Hoxnian Stage
The Holstein interglacial period, or Holstein interglacial in the Alps Mindel - Riss interglacial is the penultimate major warm period ( interglacial ) before the Eemian and the current interglacial period, the Holocene. Within the Ice Age (Pleistocene ) it is in the section of the Middle Pleistocene.
Definition
The Holstein interglacial defined by marine sedimentation. Can understand to flooding by the Holstein - Sea ( Cardien Sands ) the development of the Elster glaciation ( Lauenburg clay ) on the onset of warm period ( freshwater deposits ) on the layer sequence of the Sievert 's Ziegeleitongrube in Hamburg- Hummelsbüttel.
Age determination
The exact age of the Holstein interglacial period is controversial to this day. In the customary international structure, the oxygen - isotope stages (English: Oxygen Isotope Stage = OIS ) is based, is a part of the Quaternary geologists to be the oxygen isotope stage ( OIS) 11 favors, while OIS Level 7 currently hardly is represented. The improved in the last 10 years, methods of age determination, particularly the uranium -thorium dating and Radio fluorescence as a new method of thermoluminescence leave for Central Europe, the oxygen isotope stage 9.3 are most likely. The Holstein interglacial therefore started about 340,000 years ago and ended about 325,000. It followed the Elster glaciation. The Holstein interglacial period was replaced by the Saale glaciation and probably correlates with the Mindel - Riss interglacial in the Alps.
Vegetation
Regardless of the lithostratigraphic definitions Palynology also describes a Interglazialtyp Holstein. Typical of pollen profiles of the Holstein interglacial is the dominance of coniferous forests with an initially high proportion of spruce (Picea ), later enriched by a high proportion of fir ( Abies ). There are also demanding (today submediterran distributed) species, such as boxwood ( Buxus ), wine (Vitis ) and wingnut ( Pterocarya ). The immigration history of the vegetation communities differs significantly from other warm periods, such as the Eemian interglacial and the Holocene.