ABSTRACT

By correlation of palynologically dated sequences a regional Late Pleistocene biostratigraphy has been established for Central Switzerland, which is in good agreement with well–known longer sequences; a tentative correlation with the deep–sea oxygen isotope stratigraphy is proposed. Main findings are: Riss/Würm–interglacial, Early Würmianinterstadials with conifer vegetation, interrupted by stadials with tree–less or forestline vegetation, Middle Würmian–interstadials, characterized by a scarce pine forest vegetation, Late Würmian with the already well–known sequence, starting with steppes and meadows leading (at the end of the Oldest Dryas) to vegetation types with dwarf birches and the reforestation at the beginning of the Bølling. There is further evidence that during the Würmian two main glacier advances occurred, one in the Early Middle Würmian (maximum advance, probably during oxygen isotope stage 4), the other one in the Early Late Wurmian (the classical Maximum, Killwangen).