Abstract
A number of important loess sites have been discovered in the area of the Brno-Bohunice district. Most of them are related to archaeological research, and apart from Karel Valoch work, their palaeopedological record has not been studied in detail.
A new loess section exposed by the recent construction works in Brno-Bohunice provides an opportunity for a comprehensive multiproxy evaluation of the Upper Pleistocene loess-palaeosol record. This work provides a complex information on palaeoenvironment and soil development using a combined approach, including micromorphological observations and physical, anthracological, malacological, and geochemical data along with radiocarbon dating.
The excavated section Brno-Bohunice 2018 (49,1773775N; 16,5749161E), approximately 400 cm in thickness, was divided into ten lithostratigraphic units: loess (units 6 and 1), soil horizons (units 5, 4, 2c, 2b and 2a) and a colluvium (units 3c, 3b and 3a). The basal loess was probably deposited before the Last Glacial Period (MIS 6 or older).
The overlying Bt horizon of luvisol was probably developed in the Eem Interglacial and the chernozem in the Early Glacial period (both in MIS 5). The loess-palaeosol sequence is followed by colluvial deposits of unknown age, plausibly resulting from both traction and, frost-related processes.
Bw horizon of cambisol affected by secondary gleying process developed from the upper part of the colluvium. Radiocarbon dating (45,004-43,344 and 43,350-42,346 cal BP) indicates that this palaeosol belongs to some of MIS 3 interstadials, as does the overlaying reductaquic horizon of tundra gley.
Both palaeosols were affected by freezing processes. The MIS 3 soil complex terminates by the uppermost regosol, which is covered by loess deposited in MIS 2 (27,302-26,463 cal BP).
Our research has shown that the palaeosol development in the Brno-Bohunice area is more complex than expected.