Palaeo-ecological development and interpretation of the macrofauna inventory (Bivalvia and Gastropoda) in marine Eemian deposits at Warnow Bay (NE Germany). (30th August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meng, Stefan; Börner, Andreas; Menzel-Harloff, Holger; Strahl, Jaqueline; Müller, Ulrich
• Is Part Of: Quaternary international. Volume 630(2022)
• Page Start: 84
• Page End: 96
• Publication Date: 2022-08-30
• Subjects: Eemian -- Marine -- Macrofauna -- Molluscs -- Warnow Bay -- Baltic Sea; Geology, Stratigraphic -- Quaternary -- Periodicals; Stratigraphie -- Quaternaire -- Périodiques; 551.79
• DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2021.05.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1040-6182

Abstract

Abstract: For the palaeo-ecological development and interpretation of the macrofauna (Bivalvia and Gastropoda) of the Eemian Sea in the southwestern Baltic Sea region (NE Germany), up to date studies and summarising assessments are largely missing. With the main goal of revising the Eemian marine fauna, the authors have undertaken numerous new samplings in recent years. This study begins by focusing on the Warnow Bay in today's Warnow valley near Rostock. In addition to examining older data from the literature, the sandpit at Schwaan and drillings of the State Geological Survey from Boitin, Reez and Rostock were studied. Parallel to this, was also undertaken pollen analyses. Despite hundreds of drillings from the region of the former Warnow Bay, evidence of the marine Eemian was relatively rare. Apparently the sandy sediments were reworked and redistributed by glaciotectonic, glaciofluvial and fluvial processes during the Weichselian glaciation. There is as yet no definite proof of autochthonous marine sediments. They are predominantly shallow-marine sands several meters thick which are found mostly at a depth of about 30–20 m b.s.l. but more rarely also relatively close to the surface in opencast mining or cliff sections. The sands are rich in marine mollusc fauna of which 29 species have been identified so far and which also include Lusitanian specimens such as Acanthocardia paucicostata, Lucinella divaricata or Polititapes senescens . Account was also taken of accompanying marine fauna such as barnacles and echinoderms. In addition, the sediments contain fresh water molluscs also including the interglacial indicator species Belgrandia germanica .