ABSTRACT
A summary of the stratigraphy, lithology and Pollen Succession of the type locality of the Ferdynandowian Interglacial is presented. This interglacial has now been recognized in pollen diagrams from at least ten localities in Poland.
The vegetational succession of this interglacial differs substantially from those of the Mazovian and Eemian interglacial stages. The interglacial had two climatic optima, when temperate deciduous forest developed, separated by an interval when boreal forest (taiga) predominated. During the older climatic optimum, Quercus, Ulmus, Corylus and later Abies were abundant, but Carpinus was notably absent. However Carpinus dominated the forests of the younger climatic optimum, with Quercus, Ulmus and Corylus also present but without Abies.
Stratigraphically the deposits of the Ferdynandowian Interglacial lie beneath the Wilga Till and above the P2 till of the South Polish Glaciation, i.e. the San 1 Glaciation. The Ferdynandowian is certainly older than the Mazovian, since Mazovian deposits overlie the Ferdynandowian sequence in the exposure at the Belchatów open-cast mine. The Wilga Till is probably the equivalent of the San 2 Till, though it is also argued that both the San 2 and San 1 Tills represent glaciations predating the Ferdynandowian.
The pollen diagrams suggest a good correlation between the Ferdynandowian and the Roslavl Interglacial of the Russian Plain, but various difficulties complicate correlation with western Europe. A controversial suggestion would be that the Wilga Till is represented by only the younger part of the Elsterian (Elsterian II) in the North German Plain and perhaps the Anglian of eastern England. Comparison of the Ferdynandowian Interglacial with the Cromerian and other early Middle Pleistocene interglacials of western Europe requires further discussion.
