for this area, with shorter periods of warmer and more humid climate. This study shows a climate inudced changes in taxonomy of gastropods, which is probably expression of 21-ky-precessional cycles.
Keywords:
gastropods
loess
climate change
Helicopsis striata
upper Pleistocene
Croatia |