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Quaternary Research in Poland: Selected Achievements and Prospects Przegl¹d Geologiczny, vol. 52, no. 8/2, 2004 Quaternary research in Poland: selected achievements and prospects Leszek Marks* A b s t r a c t . During the last thirty years there were several turnouts in Quaternary studies that increasingly accelerated our under- standing of natural processes and opened new research fields. Among others, they included complex reconstruction of palaeoclimatic phenomena, studies of deep-sea and long-term continental record, and extensive application of reliable dating methods. In Poland considerable progress was gained in studies of stratigraphy and palaeogeography of the Eemian Interglacial, last Pleistocene gla- ciation and Holocene, regional loess stratigraphy, key palynologic interglacial sections and standard varve chronology in Lake Goœci¹¿, as well as in complex and systematic studies in polar areas. Priorities in Quaternary studies suggest that particularly quick progress is to be expected in studies of climate change, evolution of natural environment and in monitoring of natural and human-induced hazards. Key words: Quaternary, research, achievements, priorities The main feature of the Quaternary studies is their com- appearance of theoretical models, tested with collec- plexity and interdisciplinary character. The idea of inte- ted geological data. gration of interdisciplinary studies of the Quaternary, far The retrospective view indicates that the last thirty beyond a clear geological aspect, has been developed already years witnessed a distinct quantitative change in the me- in the 19th century. In Poland the first institutional Quater- thods applied. It was firstly due to wide use of computer nary organisation was created by the Committee for Staru- programs that made possible common introduction of nia Research, established by the Polish Academy of Arts modeling and forecasting to Quaternary research. And and Sciences in June 1929. But already in 1928 at the Inter- although our knowledge is at present much more profound national Geological Congress in Paris, a new Quaternary than several dozen years ago, there are still numerous organisation was initiated, named the International Union questions without any reasonable answer yet. There are for Quaternary Research (INQUA). Polish Quaternary now many new research perspectives that call for underta- researcher Mieczys³aw Limanowski played a significant king innovatory approaches in the coming years. role in this activity. New methods applied in the Quaternary research consi- After the Second World War, an interdisciplinary spec- derably increased the possibilities to find the solution in trum of Quaternary scientists in Poland has been grouped this sector of science. Among these new methods, or new in the Committee for Quaternary Research, established by application of the older methods, there are: the Polish Academy of Sciences on 30th June, 1964. Within wide introduction of sedimentology to determination this Committee, the National Committee of INQUA was of the sedimentary environment of the Quaternary founded. sediments; The Committee initiated and supported the studies of reconstruction of palaeotemperatures on the basis of the Quaternary in Poland. This activity succeeded in deve- oxygen isotopes — this method is considered univer- lopment of the Geochronological Laboratory in Gliwice sal in studies of deep-sea sediments and ice cores, (Upper Silesia) and supported a wide program of dating of and can be also applied to inland deposits; sediments. Activity of the Committee backed up considera- dating of Quaternary sediments; ble progress and intensified international cooperation and measurement of palaeoclimate parameters; participation in multilateral programs. application of biology (e.g., palynology) as a source of information on environmental changes; Quaternary research during the last thirty years palaeomagnetism. Among achievements in Quaternary studies in the It has focused mostly within the Earth sciences, with world during the last thirty years there are several turnouts vast participation of biology, also physics, archaeology and that increasingly accelerated our understanding of natural agricultural sciences. The Quaternary studies play predo- processes and opened new research fields. They include minant role in reconstruction of previous events, forecast (Porter, 1999): future changes in natural environment and climate and identification of climatic cycles of varying duration also monitor the natural hazards. It does seem obvious that and attempt of their correlation with definite astro- demands of the authorities and the society made distinct nomical and geological phenomena; and quick progress in these studies possible during the last linking the palaeoclimatic