Die mittelpleistozäne Flußentwicklung im nordöstlichen Harzvorland: Petrographie, Terrassenstratigraphie

The present study deals with the evolution of the middle Pleistocene river system in the north-eastern foreland of the Harz Mtns. Sediments of the middle fluvial terrace level (early Saalian time) are the main objectives. By using these sediments supplementary with some results of upper fluvial terrace level (early Elesterian time or older) the fluvial palaeogeography within the area has been reconstructed. The sediments were investigated with respect to their gravel spectra, heavy mineral record, sedimentary structures and altitude above the recent river beds. Due to the resulting specifics the sediments have been attributed to particular rivers in the area. Furthermore it is possible to distinguish between fluvial sediments and Elsterian as well as Saalian fluvioglacial deposits. Together with discernible middle or upper terrace characteristics this led to a spatio-temporal reconstruction of the palaeo river system of the Harz Mtns. It revealed that not only during upper terrace sedimentation but even while middle terraces were deposited the rivers partly diversed. These river diversions were mainly caused by hydrodynamic changes reflecting interaction of the fluvial system with Elsterian and Saalian ice shield formation in the north. The Rivers Ecker, Ilse, Rammelsbach, Holtemme, Goldbach, Bode, Selke and Eine were affected by this development as follows: Upper terrace level formation: • The Ecker River formerly ran between its recent river bed and that of the Use River in direction to the Großer Fallstein Mtn. • The Use River flowed to the NE towards the Huy Mtn. • The Goldbach River and the Holtemme River mutually ran to the NW south of the Huy Mtn. After uniting with the Use River and Ecker River it ran south of the Großer Fallstein Mtn. Middle terrace level formation: • The Ecker River flowed far more NE. • Near to the Harz Mtns. the Use River flowed more in the E. The tributary junction of the Rammelsbach River was located far more downstream. Thereafter the Use River ran to the N between Huy Mtn. and Großer Fallstein Mtn. to end up flowing in the area of the Großes Bruch. • The Holtemme River kept its course. Its recent tributary the Goldbach River flowed to the NE and joined the Bode River after leaving the Harz Mtn. Range. • The Eine River ran to the NW when passing todays city of Aschersleben. After flowing together with the Selke River in the area of the Seeländerei it became a tributary to the Bode River. • The Bode River within the recent tributary junction of the Holtemme ran far more in the W. In the area of the Espenbruch it flowed eastwards to the Saale River. The following general implications resulted out of the study: • The so called “mixed sediments” sensu Rosenberger & Altermann (1975) have now been interpreted as proximal fluvioglacial deposits. • High altitudes of middle terrace fluvial deposits in the courses of the Ecker River and Use River were formerly assigned to post middle Pleistocene uplift of the Großer Fallstein Mtn. (Feldmann, 2002). The present study suggests that the unusual high altitudes should rather be attributed to post middle terrace level erosion of the shortened Ilse- Rammelsbach river system or fluvioglacial processes below the glacier. • Within the north-eastern foreland of the Harz Mtns. middle terrace level deposits have previously been subdivided by cryoturbation horizons or short-term progradation of Saalian glaciation. This is not supported by own results for the examined area.

Ein jungpleistozäner Leopardenfund aus der Baumannshöhle bei Rübeland im Harz

Ein Leopardenfund aus der Baumannshöhle bei Rübeland im Harz, der mit Hilfe seiner Begleitfauna und der an der gleichen Lokalität gefundenen Artefakte in die frühe Weichsel-Eiszeit datiert werden kann, wird mit anderen in der Literatur beschriebenen pleistozänen Vorkommen von Panthera pardus (L.) und mit dem rezenten Leoparden verglichen. Es zeigt sich, daß die pleistozänen Leoparden im Durchschnitt etwas kräftiger als ihre rezenten Verwandten waren. Leichte Abweichungen von den rezenten Verhältnissen finden sich übereinstimmend bei den mittel- bis jungpleistozänen Exemplaren in der Längengliederung von P— und P— (Abb. l). Gerichtete phylogenetische Veränderungen von älteren zu jüngeren Formen lassen sich jedoch nicht nachweisen. Einige der Unterschiede, die den altpleistozänen Leoparden aus den Mauerer Sanden von den jüngeren aus dem Eem- Interglazial und der Saale-Eiszeit bzw. der späten Elster-Eiszeit trennen, werden durch den Rübeländer Fund überbrückt (Abb. 2), ohne daß deswegen an der von SOERGEL (1914) und E.SCHMID (1940) betonten und durch einen Neufund (Beschreibung S.105) bestätigten Sonderstellung des Mauerer Tieres gezweifelt werden kann. Es ist dies lediglich als Beweis dafür anzusehen, daß die Variabilität innerhalb des mittel- bis jungpleistozänen Formenkreises ebenso groß wie bei den rezenten Leoparden gewesen sein muß.