GEOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF VISTULIAN LOESS AND MICROMORPHOLOGY OF INTERSTADIAL PALAEOSOLS AT THE KOLODIIV SITE (EAST CARPATHIAN FORELAND, UKRAINE)

Abstract

This paper summarizes geochemical and palaeopedological investigations of the Upper Pleistocene loess-palaeosol se quences at the Kolodiiv site. The Kolodiiv 2, 3 and 5 profiles were selected for this study. The Kolodiiv 2 profile contains loesses, interglacial (Eemian) and interstadial (Vistulian) palaeosols. A set of Early Vistuliansoils overlying Eemian gyttja and peat is exposed in the Kolodiiv 3 and 5 profiles.The mineral composition of the 50–2 µm silt fraction was analysed using non-oriented powder samples by means of X-ray diffraction. The total concentrations of nine major (Si, Ti, Al, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca, K and Na) and nine trace elements (Zn, Pb, Ni, Rb, Cr, Sr, Ba, Co, V) as well as the humus content and loss on ignition were measured.The major elements concentrations in mineral deposits from the Kolodiiv 2 loess-palaeosol sequence indicate that the loess particles were derived from poorly weathered source rocks that have undergone at least one sedimentary cycle. Climatic conditions have strongly influenced the mobilization and accumulation of elements in the palaeosol horizons due to the changes in the intensity of weathering and pedogenic processes. For the micromorphological study, ten samples from the Kolodiiv 3 and 5 profiles were used. Thin sections representing the Kolodiiv and Dubno set of palaeosols from Early Vistulian and Middle Pleniglacial show, besides palaeopedologic characteristics, significant evidence of redeposition of sediments and soils.