signal from deep-sea sedi- thirty years. The four fundamental points has backed up these ments with changes of ice volume on land; achievements: complex and interdisciplinary studies of long conti- application of precise and reliable dating methods; nental sequences, enabling correlation of changes in vast cooperation with non-Earth scientists in collec- vegetation during several intervals of the Quaternary ting and elaboration of data; with a record of climatic changes in deep-sea sedi- introduction of new research techniques; ments; correlation of results of palaeoclimatic studies of deep-sea sediments and ice cores with the palaeoma- *Polish Geological Institute, Rakowiecka 4, 00-975 War- gnetic scale and loess-palaeosol sequences, which szawa, Poland; [email protected] demonstrated the occurrence of several dozen inter- 800 Przegl¹d Geologiczny, vol. 52, no. 8/2, 2004 glacial-glacial cycles throughout the Quaternary — Integration of Quaternary research exampled by some it located the lower boundary of the Quaternary at achievements in central Europe least at 1.8 mln years ago, but more probably, this boundary should be moved even further back to 2.6 During the last dozen years, an immense progress has mln years ago; been noted in studies of the Quaternary, carried through in calibration of radiocarbon time scale and wider use cooperation with scientists from different European coun- of uranium-thorium dating; tries. Easier international contacts and application of new introduction of palaeoclimatic modeling based on research methods favoured development of the knowledge primary role played by ocean circulation; and intensive exchange of ideas, particularly among the attempt of determination of the role of greenhouse scientists from Central and Eastern Europe. gases in climate development. The main tasks that have been the subject to extensive investigation included selection of basic stratotype sec- Achievements of Quaternary studies in Poland tions and defining formal, semi-formal and informal units in the stratigraphic schemes of the Quaternary. It calls for Studies of the Quaternary in Poland during the last definition of precisely dated chronostratigraphic bounda- several decades had two aspects: regional and more gene- ries. Much in this scope is still to be done, as evidenced by ral. In both, the main role was played by applicative fac- the complex stratigraphic subdivision of the Lower Quater- tors, resulting from the fact that most of the country is nary in Central Europe, as well as by uncertainties about mantled with thick Quaternary sediments. They contain the exact position of the Neogene/Quaternary boundary also most natural deposits and groundwater intakes; this (cf. Fig. 1). This task, as well as of the status and definition cover is most susceptible to degradation caused by the of the Quaternary itself, has been lately many a time the activity of man. subject of extensive discussion within the International Among the most significant achievements of the Polish Commission on Stratigraphy of the International Union of Quaternary scientists during the last thirty years there are: Geological Sciences (IUGS). studies of stratigraphy and palaeogeography of the Trans-border mapping is another important field of Eemian Interglacial, last Pleistocene glaciation and international co-operation. Geologic maps in different sca- Holocene on the basis of complex lithological, palaeo- le have been prepared lately for the Polish regions along pedologic, chronometric and palaeontological inve- the border with Czech Republic, Lithuania, Germany, stigations; Slovakia, and Ukraine. The most spectacular recent exam- development of regional loess stratigraphy on the ple is a series of geologic maps in 1 : 200,000 scale for the basis of lithological, palaeopedologic, chronome- border zone region of Poland and Germany, published in tric, palaeontological and palaeomagnetic data; 2003 (Fig. 2). revealing key palynologic interglacial sections in There are numerous less or more formal groups that Poland; cooperate within the scope of the Quaternary research. complex examination of Quaternary sediments in the In Europe one of these is the Peribaltic Group of the Inter- brown coal mine at Be³chatów, what enabled to esta- national Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA). Within blish para-stratotypes for the European stratigraphy; the activities of this Group, eleven field symposiums were elaboration of standard varve chronology on the organised in 1996–2004 in the southern Peribaltic region basis of lithological, chronometric and palaeontolo- (Fig. 3). Presented field material laid foundations for gical studies of sediments in the Lake Goœci¹¿, what cooperation and played important role in selection of fur- enabled to make it a global
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