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RESEARCH PRODUCT

27. A new holsteinian pollen record from the dry maar at Döttingen (Eifel)

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Abstract A new interglacial pollen sequence from the Dottingen dry maar in the Eifel region of the Rheinish Schield is presented. Palynology is used to correlate with several classical north German Holsteinian sites. The lake sediments reveal the complete interglacial and also 60 m of laminated sediments from the glacial preceding the Holsteinian. The interglacial section indicates limnic conditions in its lower part and telmatic conditions in its upper part with an intermediate episode of peat formation. Ash layers document intensive volcanism during the interglacial in the Eifel region. Some of the north German Holsteinian sites reveal spikes of high abundance of Pinus, Betula and Poaceae and/or setbacks of more demanding taxa during the interglacial, often interpreted as cold events. The Dottingen profile shows similar pattern, but with little response from the thermophilous pollen taxa. In the Dottingen sequence, these vegetation ‘anomalies’ are preceded, or accompanied by phases of active volcanism. The role/interaction of climate and/or volcanism as a likely cause for these vegetation ‘anomalies’ is still to be quantified.