Pleistocene Stratigraphy of Poland and Its Correlation with Stratotype Sections in the Volhynian Upland (Ukraine)

Recent stratigraphic subdivision of the Pleistocene of Poland presents 4 complexes: Preglacial, South-Polish, Middle-Polish and North-Polish ones. Each complex comprises a set of stratigraphic units, corresponding to the previously distinguished 8 glaciations/coolings and 7 interglacials/warmings. Three younger complexes and corresponding extents of Scandinavian ice sheets in Poland are described in more detail. Three older interglacials in Poland (Augustovian, Kozi Grzbiet and Ferdynandovian) are characteristic for their bi-optimal climatic sequences but so far, they have no equivalents in loess sections of the Volhynian Upland in the Ukraine. Coolings between the optima of these interglacials are occasionally considered as small glaciations, during which the ice sheet could occupy only a northern part of Poland. All younger interglacials are mono-optimal in Poland and as such, they are also reflected by single palaeosols in loess sections of both countries. Till occurrences in key loess sections of Poland and Ukraine enabled precise delimitation of ice sheet extents, especially within the Middle-Polish Complex with the glaciations Liwiecian, Krznanian and Odranian ascribed to OIS 10, 8 and 6, respectively. During the youngest (Vistulian, Valdai) Glaciation, 3-4 loess deposits were formed in the Lublin and Volhynian Uplands; they are separated by palaeosols that developed during interstadial-rank warmings.