Hahne and Melles: Climate and Vegetation History ofthe Taymvr Peninsula
415
(Behre and van der Plicht, 1992). In Siberia, an interstadial of similar age (32 - 30 ka BP) was
described by Kind (1974); however, interstadial settings were also reported for earlier (Isayeva,
1984) and later (Rybakova, 1989) Middle Weichselian times. Hence, the absolute ages of the
interstadials recorded in core PG 1228 must be kept open, at least until reliable radiocarbon
dates become available.
Vegetation and climate history
In Siberia, both the chronology of the last climatic cycle and the related environmental changes
are still poorly known. The last interglacial, called Kasantzev, is believed to occupy a period
around 130-100 ka BP (e.g., Archipov, 1989). This period covers the Eemian interglacial,
which corresponds to the oxygen isotope stage 5e (Behre and Lade, 1986; Martinson et aI.,
1987). According to Archipov (1989), the Weichselian glacial is subdivided into an Early
Weichselian stadial (Zyrian, 100 - 50 ka BP), a Middle Weichselian interstadial (Kargin, ca. 50
- 22 ka BP) and a Late Weichselian stadial (Sartan, ca. 22 - 10 ka BP).
Pre-Middle Weichselian
During the Eemian (Kasantzev) interglacial, the Siberian vegetation showed a climatically
related zonal structure similar to the present one (Gerasimov and VeIichko, 1984). The climate
is supposed to have been warmer than today, resulting in the location of the forest line further
to the north.
The Early Weichselian (Zyrian) is regarded as a glacial period with continental glaciation.
According to Ukraintseva (1993), the glaciation in Central Siberia took place in two stages. The
first one embraced the North Siberian Lowland between Yenissey and Pogigai Rivers from
three centres: Kara Sea, Putoran Plateau, and Anabar River (Figure 1). During the second
stage, the ice of the northern and southern accumulation centers did not coalesce in the eastern
and central parts of the North Siberian Lowland.
Due to the poor age control on these ice advances, it is not clear whether they correlate with
warm or with cold phases recorded for the Early Weichselian in other areas. For example, in
central Europe, the Early Weichselian was a period of two long-lasting and warm interstadials
with birch and pine forests, the "Br¢rup" and "Odderade" (Behre and Lade, 1986; Hahne et aI.,
1994). They correspond with the isotope stages 5c and 5a and have equivalents in western,
southern, and northern Europe, recorded in profiles from Grande Pile (Woillard, 1979), Les
Echets (DeBeaulieu and Reille, 1984), and Scandinavia (Donner, 1996).
Middle Weichselian
The Middle Weichselian in Siberia (Kargin) is regarded as a cold period with several rather
warm interstadials (Grichuk, 1984). During these interstadials, the climate was at least partly
warmer than that of today, evidenced by the development of light birch or larch forests in areas
where at present typical tundra communities are established. This leads Ukrainseva (1993) to
term the Kargin an interglacial. For northern Central Siberia, three interstadials were
distinguished based on radiocarbon ages: an early one at 50 - 44 ka BP, a middle one at 42 - 33
ka BP, and a late one at 30 - 24 ka BP (Isayeva, 1984).
The lower part of core PG 1228 from Levinson-Lessing Lake probably penetrates into the
Middle Weichselian (Figures 1 and 3). The pollen assemblages in this section showed a distinct
succession of stadial periods (LLD, LLB, LLl), interrupted by two interstadials (LLC and
LLA; Table 3, Figure 3). The latter, termed Levinson-Lessing Interstadials 1 and 2, are still of
unknown absolute age (see above). In both interstadials, AP values of more than 40% indicate
415
(Behre and van der Plicht, 1992). In Siberia, an interstadial of similar age (32 - 30 ka BP) was
described by Kind (1974); however, interstadial settings were also reported for earlier (Isayeva,
1984) and later (Rybakova, 1989) Middle Weichselian times. Hence, the absolute ages of the
interstadials recorded in core PG 1228 must be kept open, at least until reliable radiocarbon
dates become available.
Vegetation and climate history
In Siberia, both the chronology of the last climatic cycle and the related environmental changes
are still poorly known. The last interglacial, called Kasantzev, is believed to occupy a period
around 130-100 ka BP (e.g., Archipov, 1989). This period covers the Eemian interglacial,
which corresponds to the oxygen isotope stage 5e (Behre and Lade, 1986; Martinson et aI.,
1987). According to Archipov (1989), the Weichselian glacial is subdivided into an Early
Weichselian stadial (Zyrian, 100 - 50 ka BP), a Middle Weichselian interstadial (Kargin, ca. 50
- 22 ka BP) and a Late Weichselian stadial (Sartan, ca. 22 - 10 ka BP).
Pre-Middle Weichselian
During the Eemian (Kasantzev) interglacial, the Siberian vegetation showed a climatically
related zonal structure similar to the present one (Gerasimov and VeIichko, 1984). The climate
is supposed to have been warmer than today, resulting in the location of the forest line further
to the north.
The Early Weichselian (Zyrian) is regarded as a glacial period with continental glaciation.
According to Ukraintseva (1993), the glaciation in Central Siberia took place in two stages. The
first one embraced the North Siberian Lowland between Yenissey and Pogigai Rivers from
three centres: Kara Sea, Putoran Plateau, and Anabar River (Figure 1). During the second
stage, the ice of the northern and southern accumulation centers did not coalesce in the eastern
and central parts of the North Siberian Lowland.
Due to the poor age control on these ice advances, it is not clear whether they correlate with
warm or with cold phases recorded for the Early Weichselian in other areas. For example, in
central Europe, the Early Weichselian was a period of two long-lasting and warm interstadials
with birch and pine forests, the "Br¢rup" and "Odderade" (Behre and Lade, 1986; Hahne et aI.,
1994). They correspond with the isotope stages 5c and 5a and have equivalents in western,
southern, and northern Europe, recorded in profiles from Grande Pile (Woillard, 1979), Les
Echets (DeBeaulieu and Reille, 1984), and Scandinavia (Donner, 1996).
Middle Weichselian
The Middle Weichselian in Siberia (Kargin) is regarded as a cold period with several rather
warm interstadials (Grichuk, 1984). During these interstadials, the climate was at least partly
warmer than that of today, evidenced by the development of light birch or larch forests in areas
where at present typical tundra communities are established. This leads Ukrainseva (1993) to
term the Kargin an interglacial. For northern Central Siberia, three interstadials were
distinguished based on radiocarbon ages: an early one at 50 - 44 ka BP, a middle one at 42 - 33
ka BP, and a late one at 30 - 24 ka BP (Isayeva, 1984).
The lower part of core PG 1228 from Levinson-Lessing Lake probably penetrates into the
Middle Weichselian (Figures 1 and 3). The pollen assemblages in this section showed a distinct
succession of stadial periods (LLD, LLB, LLl), interrupted by two interstadials (LLC and
LLA; Table 3, Figure 3). The latter, termed Levinson-Lessing Interstadials 1 and 2, are still of
unknown absolute age (see above). In both interstadials, AP values of more than 40% indicate